The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-03-17

with the United States, yet the acts
OF successive Presidents OF the Unlteu
States which affect it must be regard
ed as the acts of one President. But
there are many good reasons and
long and consistent course of dealing
between the United States and Ha-
wall that materially affect, if they
do not entirely change, the actual re-
lations between Hawaii and the Unit
ed States and make them exceptional.
When we claim the right To inter-
fere in the domestic affairs of HAWAII,
as we would not interfere with those
of European nation, we must also
admit her right to whatever advan-
tages there may be in the cioseness
and interdependence of our relations,
and her right to question us as TO any
conflicts of policy between Mr.. Harrf-
son and Mr.. Cleveland that may be
Justly said to work disadvantage TO
the interests of Hawaii, if there are
any.
And another principle which does
not apply in our dealings with Euro
pean powers comes into application In
this case to influence the rights of
Hawaii in her intercourse with the
United States.
Hawaii is an American state, and Is
embraced in the American CONNER
cial and military system. This fact
has been frequently and firmly stated
by our Government. and is the ground
on which is rested that peculiar and
far-reaching declaration so often and
so earnestly made, that the United
States will not admit the right of any
foreign government to acquire any
interest or control in the Hawaiian
Islands that is in any way prejudicial
or even threatening toward the inter
ests of the United States or her pec-
pie. This is at least moral suzerafnty
over Hawaii. In this attitude of the
two Governments, Hawaii must be
entitled to demand of the United
States an indulgent consideration, If
not an active sympathy, when she rs
endeavoring to accomplish what every
other American state has achieved
the release of her people from the
odious anti-republican regime which
denies to the people the right to gov
ern themselves, and subordinates them
to the supposed divine right of mon
! arch, whose title to such divinity orig
mated in the most slavish conditions
of pagan barbarity.
The point at which it is alleged
that there was a questionable inter
| ference by our Minister and our navy
| with the affairs of Hawaii was the land
| ing of troops from the ship Boston in
Honolulu on the 10th day of January,
1898 at 5 O'Clock i'm the afternoon.
| That ship, on which the Minister was
| a passenger had been off on practise
| cruise at Hilo, distance of nearly 100
miles, since the 4th day of January.
| On her return to the harbor condi-
| ton of affairs existed in Honolulu
which led naturally to the apprehen-
| sion that violence or civil commotiOn
would ensue, in which the peace and
security OF American citizens residing
| in that city would be put in peril, as
| had been done on three or more separ-
| ate occasions previously V when changes
| occurred or were about to occur in the
| government OF Hawaii. Whatever
we may conclude We're the real causes
| of the situation then present in Homo
| lulu, the fact is that there was COM
| plete paralysis of executive govern
| ment in Hawaii. The action Of the
| Queen in an effort to overturn the
constitution of 1877, to which she had
| sworn obedience and support, had
been accepted and treated by large
| and powerful body of the people as a
violation OF her constitutional obliga-
tions, revolutionary in its character
and purposes, and that it amounted TO
an act of abdcation on her part, SO far
as her powers and the rights of the
people under the constitution OF 1887
were concerned. This state OF opinion
and this condition of the executive
head of the Hawaiian Government
neutralized its power TO protect Amer
can citizens and other foreigners i'm
their treaty rights, and also their
rights under the laws Of Hawaii.
There was not in Honolulu at that
time any efficient executive power
through which the rights Of American
citizens residing there could be pro-
tected i'm accordance with the local
| laws. 1t is evident that the Queens
| Government at that time had no
power to prevent the landing Of troops
from any quarter, 10 power 10 protect
itself against invasion, no power to
conduct civil government, 50 far as
/ the executive was concerned, II the
! effort to exert such power was an
. tavonized by any opposing body Of
people I'm considerable numbers. In
I iced, no effort seems to have been
made 20 exert the civil authority
I except through the presence of small
aud inefficient body of policemen.
The authority of the Queen was not