Evening star., 1894-01-23

was primarily melted and fostered by
United States Minister Stevens and by
Capt. Witse who was in command of the
Boston.
The assumption, which We have SO often
heard, that the act of Minister Stevens in
recognizing the provisional government was
an act OF unjustifiable interference and in
timidation, in the face of which the queen
was compelled. by force. to retire, is un-
true. But suppose the American forces had
(Which l denyl committed the act al
legged, what difference would that make as
regards Mr.. Cleveland's act in attempting
to recrown Mrs. Dominis? Mr.. Cleveland
found there an established government.
Mr.. Cleveland knew this for he accredited
his special detective commissioner to its
chief executive.
A Special Spy.
Passing by some of the intermediate steps
taken by the United States government
such as the withdrawal of the pending
treaty from this Senate, the sending of a
special commissioner as detective, to act
as spy upon a foreign government, with
out the advice and consent Of the Senate
then in session, and other equally ridicu-
lous blunders Of Falstaffian diplomacy, We
have found government in Hawaii recog-
nized by the world. in full control of affairs
Acting under Instructions, this American
spy performed his duty by frequent reports
to the Secretary of State. as to what he had
found and as to what he did, which includ-
ed the singular incident of pulling down the
American flag. On another occasion, in
earlier history, a distinguished citizen of
New York state, in his capacity as a member
of the cabinet of President Buchanan, issued
an order something as follows:
If any man pull down the American flag
shoot him on the spot" At later day. by
the order IL l mistake not, of Gen. Butler
at New Orleans, one man was shot for the
same act, for which another now receives
the thanks of the executive of the United
States.
Whatever may be said of desecrating our
flag in Honolulu that was only a humilia-
ton of Americans, and a self-inf1icted dts
grace to this administration. By the steal
ing Of an American spy into Hawaii with
credentials to the head Of the recognized
government, addressed: my great and
good friend" for the simple and secret pur-
pose of plotting and negotiating with Mrs
Dominis then an enemy of that govern
ment. and secretly and stealthily endeavor-
ing to arrange for her re-enthronement
upon the ruins Of the temporary or pro-
visional government, was not that such an
offensive act that the provisional govern
ment would have been fully justified under
the rules of war in declaring him to be a
public enemy and treating him according
ly? In the United States. treason consists
in levying war against the government, or
adhering to its enemies. giving them aid
and comfort. What was Blount in his re-
lation to Hawaii? Neither more nor less
than public enemy. Personally, I am
very glad to see the ex-paramount here in
Washington. walking safely about the Capt.
tol but l must confess that there would
have been a good deal of grim justice in
the act, If the Hawaiian government had
caused his trial either by the civil authori-
ties or by court martial at Honolulu as
would have been done in any other govern
ment.
Just look at 1t! Purporting to be an am
bassador and accredited to a recognized
government, his secret instructions not
even made known to this Senate. if obeyed
by him, put him in the attitude in fact and
effect, of the most despicable Of offenders
against international proprieties. True, his
orense was that of his superiors merely
but the punishment is meted to the agent
who is caught in the act. Maj Andre suffer-
ed death; Commissioner Blount receives
compensation from the United States, but
the world condemns both him and mis- en-
plOyers.
IncOmprehensibleE ErrOrs.
The people of the United States, of all
shades Of party faith, have discussed with
bated breath almost the series of events in
our diplomatic service initiated since March
last. and have seriously questioned the
mental equilibrium of an executive and cab
met who could, either by accident or design,
have stumbled into such unprecedented
and incomprehensible errors.
1t has never been charged seriously that
President Cleveland was especially gifted
as dipiomatist or that the study of in ter
national law had been made speciality