Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-03-09
THE REPORTS ON HAWAII.
FINDINGS OF THE FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
Senator Morgan's Views on the Incl
dent Endorsed by the Republican
Members OF His Committee
Blount's Appointment All Right
and Cleveland Meant Well.

|
Members OF His Committee
Blount's Appointment All Right
! and Cleveland Meant Well.
Avolume of nearly eight hundred printed
| pages exclusive of maps) has been laid be
| fore the United States Senate representing
| the testimony taken by the Senate Commit
| tee Cd Foreign Relations and their finding of
| facts thereon under q resolution directing
| them to inquire whether any and il 80 what
| irregularities have occurred in the dipIe-
| matte intercourse between the United States
| and Hawaii in relation to the recent revolu-
| ton.
| The report of the majority of the commit
| tee was prepared by the Chairman, Mr.
Morgan, of Alabama. 1t exclusively re-
| views the facts. the laws and the precedents
| justifies Mr.. Stevens's actions, excepting in
| proc!aiming protectOrdte. and finds moth
| ing irregular III the appointment OF Mr..
| Biount. but in effect says the evidence taken
| by the committee under more favorable cir
| cumstances leads the committee to different
| conclusions than those which he formed.
This report is concurred in as to all its
! essential findings by the Republican mem
/ bers Of the committee. Senators Sherman.
| FRYE. Dolph and Davis, making ma lority
| of the committee They characterize it as
| an exceedingly able document, but they dis
sent on five points.
l. They condemn the appointment of
Commissioner Blount as unconstitutional.
2. They say the executive orders placing
the navy in the narbor of Honolulu under
the orders of Mr. Rlount or Mr.. Willis were
| without authority law
g. That the order of Blount to Admiral
Skerrett to lower the flag was unlawful and
susceptible of being construed as unfrendly
TO the Provisional Government, and they re-
gard the intercourse of Mr.. BIount and Mr.
Willis with the deposed Queen at violative
of International law and unwarraHed.
1. They consider the President had no
right to reopen the predetermined legality of
the Provisional Government.
5. They regard any discussion of the per-
sOnRl intentions or good faith of either Mr.
Blount or Mr.. willis as immaterial, mas
much as what they did in regard to the re-
instatsment of the Queen was simply the
performance of "a task plainly commanded
of them by this Administration.
The report of The minority signed by Sen
ators Butler. Turpie, Daniel and Gray, all
Democrats, without denying conceding
the correctness of other portions of the
port dissents from that portion of it (Which
declares that the only substantial irregular
ity in the conduct of Mr.. Stevens, tho late
Minister, was his declaration Of a protector
ate by the United States over Hawaii" While
eXempting from censure Captain Wiltse. of
the Boston. and his officers because ''their
position was one of extreme delicacy and
difficulty, and we appreciate their anxiety to
afford protection to the lives and property of
American citizens, y they add: ''We cannot
avoid the conviction that the inoppor-
tune zeal of Minister Stevens
in the project of annexation of
the Sandwich Islands to the United States
caused him to exceed tho proper limits OF
his official duty, and of his diplomatic rela'
tons to the Government and people Of those
islands. His conduct as the public repre-
sentative of this Government was directly
conducive to bringing about the con diton Of
affairs which resulted in the overthrow of the
Queen, the organization of the Provisional
Government, the landing of the United
States troops. and the attempted scheme of
annexation and upon this conclusion his
conduct is seriously reprehensibIe and de-
serving of public censure.'
Senators Butler and Turpie file Supple
mental report in which they say that while
the question Of annexation was not submit
ted to the committee except incidentally,
they think it not improper to say they are
heartily in favor of the acquisition of these
islands by the United States in a proper
manner, but not by taking advantage of in
ternal discussions for which they believe the
United States in some way resi- ;onsible.