New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-13
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL
AGAINST INTERNATIONAL LAW.

TOWARD THE HAWAIIAN REf,bl
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: That the Hawaiian Government has been
generally acknowledged by foreign nations; that II
actually exists to the exclusion of any other gov
eminent or pretence of government in the Islands,
that the ordinary writs of law are running ana t"e
mandates OF the courts are obeyed everywhere IN
the islands. are facts conceded by all. Who. them
outside of the inhabitants of the Islands, has the
slightest right legal moral. to step in and order
that Government to dsband? 1t would be hard to
convince Americans that successful revolutionary
Government Is de jure even II International
law already had not pronounced would We
stand by and allow Great Britain to set aside the
Government now existing In those ISLANDS ana
restore the monarchy, upon the pretence that the
latter had been overthrown in an unrlghteous man.
ner? Why not? Has not Great Britain a IKE
right. If we ourselves possess 1t?
Finding an established Government in the Ha-
waiian Islands President Cleveland had nothing 10
DO in the premises. 1t was not for him, or anybody
outside Of the islands. to constitute himself judge
as whether the Government de facto has right
to exist. That 1t did exist barred all Inquiry. IL
was acknowledged by his predecessor. and. as our
Government is considered continuous and unaffected
by the change OF Presidents far as international
obligations involved, such recognition Is as bind
ing upon him though he himself had published the
recognitlon But twice at least he has officially
recognized that Government, In the appointment
Of Mr.. Bount and Mt Wills as NiHSl"ts az
credited 10 the new Government. The civilized
world has received 1t into the family OF nations
Bv what right legal or moral. has he been seek
ing az he confesses. to initiate a counter-revoiu-
ton In n State with which the United states are
at peace and have no cause for complaint! mat
he should have 50 much contemplated sucn
proceeding is astounding
In defence Of the proposed intervention IL may
no advanced that international law does permit Of
a right 70 interfere but that does not meet the
case In hand-unauthorized interference by the
President Of the United States with the INTERNAL
affairs of another State. AS for the United states
or any Government. the right to so interfere Is
very restricted one. and 'can be justisd ohiy as al
extreme measure and one OF the two following
grounds: 10 That II Is demanded by self-preserVa-
ton: 60 That some extraordinary state OF Things
is brought about by the crime OF Government
against its subjects (Woolsey international Law
Sec. ~.
This last ground cOntemplates such fearfui a'roc-
ties as were perpetrated by the Turks upon the
Greeks Cretans Cyprotes and Bulgarians. Hence
the interference is one Of humanity. OF course no
one will argue that self-preserVation ueHlaiu'
should arraign the Hawaiian Government :>G }
will any one contend that the new GoVernmehs -
rocking with bloody and ruthless ferocity, or reiu
ing to suppress bands of brigands applying the loren
everywhere and Strengthening an entire popuidce'
or selling it into hopeless bondage on the contrary,
absolute quiet prevails in the Islands law ana orut
are preserved affairs are conducted ACCORDING !, ~
civil not martial. law and by the ordinary tribunals.
Except that the form of government mas Deen
changed nothing has been altered. Hence. neither
Of the two grounds warranting Interference as an
extreme measure exists. What Mt cleveland pro,
posed was therefore. wanton outrage upon d
friendly nation the one hand. and usurpaton on
I, is said in his behalf that the present Govern
men, largely owes its existence to the interference
OF the United States Minister. Conceding that 10
be- the fact would alter the status Of that Gov
crrment 1t is not only de factO, but one 50
strongly that nothng short OF f0T forc
exertsd and the revolutionary Government be dis
placed by the retired monarchy. no one believes the
latter would exist longer than the continuance OF
the foreign bayonets in the Islands. Undoubtedly
I, would fall as foreign arms were with,
drawn. No one disputes such a future. IL couii
not be otherwise. where the sole reliance OF the
relmposed monarchy would be an improvident. ig-
norant. pleasureloving native population as against
a large minority OF whites and haifwhites, comprs-
ing all the capital nearly all the landed property,
and full Of energy. intelligence and thrift. and with
hereditary habits for organized political action. Such
elements would not submit to the dominance OF the
natives. Hence It IS that. representing and sup
ported by all the real social forces the revolutionary
iovernment T. the only government nat can Exist
forces OF some other nation
Governments 80 intrenched in power are known
facts. They are imbedded in the law OF nature
Attempts ignore them will prove so many failures
II not crimes. The world has so decided. and &C
overthrown governments which at the time Of being
overthrown. were both de jure and de facto Owing
10 the impractcabity Of doing otherwise. the world
accommodates itself TO accomplished facts. ire
spectIve Of what brought them about. The wor,!
IL not QuixotIcit is no longer sentiment but bust
ness and the latter consists mainly In minding one
For wrongful Interference nations may punish
their representatives, and officers, but further they
cannot go. After the thing is done and the revo-
lutionary government becomes the only government.
the matter is ended for the government so estab-
lishcd succeeds 10 all the rights OF that which IL
displaced among which is that % not being inter
fered with by any other nation. Once established.
whether by fair means or foul II Is the only gov
eminent with which nations can treat. and its
origin cannot be looked into. or course one gov
/ eminent may hesitate to recognize another; but.
having once acknowledged Il, the recognition cannot
be withdrawn. The Harrison Administration gave
| such recognition. did the world. Mr.. Cleveland
has done since. Though that adds no force 10
the effect Of prior recognition. II convicts him OF
having since then attempted something beyond his
legal power. and in violation Of international NOR
ais
| Suppose Mr. Cleveland had succeeded in upsetting
the republic and rcinstating the monarchy in order
az he asserts. TO right the latters wrongful over
| throw and then should be followed by President
/ who convinced that Mr.. Cleveland had acted
/ throughout In a high-handed and unconstitutona
! manner and in fragrant violation OF internatona
| law should use the forces OF the United states e
eject the Queen and restore tn" republic as rec
| tincatlon Of its wrongs. whore would interference
| end? The Islands would be chaos because or sue
ccsslve Presidents Fighting what each deemed Il
have been the wrongful acts OF his predecessor
| Yet If Mr. Cleveland do the one, other lresi
dents can do the other. and justify themselves by
the same plea So every change OF party govern
ment In the United States might work "A revolution
| in tho Hawaiian Islands. To avoid such anarchica
uOlitics the world has agreed II Is wisdom 10 enc
AZ the beginning and therefore mas adopted I'M
eminent lie facto shall confer the status or de jur
az between the world and such government an'
| that once extended shall be irrevocabe. Anythn;
| less is inextricable confusion oo,,
brooklyn. Dec. %. 1899.