The Portland daily press., 1894-02-27
STEVENS SUSTAINED.
The Hawaiian Story as Told in the
Senate Reports.
MORGAN AND THE REPUBLICANS
UPHOLD MR.. STEVENS.

The Republicans Cannot Join in Mr.. Nor
gan's Comment on the Course of the
Administration--New Points Brought
Out in the Testimony-The Restoration
of the Dusky Queen Was Originally the
Project of Secretary Gresham.
Washington, February ga volume
of nearly 500 printed pages. exclusive of
maps, was laid before the Senate today
representing the testimony taken by the
Senate committee on foreign relations
and their findings of fact thereon, under
a resolution directing them to inquire
whether any, and If SO what, irregulari-
ties have occurred in the diplomatic ia
tercourse between the United States and
Hawaii in relation to the recent revolu-
tion.
The report Of the majority of the COM
mittee was prepared by Chairman Nor
gan of Alabama. It exhausJively reviews
facts, laws and precedents, justifies Mr..
Stevens's actions. excepting in proclaim
ing a protectorate, and finds nothing
irregular in the appointment of Commits
sioner Blount, but in effect says the
evidence taken by the committee under
move favora bic circumstances, leads the
committee to different conclusions than
those which he formed.
This report is concurred in as to all it's
essential findings by the Republican
members of the co1nmittee-Senators
Sherman, Frye, Dolph and Davis
making majority of the committee.
They characterize it as an exceedingly
able document, but they dissent on five
points.
1.-They condemn the appointment of
Commissioner Blount as unconstitu-
tionAL
2.-They say the Executive orders
placing the navy. in. the harbor of Homo
lulu under the orders Of Mr.. Blount or
Mr.. Willis were without authority of
law. A
3.-They say that the4s order of Mr..
Blount to Admiral Skerrett to lower the
flag was unlawful and susceptible of
being construed as unfriendly to.the pro-
visonal government, and they regard the
intercourse of Mr.. Blount and Mr.. Willis
with the .deposed Queen as violative of
international law and unwarranted.
4,-They consider that. the President
had no right to reopen the predetermined
legality Of the provisional lssgovernmen.
s5.-They regard any discussion of the
personal intentions or good faith of
either MIR. Blount or Mr.. Willis rs ssimma-
terial, inasmuch as what they did in re-
gard to the
Reinstatement of the Queen,
was simply the performance of task.
plainly commanded of them by this ad-i
ministration.
The report of the minority, signed by
Senators Butler, Turpie, Daniel and
Gray, without denying OF conceding the
correctness of other portions of the re-
port, dissents from that portion of it
(which declares that the only substan-
tiaI irregularity ip9the conduct of Mr..
Stevens. the late min isteT,. was his decla-
ration of protectorste by the United
States over Hawaii"
While exempting from censure Captain
Wiltse of the Boston, and his officers.
because their position was one of ex-
treme delicacy and difficulty, and we ap-
preciate their anxiety to afford protection
to the lives and property of American
citizens" they add:
ave cannot avoid the conviction that
the inoppol tune zeal of Minister Stevens
in tho project of annexation of the Sand
wich Islands to the United States caused
him to exceed the proper limits of his
official duty and of his diplomatic rela-
tions to the government and people of
those islands. His conduct as the public
representative of this government was
directly conducive to bringing about the
condition of affairs which resulted in
the overthrow of the Queen, the organi
cation of the provisional government,
T,tf faI C{.,%n
and the attempted scheme of annexation;
and upon this conclusion his conduct is
seriously reprehensible and deserving of
public censure."
Senators Butler and Turpie. file a
supplemental report in which they say
that while the question of annexation
was not su ubmitted to the committee ex-
cept incidentally. they think it is not
imuroper to say that they are heartily in
favor Of the acquisition Of these islands
hy the United Statesin proper manner
but not by taking advantage of internal
dissensions, for which they believe the
United States in some manner respon-
sible.
The views laid down by the majority
of the committee are exactly on the lines
forshadowed in these dispatches. The
report says:
The precise hour when, or the precise
conditions under which the American
minister recognized the provisional gov
ernment, is not a matter of material
importance. 1t was his duty at the
earliest safe period, to assist by his
recognition in the termination of the
interregum so that citizens of the
United States might be safely remitted
to the care of that government for the
security of their rights He gave to them
the protection they had the right to de-
mand. and, in respect of his action up to
this point, 50 far as it related to Hawaii,
his opinions as to annexation have not
affected the attitude of the United States
government, and the committee find
No Cause for Censure
either against Minister Stevens or
Captain Wiltse of the Boston.
The recognition of'the provisional gov
ernment was lawful and authoritative,
and has continued without interruption
or modification up to the present time.
It may he justly claimed for this act of
recognition that it has contributed great
ly to the maintenance of peace and order
in Hawaii and to the promotion of the
establishment of free. permanent. consti-
tut1onal government in Hawaii based