The herald., 1894-01-14

tue PROVISIONAL governments Auo WuOic
business OF the government with the
president OF the United States. how
ever, is set forth in the correspondence
between the two governments, and II
the provisional government has sub
mitted it's right to exist to the United
States, the facts will appear in that cor
respondence. Such an agreement must
be ehown as the foundation of the right
OF the United States government TO in
terfere, for an arbitrator can be created
only by the act OF two parties. More
over, it appears that the queens attor-
ney was refused passage on government
dispatch boat sent to San Francisco with
annexationist commissioners. less than
two days after the new government was
declared. II the intention to submit the
question of the reinstatement of the
ex-queen existed. why should her
attorney have been refused passage
on this boat? Furthermore, the
queens letter to the president
two days after the new government was
proclaimed, makes no allusion to the
understanding between her and the
government for arbitration. If such an
understanding had existed some refer
ence thereto would naturally have been
made. The government sent its COM
missioners to Washington for the sole
purpose OF entering inte negotiations
for political union with the United
States. In the queens protest OF jan
uary 18th, there is equally lack OF
evidence of any mutual understanding
for the submission of her claim to the
throne. She merely makes q protest
against the action of Minister Stevens.
and thereon bases her individual appeal
to the United States. That appeal is
q matter of indifference to the provis-
ional government. That such ia the
case is evident from the fact that it was
forwarded by the provisional govern
ment without comment.
President Dole then touches upon
Commissioner Blount's report and Gays: !:
eff we bad known that Mr.. Blount was
suthoritatively acting ss commissioner
to take evidence upon the question OF
the restoration of the ex-queen. the
methods adopted by him in making his
Investigations were, l submit, unsuitable
to such an examination, or any examin-
alton upon which human interests were
to be adjudicated. As am reliably in
formed, he selected his witnesses and
examined them in secret, freely using
leading questions, giving no opportunity
for REORGANIZATION, and often not
permitting such explanations by wit
nesees themselves as they desired to
make OF evidence which he had drawn
from them. 1t is hardly necessary for
me to suggest that under such q
mode of examination some wit.
nesses would be almost helpless
in the hands of an astute luwyer and
might be drawn into saying things
which would be only half truths, and
standing alone would be misleading or
even false in effect. Is it likely that an
investigation conducted in this man
ner could result in fair, full and truth
ful statement of the case in point
Surely the destinies of friendly gov
eminent, admitting by way of argu-
ment that the right of arbitration ex-
lists, may not be disposed of upon an
ex parte and secret investigation, made
without the knowledge of such govern
ment or the opportunity by it to be
heard. or even to know who the wit
nesses were.
Mr.. Blount came here as stranger,
and at once entered upon his duties.
He devoted himself to the work of
collecting information, both by the ex-
animation of witnesses and the collect
ion of statistics and other documentary
matter, with great energy and industry,
giving up substantially his whole time
to its prosecution. He was here but q
few months, and during that time was
so occupied with this work that he had
little opportunity left for receiving
those impressions Of the state Of
affairs which could best have come
to him incidentally through wide
social intercourse with the people OF the
country and personal acquaintance with
its various communities and educational
and industrial enterprises. He saw the
country from his cottage in the center of
Honolulu, mainly through the eyes Of
the witnesses whom he examined.
Under these circumstances, is it prob
able that the most earnest of men would
be able to form q statement that could
safely be relied upon as the basis Of q
decision upon the question of the stand
ing Of government
I'm view, therefore, of all the facts In
relation to the question OF the presi-
dents authority to interfere, and con.
cerning which the members of the exec
utive were actors and eye-witneeses, /
am able to assure your excellency that
by no action of this government on the
18th day OF January last. or since that
time, has authority devolved upon the
president OF the United States to inter-
fere In the internal affairs of this coun-
try. through any conscious act or ex-
preston Of this government with such
an intention.
"You state in your communication I:
After Q patient examination of Mr..
Blount's reports, the president is satis-
fed that the movement against the
queen, If not instigated, was encouraged
and supported by the representatives of
this government at Honolulu; that he
promised in advance to aid her enemies
in the effort to overthrow the Hawaiian
government and set up by force new
government in its place; that he kept
his promise by causing a detachment of
troops to be landed from the Boston on
the 10th of January, 1898, and by recog-
nizing the provisional government the
next day when it was too feeble to de-
fend itself, and the constitutional gov
ernment was able to successfully main
tain its authority against any threaten
ing force other than that of the United
States already landed
Without entering into discussion of
the fscts, beg to state in reply that
am unable to Judge Of the correctness
OF Mr.. Blount's report, from which the
presidents conclusions we're drawn, as l
have had no opportunity of examining
such report. But desire to specifically