Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-01-20
A cRep,TABLE POSITION.
The President's Wise Treatment of the
Hawaiian Question.


The President's Wise Treatment Of the
Hawaiian Question.
No fair-minded person can read Pres
ident Clevelands message on the Ha-
waiian affair without coming to the
conclusion that the president and the
secretary of state are absolutely right
in every position they have taken with
regard TO this unfortunate business.
No state paper concerning similar
subject has ever come from the execu-
tive Office that reflected more honor |
upon our government and of which |
every patriotic American citizen had !
more reason to be proud. 1t sets forth |
once more in a plain. clear and candid
way the well-esta blished facts Of the
overthrow OF the Hawaiian govern
ment by a small band OF conspirators
under the instigation of the American
minister and with the aid Of United
States troops-facts so we'll verified by
documentary proof and all manner OF
conclusive evidence that the most un-
scrupulous partisan inendacity has not
been able to obscure them 1t is well
that the presidents message shows
more fully than it has been officially
shown heretofore how the American
minister had for years been bent upon
accomplishing the annexation of the
Hawaiian islands to the United States;
how he had yearned for the golden
hour Of opportunity; how he had
asked the state department to permit
him to use the United States forces in
Hawaiian waters for purposes beyond
the mere protection of the American
legation and of the lives and property
of American citizens; and how, when
he thought the golden hour" had ar
| rived, he used the United States forces
even to the extent of committing an
unjustifiable act OF war against q
friendly government
What interests the American people
most at the present moment is the con-
| duct OF our own government under such
circumstance. The government OF
Hawaii had been stolen, and offered to
the United States in hot haste by the
|
Cleveland generously presents the case
was misled by artful misrepresenta-
tions into hasty acceptance of the
stolen goods. and submitted treaty of
annexation to the senate. But Mr.
Cleveland's administration, having
taken Office fortunately before annexa-
ton was consummated, easily detected
that there was grave discrepancy be-
tween the assumption of Mr.. Harrison,
that "the overthrow of the monarchy
in Hawaii was not in any way pro-
NOTED by this government" and the
protest Of the queen, declaring that
she had surrendered to the superior
force of the United States and that she
therefore confidently. submitted the
case to the enlightened justice of the
government Of this republic 1t was in
obedience to the simple dictate of COM
mon honesty that President Cleveland
withdrew the annexation treaty from
the senate and sent a man of high char
acter and known ability and expert
encc to Hawaii 10 ascertain the facts.
4 MT. DiOuul, thc dSCut oViC'NN't, nav vi
i. joyed the rare distinction, wher
leaving congress after many years o.
. service, OF carrying with him expires
sions of the highest regard from lead
: ing members of both political parties
No man ever thought OF questioning
:. his universally recognized integrity I'M
L til. after conscientious endcavor t.
. ascertain, and with firm deternina
ton to speak. the truth, he told th'
whole story Of the theft of country
and thus incurred the rage of thos
who found themselves baked In the in
e iquitous attempt to profit from the dis
, graceful transaction.
. The president and the secretary o
- state have done their duty. Now le
u the unscrupnlous ranters in congress
D who have 30 wildly vociferated agains
y the administration show what remed
l. they have to propose, consistently wit
IS American honor, integrity, and MOI
s. ality. Mere denunciation will n
le longer serve, On the bare assumption
l. that the president had ordered tn
uNttu VI nav an W oC =
force of arms, without authority froI
OF congress, they have hurled against til
It. president vili6cation without measure
IS, even to the threat OF Impeachment
lie The message, showing that the pres
tn dent has remained strictly within h
p constitutional limits covers them wit
sh confusion and shame. They are e,
posed as wauton calum niators. The
of rage may grow more desperate, but
will also become more harmless ever
n. day. III national honesty is to be di
regarded" says the president "and
of desire for territorial extension or di
It. satisfaction with form Of governmer
| not our own, ought to regulate our co
duct, l have entirely misapprehende
t. the mission and character of our go
,r. ernment, and the behavior which Il
no confidence of our people demands
VS. their public servants" Let the pres
90 dent rest assured that. the demagogu
We notwithstanding, the American peop
cd are neither fools nor knaves. The
conception of the mission and charact
NJ OF our government corresponds wi
I'M his own. Their sense OF justice w
10 stand by him, and turn his severe
he trial into his most signal triumph.
.d harper's Weekly.