Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1894-01-29
BLoUNT's REPORT.
1t Stands Imprsgnable Against the
Allied Forces Of Repubhcanism.

Hawaiian controversy, behind the re-
port Of its acting representative, Mr..
Blount was shown by the deliberation
with which Secretary Gresham pre-
pared it for congress. 1t was not in
tended to give 1t to the country first.
1t was passing through the govern
ment printing by slow stages and 4
few proofs had been struck of for
accommodation of members of the
foreign relations committee and am
bassadors.
Publication of the report having
been made necessary by appearance
of lit substance in the public press,
ample opportunity has been given to
those whose conduct it arraigns.
Mr.. Stephens was asked to show
wherin Mr.. Blount had misstated facts.
Mr.. Stevens had a premptory engage
ment out of town for several days.
Ho could not point TO solitary IN
accuracy by Mr.. Blount. His own
letter he can not impugn. That con-
victs him of having played traitor to
the government TO which he was ac-
credited and having either deceived
President Harrison or of being party
to plot on the part of the Harrison
cabinet tacitly to hasten annexation;
plot that failed because the conspira-
tors at Honolulu were too timid or too
dilatory.
Ex-President Harrison was also in
yitcd to show that Blount erred in any
statement Of fact. The ex-president
automatically avoided the issue. Mr..
Harrison is quoted as saying that the
refutation of Mr.. Blount's summary
of events and conclusions "would have
to be made at great length after much
careful study" Very likely. To be
plausible, 1t would have to rely on
special pleading and sophistry, facts
being unavailable. at is freely be
lieved," says partisan of the late sd-
ministration, that he will speak and
that shortly and so decidedly that IL
will be in the nature of a sensation
when he does" BY ali means lct Mr..
Harrison speak. Let him speak
speedily and sensationally. II any
thing be kept back from the country
about this Hawaii business the people
are wronged. Let us have the whole
truth.
While. for executive convenience. it
may from time to time be prudent for
the federal government temporarily to
reserve information, it is always to be
remembered that there is no need OF
chronic secretiveness in our foreign
relations. We have no allies to pro-
tect IN mlsdoings. We have no ainis-
ter designs on foreign territory. War
is not contemplated by us on any peo-
pie. We are not bound by secret
treaties to anything or any party.
Our diplomacy is not occult Our
principles are known to the world and
no administration can add to or take
from them. They are written in a
constitution which absolutely binds a
president and his advisers and which
congress itself cannot infringe or sus-
pend. There is no need of shutting
the country out of the confidence OF
the federal government. Upon the
confidence Of the country the federal
government and its officials must rely.
They have no other resort under the
constitution.
Therefore let ex-President Harrison
speak out and make a sensation, If he
can. Let ex-Minister Stevens speak
out and make another sensation, If he
can. He has made one, the worst that
has disgraced American diplomacy.
Up TO this hour Commissioner Blounts
report stand. 1t appears to be un-
answerable. Until its array of facts
shall be disproved, the record is this
Stevens, American minister, bound by
oath to be loyal to the government to
which he was accredited and to be
truthful to the government which he
represented, conspired to overthrow
the one and either deceived the other
or was accessory to republican plot
to play theatrical trick OF forcible
annexation of foreign country to the
United States without the consent Of
the people to be annexed and without
authority from congress-an authority
without which the proceedings could
not be contaminated. Let the repub,
licans meet the case Blount has made
If they can.