Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-01-09
T0-DAY'S TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
Hawaii.

pers here, created somewhat of q SEN
sation at the Capitol.
II have not had word of confrma.
tion of the story" was the reply made
by Secretary Gresham to query as to
whether he had received any news by
the Corwin touching the startling
events in Hawaii. Despite the fact
that according to Honolulu advices the
instructions under which Mr.. Willis
acted were conveyed to him in cipher
by the Corwin and President Dole's per-
emptory refusal to accede to the re-
quest for surrender was brought to the
United States by the same vessel, Mr..
Gresham gave every indication that the
news now published was surprise,
and seemed disposed to doubt its cor
rectness. He ashed Ior ana obtained a
full copy of the United Press dispatches
to-day before the cabinet meeting.
Mr.. Gresham again stated positively
that he had not received a line of ad-
vice thorough the Corwin as yet, so
that he could not properly undertake
to pass judgment upon the truth of the
statements brought by the Warrimo.
1t was suggested to the Secretary that
iuasmuch as he was of course acquaint-
ed with the instructions sent to Mr..
Willis by the Corwin he could at least
pass Judgment upon the probability Of
the narrative. To this he replied earn
estly that he had no better means of
information than his interrogation that
the instructions referred to had been
submitted to Congress and that the
American public was consequently
aware of all the facts in his possession.
Necessarily this answer also fitted the
question whether the Secretary knew
that the British marines had been
landed in Honolulu.
The Secretary had been in his office
only few minutes when Senator
Mills, of Texas, came in. The
Secretary then Immediately took
him into a private room and they pro-
ceeded to discuss the situation. About
ten o'clock the door Of the Secretary's
Office opened and in walked Commits
sioner Blount. He looked rugged and
hearty and appeared to be in great
hurry. Being told that the Secretary
was within the diplomatic room, he
cast his white sombrero upon a conve-
nent chair, entered the room, and was
soon party to the consultation pro-
ceedings.
The conference lasted about half an
hour and when Mr.. Blount reappeared
he was asked by the United Press re
porter what he thought Of the news.
The late commissioner thought that
he had not had an opportunity to look
at the morning papers, and falling into
his usual receptive habits began to ask
for information. He showed much in
terest in the recital and his face became
very grave when he was told of the
landing of the British marines. He was
particularly anxious to know how that
lad been brought about. But after lis
tening to all that the reporter had to say.
Mr.. Blount, like the Secretary, decin-
ed to comment upon the news. In
fact, he carried his reticence so far a
to decline to admit that he had come
to Washington to answer the summons
of the Senate committee on foreign re-
lations, which is conducting an inyesti
CATION into the entire subject of our
Hawaiian relations.
He thinks that if the American peo-
pie would have 9 little patience the
Hawaiian question will ultimately be
solved to the entire satisfaction of the
whole country. The question has be-
came almost strict party one and
many partisans have seemingly lost
sight of the right in their feverish haste
to make party capital.
Mr.. Hit, senior republican member
of the foreign affairs committee, says he
does not care TO express an opinion On
this new phase of the situation until it
is positively known just what Mr..
Willis has said to the Provisional
Government in making his demand for
surrender and whether he has distinct
" stated that he would use force in
case of their refusal. If such demand
has been made, coupled with the threat
to employ the United States forces to
enforce compliance, Mr.. Hit has no
doubt that Mr.. Willis fully intended 10
carry the threat into execution, and he
knows Mr.. Willis we'll enough to be
quite sure that he would not make the
demand and threat except upon posi-
tive instructions from the President.
Mr.. Willis was soldier and knows
how to obey orders. and is wise enough
not to exceed the plain spirit and let
ter of his instructions. If the British
have landed marines this fact was i'm
portant as it is we'll known that the in
terests and .sympathies of the English