The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-01-05
THE NATIONAL QUESTION.
Mr.. Davies on the Provisional Gov
ernment's Reply.

Dole has sent to Mr.. Willis, the
points can be briefly sum-
married..
1.-The Provisional Government
decline to regard the decision of the
President upon the question Of an
nexation, as anything more than the
conclusion OF the present admins
ton; thus limiting the dignity of
the President, whom it Is usually
deemed courteous by foreign powers
to treat as the spokesman for the
nation-and not merely for the
administration.
2-The Provisional Government
refuse to recognize the right of
the President OF the United
States to interfere in the domes-
tic affairs Of Hawaii, and they
contend that in the event (Which
they however deny Of such in.
reference having taken place, and
Of its having been misused in favor
Of the revolutiouists, the latter
are justified in keeping what may
have been wrongly given them, aud
in resisting the attempt OF the
United States to redress the wrong.
3-The Provisional Government
decline to be bound by anything
Mr.. Damon Zone of their highest
officers) may have said, TO induce the
Queen to surrender TO them. There
is no attempt to disprove the allega-
ton that Mr.. Damon induced the
Queen TO surrender by cert ain
promises, but "what he said, he said
on his own responsibility, and did
not report il to u.s." II is not stated
whether Mr.. Damon is satisfied with
the indignity thus publicly offered
him.
4--The Provisional Government, +,
though composed chiefly of lawyers,
complain that Mr.. Blount devoted
himself to tho work OF collecting in.
formation by the examination OF
witnesses and the collection OF
statistics and other documenta AIRY
matter, instead Of seeking "impres-
sions Of the state OF affairs, which
could best have come to him through
a wide social intercourse with the
people Of the country"
5-Mr. Willis is reminded that IL
Is difficult for a stranger like him
self, or for the President Of the
United States, "to obtain clear in
sight into the real state OF affairs,
and TO underst and the social cur
rents, the race feelings, and the Gus
toms and traditions, which all con-
tribute to the political outlook"
6-The Provisional Government
declare that because they revered
the American institutions OF civil
liberty, they desired to extend them
to this distracted country; and be,
cause they honored the American
flag, they stood ready to add this
country, q new star, to its glory.
The Provisional Government
decline TO entertain the proposition
OF the President Of the United
States, that they should surrender
their authority to the Queen.
s-The Provisional Government
declare that their answer is made
largely upon their sense Of duty and
loyalty to the brave men whose
commission they hold, and whose
will Is the "only earthly authority
they recognize.
, Ibelieve the foregoing is n fail
synopsis Of the reply sent to Mr.
Willis. will now briefly examine
; as to what II is a reply to.
President. Cleveland, amidst I
mass Of reports, finds sufficient eyi
dence to prove to. him that the
Provisional Government was moi
established by the Hawaiian people
4 nor with their consent or acquies
. cence, nor has II since existed will
their consent" Mr.. Dole does no
, touch upon this vital point.
President Cleveland further find
that the forces OF the United State
: contributed TO the establishment o
the Provisional Government, to sucl
a an extent as to cause the Unitet
. States to incur a responsibility h
the whole Hawaiian community.
:. Mr.. Willis declares that the Presi
D dents action upon the Hawaiian
question has been decided upon, un
. der the dictates Of honor and duty
Is il any answer to all this to 50,
that the Provisional Governmen
: recognize no earthly authority OK
:. cept the will Of the men whose CON
a mission they hold! That has bee
!, very clear, ever since they began /
y turn out their own young Hawaiia
= clerks who refused to sell their cour
S try for Office. No one thought S
q poorly OF the Provisional Govern
ment as to believe they would hay
submitted TO that humiliation, ha
o il not been the will OF the me
: whose commission they hold.
a But The United States can take II
a cognizance OF that authority. AS
', understand it, the Presidents att
u tude is this:
o The Hawaiian nation is a recoe
y Missed friend and ally Of the Unite
d States. Five Commissioners arrive
= at Washington claiming to represer
- this friendly nation, and asking fo
J. annexation. Upon investigation, tn
l. President refused the request, upo
8, the sole ground that these gentl,
. men did not represent the natio
. they professed to represent. II
II further satisfied himself that Unite
@ States forces had been engaged
" setting up this power, which i