Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-23
TUESDAY. =. o...JANUARY %, 1894.
Observation-Disclosures Dolo's Letter.

That IN indeed a notable letter which
Sanford r. Dole, the Hawaiian Minister
OF Foreign Affairs. addressed four weeks
ago 10 Mr.. Willis. the United states
Minister TO Hawaii and which was r'ad
last Saturday TO the House Of Hepresch'
tatlves The letter appeared In fuI III
the last Issue Of the Dispatch President
. Cleveland. IN mis- short message transmit
ting Il 10 Congress. characterized II as
"most extraordinary letter" but he was
careful not to say too much after having
turned tho whole matter over 10 Con-
gress. He vcntured 20 remark. however
that the letter was signed by Minister
Dole. which we take to be an intimaiion
that the President suppOses II 10 nave
been prepared by some other person
The President also says that Minister
DoIe's letter was delivered 10 the Amefl-
can Minister several hours after the arri-
val at Honolulu of his ttle President -
message 20 Congress upon the Hawaiian
question. This statement implies that the
President thinks the letter ought not TO
have been sent At all.
We do not know Minister Dole, but we
do know that either he or somebody else
has drawn up most forcible protest
against the manner I'm which Hawaii
has been treated 10y the United states
Government. Minister Dole was deter
mined that this protest should reach the
American people. for whom II was OF
course intended aud therefore he declined
20 withdraw IL even after learning mat
the President of the United states had
turned over the whole Hawaiian matter
10 Congress.
Minister Dole's letter is too bold, not to
ray too presumptuous. 1t was evidently
prepared under the impression that an
insignificant power such as Hawaii Is
could safely indulge in almost any sort
OF language when addressing the most
powerful government In the world. he
knew that under the circumstances he
could blusteringly cry out
"Whoever doth these boots displace
lust meet Bombastes face To face.
Nevertheless. put yourself in his place
and read one of the causes Of complaint
which MIR. Dole names in his letter TO
The American Minister. We quote:
.srhe fact Is well known that you, as
admitted by yourself In your commune
cation of December 18th, without the con-
sent or knowledge Of this government
have held negotiations with the deposed
Queen for the purpose OF overthrowihg
this government.
Inst imagine what would follow such
action on the part Of Great Britain to-
wards the United States. Here Is the
Provisional Government OF Hawaii recog-
nized by the United States Government
and by the governments Of other nations
as the lawful government, and YET mere
Is an American Minister secretly nego-
tiatIng with the enemies of that govern
ment for their return to power ana ior
the putting down Of the lawful govern
,nent OF the Hawaiian Islands. We all
lnov that at first the President was OF
the opinion that the United States Gov
ernment had put down Queen Liiiuoha-
lanrs government and was under OBJ
LEGATION 10 restore II possible, the STATUS
QUO. 1t was therefore, because he heid
that our government had had a hand
in deposing the Queen that he held that
we must do what we could TO place her
lust where we found her. lie no longer
holds this opinion, and MIR. Dole ought
10 have withheld his letter after learn
ing this last fact.
The Democrats In the House of Repre-
,entatiyes are said to have indicated
On Saturday last that they approved oi
what the President had done In Hawaii
and the Republicans that they disap'
proved OF the same. 1t ought not TO be
a Marty question. There is no reason In
tbe nature of things why all the Demo
Gratis I'm Congress should sympathize with
the Queen and all the Republicans with
she Provisional Government. Indeed, II
can hardly be possible that such d.
yiding line separates the Democrats and
the Republicans. Some Democrats In
both the Senate and the House of Repre-
sentatives must be staunch supporters OF
the Provisional Government whilst some
Republicans in both those bodies must
be staunch supporters of the Queens
government.
To us there is no more interesting sub
3ect than the Hawaiian situation" be-
fore Congress How we shall gain pos
session OF Hawaii. and how We shall dis
pose Of IL after gaining possession. are
knotty questions. But American states
manship must be equal TO American needs
and American opportunities.
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