The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-03-21


the special commissioner, to gather
information for the President of the
United States, to give him an &C.
count OF what had occurred in their
own way. After demurring some
time they consented, not to be ex-
amined by Mr.. Blount, but to submit
a carefully prepared statement writ
ten out over their own hands, deli
berately and, we must believe, truth
fully made. / am about to read from
that statement now.
"Mr. George-They expressly de-
clined to be cross examined.
"Mr. Gray-And, as the Senator
from Mississippi says, want to re-
call now that they expressly declined
to be cross-examined. This state
ment is rather joint statement be-
tween Mr.. Cooper, Mr.. Smith and
Mr.. Castle"
Senator Gray then proceeds to
quote largely from Mr.. Smith, max
ing running comments on his testi-
mony. From this testimony he
makes it as clear as day that when
the committee of safety began work.
ing on its scheme, it did not appeal
to the people in the first instance
but to the United States Minister.
From Mr.. Smiths own words il is
learned that the first condition
under consideration by the commit
tee was the very strong position OF
the regular Government in being
possessed Of men, arms aud strong
holds. "And in view Of the fact
that at the station house there was
a large armed force and at the bar
racks, and that nearly all Of the
arms were in possession OF the sup
porters OF the Queen, and there was
no organization at the time outside
Of those forces" Mr.. Smith testifies,
"and it was simply unknown how
many arms were available, the ques-
tion was at once discussed whether
a protectorate should not be sought
from the United States steamship
Of war Boston" Upon which Mr..
Gray remarks:
THAT is the egg from which was
hatched this revolution-the United
States ship Of war Boston; that |.
where the revolution started. These
were the men who have been com.
pared to the fathers Of the Repub.
lie; to the men who pledged their
lives, their fortunes aud their sacred
honor to establish the liberties
which we enjoy, and in which they
Of the Hawaiian country naturally
enough wish to participate. That
question: Mr.. Smith goes on to say,
was, OF course, first raised. whether
the United States would render as.
sistance, or what their attitude
would be, and then'-The very first
business, nova special commit
tee, consisting OF l.. 4. Thurston,
". 4. Wilder and H. +. Glade were
appointed to wait'-Cpon whom, do
you thinkf Upon their fellow citi.
zens, and ask them to come at this
|
lives, their fortunes and their sacred
honor on the RESULT Oh, no; not
to do that, but TO wait upon Mr.. j.
L. Stevens, United States Minister,
and inform him Of the situation and
ascertain from him what, il any,
protection or assistance could be
afforded by the United States forces
for the protection OF life and pro.
perty, -Recollect that. We shall
have a great deal to say about the pro-
lection Of life and property before
we get through with this discussion
the unanimous sentiment and
feeling being that life and property
were IN imminent danger Mr..
President, commend the caution
OF these gentlemen to all succeed
ing revolutiouists. Happy thought!
| doubt whether il ever before en-
tered the minds OF the patriots who
all over the world have sealed their
devotion to liberty with their blood,
that they might have avoided all that
trouble aud all that sacrifice by sim.
ply getting some paramount power,
outside of themselves, to protect life
and property, while they worked
out the revolution"
Senator Gray proceeds from the
same testimony to show that before
anything else was done by the COM
inittes OF safety, it had secured q
promise from Minister Stevens "that
the United States troops on board
the Boston would be ready to land
any moment to prevent the destruc-
tion Of American life and property,
aud in regard to the matter OF estab-
fishing Provisional Government
they OF course would recognize the
existing Government, whatever il
might be-" He tears to pieces the
shallow pretense Of Minister Stevens
that he acted throughout for the
protection OF American life and
property" showing the humiliating
position in which that puts Minis
ter OF the United States-ostensibly
doing his duty in protecting Amer
leans at the request OF committee
OF thirteen, only seven Of whom were