Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-09
N UGH EXCITED.
The Friends of the Administration
Arc Worried.
NEWS OF HAPPENINGS At HAWAII
Secretary Gresham Denies Having
Yet Received Reports.
THE DIPLOMATIC ATOS.

THE DIPLOMATIC ATOS.
| Despite their efforts to appear uncon-
cerned at the situation in Hawaii the men,
bers Of the administration are manifestly
very much excited over the news brought
from Honolulu by the steamer Warrimo.
They no longer express any doubt as to
the correctness Of the report that Minister
Willis demanded the abdication Of Presi-
dent Dole in favor Of Queen Liliuokalani
and that President Dole has positively re-
fused to accede to his demands. They do
not now attempt to discredit that action
on his part.
WILLS Has Followed Instructions.
On the contrary. they confess that he
has followed his Instructions from the Pres
ident,, and defend what he did as the only
honorable policy Of the United States.
According to their theory the United
States was responsible for the overthrow
OF the queen and was in duty bound to put
her back.
Exerted His Extreme Powers.
The President. they say, has exerted his
extreme powers to bring about that result
without violating any of the coordinate
rights OF Congress. and having failed,
through no fault Of his own. has relegated
the question to Congress. Officials Of the
State Department say that Minister Willis
has received no instructions from this gov
ernment since December IL. when the Cor
win arrived at Honolulu with Secretary
Gresham's letter OF December 3, yeiterating
and emphazing his original instructions
Tor the restoration Of the queen. and de-
hntng his course Of action in the event Of
assent dissent q nf Qif her he
queen or the provisional government to the
Presidents decision.
What Willis Was to Do.
He was specifically instructed, in case the
queen agreed to the Presidents conditions,
to proceed in his efforts for her restoration,
ana the demand for the surrender of the
provisional government was the first step
fp that direction. These instructions also
remir ded Minister Willis that he could not
employ force without the authority of Con-
gress They were published in full in The
Star Of Friday last. and formed part of the
correspondence sent to Congress by The
President with his Hawaiian message of
december Is. Secretary Gresham is given
rs authority for the statement that no in
structiQns have been sent to Mr. Willis
since those bearing date Of Washington.
December 3.
/ Painful Sensation.
Inc oispatches from Honolulu by way
OF Victoria created an immediate and pain
fui sensation at the uptown departments
and at the Capitol. particularly among the
friends OF the administration. who find
themselves In a most embarrassing posi-
ton.
Il have not had a word of confirmation
of the story" was the reply of Secretary
0resham to query as to whether he had
received any news by the Corwin touching
the startling events in Hawaii. Despite the
iact that according to Honolulu advices the
Instructions under which MIR. Willis acted
were conveyed to him in cipher by the Cor
win ana President Dole's peremptory re-
fusal to accede to the request for surrender
was brought to the United States by the
same vessel Mr.. Gresham gave every indi-
cation that the news now published was a
surprise and at first seemed disposed to
doubt its correctness.
Mr.. Gresham again stated positively that
ne had not received line of advice
through the Corwin as yet so that he
could not properly undertake to pass tudg-
ment upon the truth of the statements
brought by the Warrimo
1t was suggested to the Secretary that in
asmuch as he was of course acquainted
with the instructions sent to Mr.. Willis by
the Corwtn he could at least pass Judgment
upon the probability of the narrative To
this he replied earnestly that he had no
better means of Information than his inter-
rogator; that the instructions referred to
had been submitted to Congress- and that
the American public was consequently
aware of all the facts in his possession.
Necessarily this answer also fitted the Ques-
ton whether the Secretary knew that the
British marines had been landed in Honolu-
lu.
Conference With Senator Mills.
The Secretary had been in his office only
few minutes when Senator Mills of Texas
came in. The Secretary Immediately took
him into a private room, and they proceed
ed to discuss the situation. About 10
o'clock the door of the Secretary's office
opened and in walked Commissioner Blount
He looked rugged and hearty and appeared
to be In a great hurry. Being told that the
Secretary was within the diplomatic room
he cast his white sombrero upon a conve-
nient cnair, entered the room and was soon
party to the consultation proceeding.
The conference lasted about half an hour.
and when Mr.. Blount reappeared he was
asked by the United Press reporter what he
thought of the news.
Ex-COmmfssioncr RlOunt.
The late commissioner declared that he
had not had an opportunity to look at the
morning papers. and falling into his usual
receptive habit, began to ask for nforma-
tion. He showed much interest in the recital
and his face became very grave when he
was told of the landing of the British
marines He was particularly anxious to
know how that had been brought about
But after listening to all that the reporter
had to say. Mr.. Blount, like the Secretary
declined to comment upon the news. In
fact he carried his reticence so far as to
decline to admit that he had come to Wash
tngton to answer the summons OF the Sen
ate committee on foreign relations. which is
conducting an investigation into the entire
subject of our Hawaiian relations.
The Present Status.
Accepting Secretary Gresham's statement
that Minister Willis has had no further
instructions since December last, 1t ap-
pears that the status of affairs in Hawaii
from diplomatic point of view. is about
as follows:
The queen has accepted the Presidents
conditions in toto; the provisional govern
ment has refused to surrender, and Minis
ter Willis is acting under his original in
structions, limited by the injunction to
use no force. These original instructions
were dated October IS last, and were to
the following effect: