The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-03-02

were the real causes or the situation then
present in Honolulu, the fact is that
there was a complete paralysis of execu-
tive government in Hawaii. The action
of the queen in an effort to o%verturn the
constitution to which she had sworn
obedience and support, had been accept
ed and treated by a large and powerful
body of the people as a violation of her
constitutional obligations, revolutionary
in its character and purposes, and that
it amounted to an act of abdication on
her part SO far as her powers and the
rights of the people under the constitu-
ton of 1887 were concerned. This state
of opinion and this condition of the ex-
ecutive head Of the Hawaiian govern
ment
Neutralized Its Power
to protect American citizens and other
foreigners in their treaty rights, and
also all their rights under the laws of
| Hawaii. There was not in Honolulu at
that time any efficient power through
which the rights of American citizens
residing there could be protected in
accordance with local laws. 1t is evil
lent that the queens government at that
time had nc power to prevent the land
ing of troops from any quarter, no
power to protect itself against invasion,
no power to conduct civil government
so far as the executive was concerned, if
the effort to exert such power were an
~tagonized by any opposing body of peo-
pie in considerable numbers. Indeed,
no effort seems to have been made to
exert the civil authority except
through the presence of a small
and very inefficient body of
policemen. The authority of the
queen was not respected by the
people. 1t was opposed, and nc force
appeared to be used for the purpose OF
overcoming the opposition. 1t yielded
70 a silent but ominous operation. With
out reference to the question, whether
in strict law the action Of the queen in
her effort to o%verturn the constitution
of 1887 and to substitute n by a
proclamation which she had previously
prepared was a revolution in govern
ment, or an effort at revolution, or
amounted to an actual abdication, the
result was that an interregnum existed.
There is we'll settled authority for the
position that at the moment when the
queen made public her decision to
absolve herself from her oath to sup
port the constitution of 1887
Her Abdioation Was Complete,
if the people chose to so regard it. That
constitution and the queens oath to sup
port in was the only foundation for her
regal authority and when she announced
that her oath was annulled in its effect
upon her conscience, she could no longer
rightfully hold Office under that consti-
tuition.
Liliuokalani had only been kept on
her throne by the forbearing tolerance
Of the white people, who owned $780,
600, 900 of the property Oh the islands.
1t required nothing but. the determined
action of what wa known as the mis-
sionary party to overthrow her, and
that action had been taken before the
troops from the Boston landed. There
was no executive head of the govern
ment of Hawaii; it had p%erished.'
The report then calls attention to the
fact that in landing the troops there
was no demonstration and that in pass
ing the palace they saluted the queen.
1t adds: Her attitude at that time
Was That of HeIplessness,
because she found no active or courage
Gus support in her isolated position,
which was self imposed and was re-
GREETED by few of her former subjects.
In this condition of Hawaii, the laws
for the protection of life and property
were, in fact, suspended so far as the
executive power was concerned and the
citizens of the United States in Homo
lulu and all the islands and their prop.
erty rights, were virtually outlawed.
The citizens of Honolulu were not held
amenable to the civil authorities, but
were treated by the queen as well as by
the people, as if the country was in
state of war;"
There was No Law Of Nations.
In view of this state of facts the re
port lays down the following PROPOSE
ton:
''In a country where there is nc
power of the law to protect the citizens
of the United States there can be no Law
of nations, nor any rule of comfy tina
can rightfully prevent our flag from
giving shelter to them under the protec
ton of our arms, and this without refer
ence to any distress it may give to tn,
queen who generated the confusion, O
any advantage it might give to tn
people who are disputing her right t.
resume or to hold her regal powers
In every country where Their
is no effective chief executiv
authority, whether it is a newly discov
cred island where only savage govern
ment prevails. or n where the govern
! ment is paralyzed by internal feuds, !