The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-03-10
STEVENS DON QU,x0TE ACT.
What IN Authority on International Law
- HIM. r

oVevENo JUN QOV%osE All.
What an Authority on International Inv,
snss ~ HIM.
One. OF the points most hotly con.
tended for .,y the defenders of Mr..
Stevens il that he only gave his recog-
milton of the provisional government.
as tho de facto government of the
islands, after the committee of public
safety had taken possession of the gov
eminent buildings, archives and treas
ury, and after the provisional govern
rnent had been installed at the heads of
these respective departments. Posi-
bly, this may be TRUE; although very
strong evidence to the contrary is Of
fered: 1t is possible that Mr.. Stevens
may have actually deferred recognition
such occupation of the public buildings,
but that does not seem to be the only.
or indeed the important, question in
the case. II by his action he coerced
tho feeble administration Of tbs queen
to yield UP its power and to succumb
before the authority OF the United
States, then to argue that he should es-
cape criticism because of this delay is
simply pettifogging: The expression
may he harsh, but it is the only proper
one. The truth seems to be that he
had arranged the matters with the in
surrectionists: that he had given them
his promise; that the soldiers had been
landed; chat the moral forces at his
command were used and the ply
forces held ready for action, and when.
under these com bined influences; tbs
government resigned. he appeared Tor
tho first time formally to recognize an
administration of his own creation
But even this attempt at palliation is
disposed OF by Judge Dole, a gentleman
in whom Mr.. Stevens places the high
est confidence, and whose veracitv he
must he the last man in the world to
trnteach. Judge Dole writes on jan,t-
AIRY IL. 1898. the very day on which Mr.
gard Mr.. Parker and others as minis
tiers, and says:
II acknowledge receipt of your
valued com munication Of this day rec
ognizing the Hawaiian provision al GOV
eminent. aud EXPRESS deep apprecia
ton of the same. We have conferred
with the ministers Of the late govern
nert. and have made demand upon this
marsh al to surrender the station house.
We are not actually yet in possession
Of the station house: but night IS ar.
preaching, and our forces may be in
sufficient to maintain order, we request
the immediate support of the United
States forces" etc.
We must leave this highly respect
able man, Judge Dole. to reconcile his
statement with rIr. Stevens declara-
ton. If Judge Dole was telling the
truth. at 3 time when there was no
reason why he should dissemble dis
regard it, he was not in possession Of
the station house at the time when he
was thanking Mr.. Stevens for his rec
ignition of the provisional govern
mcnt. Until these two gentlemen have
settled this question, it must be as
sumed, with all the probabilities in
favor of the assumption, that Mr..
Stevens had actually, as he certainly
had in intent, promoted, encouraged.
aided and Allotted the instruction.
The downfall of the monarchy may
may not be q desirable event, tho
queen may or may not be what her en-
eKnies charged Judge Dole and his assoc
ciates may absorb in themselves all the
cardinal and other virtues. but it is diff
ficult for an impartial man to escape
the viction that whatever good,
whatever credit and whatever praise
may attach to the downfall of Queen
I.iliuokalani belongs mainly to MIR.
Stevens. Judge Dole and other excel
lent gentlemen may have just claim
to small part OF the success, but the
chief actor is undoubtedly Mr.. Stevens.
Truly he did it; and if it be part Of the
occupation of United States ENJOYS to
act the part of international Don
Quixotes. to use their Office and their
power to subvert governments that do
not suit their tastes, and to arrange
new esta blishments more to their own
liking, he has earned the gratitude of
his conntrymen In the mean while,
his Jealous efforts have made it inpera-
tive upon our people to decide how far
they will ratify his acts, thereby estab-
fishing precedents which are very sure,
if followed, to relieve our international
relations from the reprosch Of being
tame or monotonous-F II. Coudert,
in North American Review.