New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-21


IN THE HOUsE-AIL THE DoCU-
MENTc ORDERED TO BE
READ AT ONCE
fly TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBCNR.]
Washington Jan. 20.-The Hawaiian question
was thrust upon the attention Of the House of
Representatives this afternoon In wholly
and most neXpacted fashion; new and un-
expected, in fact. that it quickly became appar
ent that the Democratic leaders in that body had
not been taken into the confidence of the Ad-
ministration. 1t cannot yet have been forgotten
how reluctant the President has hitherto seemed
TO communicate to Congress any information re-
lating 10 that subject; how long and stubbornly
his representatives IN that body fought to gain
time or how in a word. policy of secrecy went
hand in hand with policy of procrastinaton,
until the patience of Congress and the country
were alike exhausted. The change of tactics has
been as sudden as ii appears to be extraordinary
or might appear to be but for the return to
Washington of Minister Thurston
The message received and read in the House of
REPRESENTATIVES this afternoon is addressed "To
the Congress-" and the President Of course knew
so when he sent it to the Capitol to-day that the
Senate was not In session and would not be until
Monday He likewise knew that the House Of
Representatives was engaged In carrying out an
order Of business which Is regarded as OF such
great importance-inasmuch as a day has been
set for a final vote-that that body meets an
hour earlier than usual and sits until late al
night every day. Knowing these Things the
President and his Secretary Of State deliberately
chose to thrust the Hawaiian question upon a
single branch of Congress to-day although noti. ,
branches would be in session within forty-elght
hours This was haste amounting to precipitancE
under the circumstances and furnished STRIKING
contrast to the course hitherto pursued & oy n one
Administration in its dealings Win Inc NoA-
gress'' in regard 10 this SUBJECT
NO CHANGE OF ATTITUDE, HOWEVER
But if the tactics Of the Administration have
changed, its attitude has not. That appears 70
be as hostile if not more hostile. toward the
Hawaiian Government than ii was before Ihe
tone of the message is dstinctively belhgereht
was the comment made by a prominent member
of the House who has had long experience III
public affairs, in conversation with lrDune
correspondent this afternoon He added; II
seems to me rather an unusual, If not extraoIdi,
nary thing for the President of the Cnited
States In message transmitting a batch OF
diplomatic correspondence to Congress, to single
out one document and characterize II as a most
extraordinary letter II | felt at liberty TO 90
SO. should say that Minister Doles letter was
bv no means 50 extraordinary the condition
OF affairs that impelled him TO address 1t to the
diplomatic representative Of friendly power.
and that power the United States Of America.
A SENSATION IN THE HOUSE.
The reading of the message followed that Of
the veto Of the Hudson River Bridge BILL in
which comparatively few members of the House
appeared to feel enough interest to pay atten-
ton as IL was by nc means unexpected. The
least that the frier ds of that measure had
hoped for was that the President would ailo"
II 10 become a law without his signature NO
sooner had the first sentence or the faWallah
message been read than every member was on
the alert. The hum Of conversation instantly
were busy with their correspondence dropped
their pens; the story-tellers in the cloaKrooms
hastened into the chamber. and everybody IN
the galleries leaned forward to listen II the
President and his Secretary OF STATE had
planned TO produce sensation their success
was complete. The reference 10 Minister poie
most extraordinary letter not only provoked
the most lively curiosity. but excited the most
eager and intense interest and as soon az the
last word Of the message had been read dozen
members on either side were on their ieet de-
manding recognition which Mr.. Hit, or IllnoiH'
who is a member of the Committee on forelIh
Affairs. fortunate enough 10 OBTAIN ne
asked that the 'most extraordinary letter re-
ferred to In the message be Immediately read'
This required unanimous consent, which was
not difficult 10 obtain. so anxious was every
member to know the contents OF that document
The reading listened to with GREATNESS
interest. AS 1t proceeded Democralc iea,eia t,,dr
showed marked symptoms of uneasiness. Even
Bourke Cochran could not remain long lh Ihe
same place and the usually self-containen
Springer was plainly excited. The RepubncaEs
and few Democrats listened with evident en-
joyment, and when the passage was read III
which Minister Dole said that even the eN-
Queen had appealed 10 the Irovlsloha' au-
thorities for protection ard that 1t had been ac-
corded to her the Republicans broke into APP
plause and the "cuckoos' ruffed their feathers
and looked unhappy and discouraged. MI"
Reed who listened most intertly, occasionally
turned his beaming countenance to"aru .uc
Democratic side and scanned the races OF s tiis
leaders there with an expression whlch showeu
that he was ready for any parHa'ie"''
manoeuvre they might attempt. . ,oa
As soon as the last word Of the letter ha9
been read the Speaker rather hastily remarkea rem,'
that there were two or three other letters which,
without objection. would be read. These other
letters'' Included Minister Williss reply to Min
lister Dole's letter OF December q. 1885, one OF
two expressions IN which excited some scatter,
ing applause on the Democratic side: After an
the rest Of the correspondence following lhc
Willis letter had been read. Mr.. Hit caiied LOT
the reading Of the remainder OF the papers,
which included Minister Wils's letter OF Decem-
Der 26 1893. to the representative Of Her Majesty
the Queen" and also the Minister'S letter ol
January 3 to Secretary Gresham ihclosing the
correspondence. together with his own obserVa-
tions and reflections thereon. Before the reading
of the latter document had been completed the
Democratic side was again in deep gloom, ana
the Republicans appeared to be happier ana
more comnlacent thaa ever The Democrats ap-
peared to realize that Mr.. Wls's sef-excul-
patory letter was not all that could be desired
aside from the fact that 1t 10 marred by some
important omissions and then too, the letter
Of Mr. Willis to the representative or Her
Majesty the Queen left bad taste In the
mouths Of some OF them
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
President Cleveland's letter Of transmittai was
follows:
ITO the Congress: transmit herewith d's-
patches received yesterday from our Minister al
Hawaii. with certain correspondence wh'ch ac-
companied the same. including a most extraor-
dinary letter. dated December ~. 1885, signed oy
Sanford y. Dole. Minister Of Foreign Afairs OF
our Minister. Mr. Willis. and delivered to him
a number of hours after the arrival at Honolulu
Of copy Of my message to Congress on tho
Hawaiian question. with copies OF the instruc-
tions given to our Minister
"GROvER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion. Jan 20. 1894