The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-01-05

The following article, taken from
the editorial columns of the San
Francisco Argonaut, is interesting,
from the fact that that paper is
bitterly opposed to the annexation
of these islands to the United
States:
The news from Hawaii is not of
a nature to comfort Mr.. Cleveland
and his Cabinet. The Provisional
Government has not only shown
no disposition to step down and
out at the polite request of United
States Minister Willis, but it has
shown every disposition to remain.
1t has fortified the Government
building, and has several hundred
men under arms. Its troops are
provided with repeating rifles and
machine guns. The Provisional
Government has fatty refused to
give way to the royalists unless
compelled to do so by the superior
force of the United States.
In the incipiency of this Hawai-
ian imbroglio, the Argonaut did
not look with favorable eye upon
the Provisional Government, as
that body was avowedly organized
for the purpose of securing annexa-
ton to the United States, and this
journal is unalterably opposed to
such annexation. But, as the
months rolled by, we have been
forced to admit that the Provisional
Government has conducted its diff
cult task with moderation and wis
dom. 1t has certainly shown more
wisdom in its dealings with the
present Democratic Administration
of the United States than that Adj
ministration has shown in its deal
ings with Hawaii. And the latest
move of all has been to place the
Democratic Administration in a
hopeless and ludicrous dilemma.
Mr.. Cleveland, in his message, adj
mitted in SO many words that he
had sent Minister Willis to the
islands to restore the monarchy.
Now the Provisional Government
refuses to permit such restoration,
unless it be done by the armed
forces of the United States Mr..
Cleveland is rather bull-headed
man, but he will scarcely be bull
headed enough to order United
States marines and blue-jackets to
overturn a republic and erect
monarchy.
Whatever may be the genesis of
the Provisional Government, it is
now the de facto Government of
Hawaii. 1t has been in power as
such ever since January Of the
present year. To it the various
European, powers have accredited
diplomatic and consular agents.
Mr.. Cleveland also has accredited
a Minister to the Provisional Gov
eminent, as well as having previ-
ously commissioned that curious
extra-legal, super-naval and non
constitutional person who has come
to be called-for lack Of any legal
title" Paramount Blount." In
view of these facts it would be an
unwarrantable and extraordinary
act for this administration to over
turn by force of arms this Govern
ment of friendly nation. 1t would
be an act of war. And although
Mr.. Cleveland is a very great per-
sonage indeed, and does a great
many curious and arbitrary things,
he will scarcely declare war with
out the advice and consent of Con-
gress. For if he should do so, it
would be declaration of war not
by the United States or by Presi-
dent Cleveland, but by plain Mr..
Cleveland.
The present Democratic Admin
1stration has reached a point where
it is forced to pause. The people
not Democrats, or Republicans, or
Populists alone, but the whole peo-
ple-have demanded in no uncer-
tain tones that the President shall
take into his confidence ia this Ha-
waiian business the Congress and
the country. There has been enough
mystery. The people want to know
what their executive is doing. He
has already admitted that he is try
ing to overturn a republic in a
friendly and weak nation, in order
to restore a monarchy. If it is
further developed that Mr.. Cleve-
land is bargaining with the British
Foreign Office to maintain that
monarchy after it has been restored
by American guns, there will arise
such storm of wrath as has not
been seen in these United States