The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-01-11
REPORT ON HAWAII.
MINORITY CHARGES VIOLATION
OF THE CONSTITUTION.
Tho Republican Members of the Foreign
Affairs Committee Say President Cleve-
land Overstcpped His Powers Tariff
VIII Precedc Other Legislation.
Unworthy the Nation.

"dShihf.loll SOIItsIoubSliS
The minority report IN the rosolu-
lions resented by Chairman McCreary
on the day Congress adjourned as a
substitute for the Hit resolutions has
been finished. 1t was prepared by Mr..
Storer of Ohio, and is signed by Messrs.
Hit, Harmer, Blair, Draper, and Van
Norhis OF New York. 1t is very volum-
inOus, and goes in detail into the whole
history of Mr.. BlOunt's appointment
as commissioner paramount and the
course of the administration. 1t reads
in part:
When President Cleveland was inaugurated.
March 4. 1e.3. the iIawaiians were under the
control OF a republican government recognized,
not only by the United States but by every
civilized nation. This government was In
name provisional, but was, in fact, to remain
In existence for an indefinite period, until the
time when terms of union with the United
states shou d have been agreed upon: The
States to Hawaii was in person at his post
and the Senate of the United States was in
session. The President sent TO the Senate the
name of Mr.. Gresham as Secretary of State,
and that body, March 5, confirmed the APP
point ent. 1t was at that time publicly
stated. though as yet not officially known. that
James NJ. Blount started from Washington
March : on a mission to the Hawaiian Islands
with verbal secret instructions from the Pres
1dent. If this be true, his subsequent written
instructions, not made public until November
last. must have been forwarded to Mr.. BlOunt
after his departure from Washington. as they
bear date March II. The treaty sent to the
"A, was Withdrawn by the President March .,
between the time of Mr.. Blount's departure
and the date of his writ n instructions.
Then follow co les of the instructions
to Mr.. Blount, with Mr.. Cleveland S
greeting to President Dole. The mar
rative then proceeds to relate Mr..
Blounts action in hauling down the
American flag and the investigation
which he made. 1t then discusses at
length the Presidents power to APP
point Il diplomatic officer armel with
p wcrs given t O Mr.. Blount without
tho consent Ct the Senate. The report
gocS N:
This covers all that is needed to show how
the President ignored the plain language of
the constitution. He has assumed to appoint
OF his own v%oiition. without the advice Of the
senate. a diplomatic officer with paramount
powers. TO try TO argue that MI. Blount
was not Il diplomatic officer of the United
States. but only my representative. is idle"
There Is no ground of debate now whether
the present Hawaiian Government was rightly
OF wrongly established nearly twelve months
ago. The issue is directly before the House
whether to apI rove and commend the course
Of the present administrator as disclosed by
himself. If a President, without the consent
of the Senate, can send q paramount diplo-
matte officer t. sCporscde n minister, leaving
the latter Only routine duties, he may do it in
Great Britain or in Germany AZ well as in the
Hawaiian Islands. That officer, according
to the Presidents apolotists. Is only
the Presidents commissioner" and not
an .S Sei' Snttd ia t thS dirTlGhm a sar seF TisSs
asserted here TO appoint an ambassador under
the lame of a commissioner would allow the
President to appoint any agent of his own
without conference with any other branch of
the government to exercise judicial functions
to judges already in office by and
with the Senate'S consent. After a review and
consideration of the course of this administra-
ton as appears from its own rccor IS, the mi
nority of your committee have no L.,iitatiOn
in recommending the adoption of the following
substitute for the resolution reported by the
majority:
WHEREAS, Executive communications to
Congress disclose that the executive depart
mcnt has been furnishing to a Minister Ileni-
potontary OF the United States secret instruc-
tions TO conspire with the representatives and
agents of a deposed and discarded monarchy
for the overthrow of a friendly republican
government, duly recognized by all uhe civil
lied nations to which said minister was ac-
credited, and to which his public instructions
pledged the GOOD faith and sympathy of the
President, the Government and the people of
the United states:
"Resolvcd, That it is the sense Of this House
thai such Intervention by the executive of the
United States. its civil or military representa-
tiyes or officers, without authority of Congress,
is a dangerous and unwarranted invasion of
the rights ard dignities Of the Congress of the
United States. and q violation OF the law or
nations, and further
Resolved. That the manner Of such at
tempted intervention by the executive and
methods used are unworthy OF the executive
department CT the United States, while the
confessed intent of such intervention is con-
trary to the policy and tradition of the Itepub-
lie and the spirit of the constitution