Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-22
Ex-MiMlsTER STEVENS.
TeSei8ea Before the Senate COMMITTEES
with Reference to Hawaiian Matters.

TeNeifies Before the Senate COMMITTEES
With Reference to Hawaiian Matters.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81. - Ex- Minister
| Stevens was before the senate sub
COMMITTEES on foreign relations Satur-
day morning. Senator Gray of Delaware
examined him very closely upon the point
where be has been charged by Commits
sioner BI0unt with abetting the revolu-
ZION. The ex-minister stood by the state
ment that he had previously made and
gave the committee no opportunity to
show by his testimony that the United
States was in any way responsible for the
revolution.
Mr.. Stevens was emphatic in his declar-
alton that the revolution would have oc-
CURED on any event, that it was only a
question of time and the queen by trying
to overthrow the constitution forced it at
he particular time when it occurred.
There has been much speculation since
the Presidents message was sent to Con.
Rress ~ to the contents Of the message
from Mr.. Stevens to the state department
that was withheld by the President on the
ground Of public policy. Mr.. Stevens to-
day gave the committee what he surpassed
to lie the letter referred to and it can be
said in a general way that it related to the
attitude of the English minister in connec-
ton Y it'll the affairs at the Hawaiian Islands
and his relations with the court Of the de-
posed Queen.
II is understood that the English minis
ter, was, perhaps rs near to the Queen as
anyone on the Islands and was able thereby
to exert great influence over her. His eon,
Mp, Woodhouse, il the husband of the
half sister of Princess Kaiulani, who is the
heir apparent to the throne in the event
that the deposed Queen should be restored.
With this princess subsequently on the
throne and British subject related to the
royal family and enjoy ing the power and
influence that such relationship would
give, it could be easily seen, Mr.. Stevens
said, what the effect you'd be upon Ameri-
can interests, and how they would be, sub
ord1nated to everything that was British.
The British minister had ive,i on the Island
for years, his family had intermarried to
some extent, and naturally he would be OPP
posed to any scheme that looked to the
overthrow of the Queen, and worst of all,
annexation to the United States.
1t was said by Mr.. Stevens that the Brit
ish minister, Mr.. Woodehouse, was favor
able to deposition Of the Queen and that
he entertained an opinion of her that was
in keeping with the opinion of other we'll
informed and progressive citizens; but
while he wanted her of the throne, he was
equally Is desirable that kaiolani should
succeed her. The methods used in disemi-
mating this idea among the people and the
part played by the British minister is said
to have been an interesting feature of the
evidence given by Mr.. Stevens.
Mr.. Stevens also went into the subj ect of
the personal character of the Queen, and
those whom she gathered about her
and gave testimony to the effect that all TIE
reports limited at were more than true and
that the condition of affairs about this royal
court was in utter antsgonism to the ideas
of morality that commend themselves to
modern civilization. '.'. '.''- g..
In response to query put to him by a
member of the committee, Mr.. Stevens said
that be had never in his experience, as
minister exercised any authority equal to
that exercised by Mr.. Blount ID the matter
Of commanding the naval officer on duty at
port where he was acting as United
States official. He denied the authority CT
the navy department or any other official to
place such authority in the hands of an Off
cial Of the State department, and, said thst
in his experience he had always made re-
que st of such naval officer, the command
ing officer being permitted to act under the
general orders Of the navy department. 1t
was the duty of such officers to protect the
life and property Of American citizens, b I
the m amer of doing 50 was left to their
discretiOn.