Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-01-19

government refuses 70 acquleece u Ino
conclusion which his sense of night and a
due regard for our national honor con-
strained him to reach and submit, as
measure of justice to the people OF the
Hawaiian Islands and their depoSed
sovereign. While it is true that the
Provisional government was created 10
exist only until the Islands were annexed
to the United States, that the queen
finally, but reluctantly surrendered to the
armed force of this government illegally
quartercd in Honolulu. and representa-
tives of the PROVISIONAL government
(Which realized ito impOtency and was
anxious to get control of the Queens
means of defense) assured her that, if she
would surrender, her case would bel
subsequently considered by the United
States. The President has never claimed
that such action constituted him an
arbitrator in the technical sense or
authorized him to act in that capacity
between the PROVISIONAL government.
You make no such claim when you &C.
quainted that government with the Pres'- |
dents decision. The solemn assurance
given the Queen bias been referred to as
authority for the President to act as
arbitrator, but as fact. material to the
Just determination Of the Presidents duty
in the premises, in q note which the
Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed to
you on the 23d ult., it is stated in effsct
that even if the constitutional govern
ment was subYerted by the action of the
American Minister, and an invasion by
the military force Of the United States,
the Presidents authority is limited to
dealing with our own nnfathful officials,
and that he can take no steps looking to
tie correction of q wrong done. The
President entertains a different view of
his responsibility and duty. The sub
version of the Hawaiian government by |
the abuse of the authority eff the United
States was 10 plain violation of interna-
tional law, and required the President to
disavow and condemn the act of our
tffending officials, and within the limits
cf his constitutional power, to endeavor
TO restore the lawful authority. On the
18th ultimo the President sent special
message to Congress communicating hr.
Blounts reports and the instructions
given to him and to you. On the same
day, answering the resolution Of the
House of Representatives, he sent copies
of all correspondence since March 4th
1859, On the political affairs and relatlens
of Hawaii, Withholding, for sufficient
reasons, only Stevens'S, number 10, OF
October 8, 1892, and your number 3, OF
November 10, 1898. The President
therein announced that the conditions of
the restoration, suggested by him to sue
Queen, had not proved acceptable to her.
aud that since the instructions rent to
you to insist upon those conditions, he
had not learned that the Queen was
willing to assent to them. The President
then submitted the subject to the more
powers and wide discretion OF
Congress, adding the assurance that he
would bs gratified to cooperate 10 any
plan which might be devised
for Il solution of the problem. consistent
with American honor, integrity and mo-
rality. Your reports show that on further
reflection the Queen gave her unqualified
assent in writing to TIE conditions sug-
gest d, but that the PROVISIONAL govern
ment refuses to scquiesce in the PrsSi
dents decision.
The matter now being 10 the hands OF
Congress, the President will keep that
BODY fully advised of the situation, and
will lay before 1t from time TO time tho
reports received FROM you, including your
number 3, heretofore withheld, and all
sent to you. In the mean
time while keeping the department fully
informed of the course OF events, you
will until further notice consider that
your special instructions upon this sub
ioet have been fully complied with.
(Signed) GRESHAM
Tae correspondence makes about 10000
words. the number 3, referred to, is the
NJ Mr.. Willis to Mr.. Gresham, IN
which be gives account Of bis Yisit to the
oussn when be made known to her the
Presidents regret that through the un
authorized intervention Of the United
st.,ss she had ben obliged to surrender
,er sovereignty and bis hope that with
,sr consent and cooperation, the wrong
lone TO her and to her people. might be
.dressed. He asked her, should she be re
torsd TO the tbrcne would she grant full
,mnesty as to life aud property, to all who
ave bssn or are now IN the Provisional
or who were instrumental
: overthrowlug her government. The
,ueen hesitated 9 moment, and then re-
used, saying she must abide by certain
AVIS Of her government. That such per-
IN, should be behsaded and their property
to the government. Mr. Willis
an told her he had no further communi.
alton to make to her then. and would
ave none until be heard from bic govern
Ient, probably three or four wssks. He Z