The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-31
A MESSAGE ON HAWAII.
THE MATTER PLACED IN THE
HANDS OF CONGRESS.

Minister Willis - ssNo Interfer-
ence," Says President Dole-Lili-
oukalani to Sue the United States.
The President has transmitted to Congress
all correspondence relating to Hawaii since
his last message. All department estimates
of the length of the correspondence were far
exceeded by the documents themselves-10,- =
600 or $4,000 words was the estimated limit
OF their length, but the documents as laid
before Congress probably make from 10000
to 50. 900 words when printed in full.
The most important feature OF the cor
respondence Was. of course, Mr.. Willis's dis
patch No. 8, of November 10th, 1893, which
the President had previously withheld from
ratification. Next to that in interest was
Mr. Dole's reply to Mr.. Willis's demand for
surrender.
Between these two terminal points in the
correspondence, Mr.. Willis's graphic history
OF current events, and his comments upon
the character of the Queens advisers and
the kind of government she desired to retain
If established, form running thread of ab.
eorbing interest.
1t was promptly noticed that the alleged
lengthy cipher dispatch which certain press
dispatches asserted had been brought BY
the Corwin from Mr.. Willis to Mr.. Gresham,
had no place in this complete CORE.
spondence, and that Secretary Gresham's
repeated assertions that the only advices
brought him by the Corwin were trans
-rnitted by mail were fully borne out by the
published details.
The Presidents message accompanying
the correspondence was very brief. Il was
as follows:
To THE CONGRESS:
Itransmtt herewith copies of all dispatches
from our Minister at Hawaii relating in any
way to political affairs in that country, e1-
cept such as have been heretofore laid be-
fore Congress. also transmit copy OF the
last instructions sent to our Minister, dated
January 12, 1894. being the only instructions
to him not already sent to the Congress.
In transmitting certain correspondence
with my message dated December IS, 1898, /
withheld q dispatch from our present Minis
ter numbered and dated November 16, 1893,
and also dispatch from our former Minister
numbered 20 and dated October 8, 1892.
Inasmuch as the contents OF the dispatch of
November is, 1898, are referred to in the
dispatches of more recent date now sent to
Congress, and inasmuch as there seems no
longer to be sufficient reason for withhold
ing said dispatches, a copy OF the same Is
herewith submitted. The dispatch numbered
20 and dated October 8, 1892, above referred
to. is still withheld for the reason that such
q course still appears to be j1stifiab Bile and
proper. GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion, January IS, 1894.
The voluminous correspondence which
accompanies the message gives details OF
the negotiations which Minister Willis had
with the Queen and President Dole, looking
No the restoration OF the monarchy and the
retirement of the Provisional Government.
In the course Of one interview Minister VIII
lis said to the Queen:
"Should you be restored to the throne,
would you grant full amnesty, as to life and
properly, to all those persons who have been
rnent. or who have been instrumental IN the
overthrow OF your Government"
She hesitated moment, and then slowly
and calmly answered:
E.There are certain laws OF my Government,
by which shall abide. My decisions would
be as the law directs, that such persons
should be beheaded and their property con-
Ascated to the Government"
Mr. Willis then said, repeating very dis
tinctly her words: 'It is your feeling that
these people should be beheaded and their
property conascated2' She replied: SIT is"
Subsequently, however, the Queen changed
her mind and agreed to grant the desired am
nesty.
President Dole's reply to Minister Willis's'
demand for the Provisional Government to
surrender to the Queen Is long and care
fully prepared argument, In which the chief
point is that the President has no power OF
arbitration, as he was never given it by the
Provisional Government, but only Dy de-
'throned and powerless Queen. President
Dole said, in part:
.sWhile we accept the decision Of the Pres
>Sdent OF the United States declining further
to consider the annexation proposition as the
final conclusion of the Administration, We
do not feel inclined to regard 1t as the last
word of the American Government uponthts
subject.
of political union with the United States as
.conspicuous feature of our foreign policy.
We do not recognize the right Of
the President of the United States to
Interfere in our domestic affairs. This un-
derstund to be the American doctrine, con-
sptcuously announced from time to time by
the authoritie, of your Government. Upon
what, then, Mr.. Minister, does the President
of tho United States base his right OF inter
florence? Your contamination is without in
formation on this point, excepting such as
may be contained u the following brief and
vague sentences she the e1-Queen) was
advised and assured by her Ministers
and leaders Of the movement for the over
throw Of her Government II she surrendered
under protest, her case would atterward be
fairly considered by the President OF the Uni.
ted States. The Queen finally yielded to the
armed forces Of the United States then quar-
tered in Honolulu. relying on the good faith
and honor of the President, when informed
of what had occurred, to undo the action OF
the Minister and reinstate her and the author.
1ay which she claimed as the constitutional
sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands,
"Also, 1T becomes my further duty to ad-
wise you, sir, the Executive of the Provision.
al Government and your Ministers OF the
Presidents determination of the question
which your action and that Of the Queen de-
volved upon him, and that you are expected
to promptly relinqutsh to her her consr1tu-
tionai authority understand that the first
quotation is referred to in the following
words of the second, which your action and
that Of the Queen devolved upon him (the
President of the United States), and that the
President has arrived at his conclusions from
Commissioner Blounts report We have
had as yet no opportunity OF examining this
document but from extracts published In
tho papers and for reasons set 1orh mere
after We are not disposed to submit the fate
OF Hawaii to its statements and conclu-
sions. As matter OF fact. no men,
bec Of the Provisional Government has
conferred with the ex-Queen, either verbally
or otherwise, from tho time the Government
was proclaimed till now, with the exception
OF one or two notices, which were sent to
her by myself in regard to her removal
from the palace and relating to the guards
which the Government first allowed her, and
perhaps others OF like nature. infer that
a conversation which Mr.. Damon, then a
member Of the Advisory Council Is reported
by Mr.. Blount, to have had with the ex-
Queen on January II, and which had been
quoted in the newspapers, Is the basis OF
this astounding claim OF the President ofthe
United States OF his authority to adJudlcate
nnon our RIGHT az Government to exist.