Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-03-01

w ASHlNGlON, req. SUI ne 'ptHult tOlli
mittee on foreign relations to-day submitted
their report on the United States-Hawaii
affair. The report of majority of the
committee iustiies the action of exMinister
Stevens, excepting III proclaimng protec-
torate, and finds nothing irregular in the
appointment by President Cleveland of Mr..
Blount as special commissioner to Hawaii,
but states i'll effect that the evidence taken
by the committee under more favorable cir
culnstances leads the committee to different
conclusions from those he reached.
This report, written by the chairman, Mr..
Morgan of Alabama, is concurred in as TO
all its essential findings by the republican
members of the committee-Sherman Frye,
Dolph and Davis but they dissent on five
points. They condemn Commissioner
Blounts appointment rs unconstitutional:
declare that the executive orders gplacing
the navy at Honolulu under the orders of
Blount or Minister Willis were without the
authority of law that Blount's order to Ad-
mral Skerrett to lower tho flag was unlaw
full: that Blount's and Willis intercourse
with the deposed queen was TOlative of in
ternational law and unwarranted. They
consider that the president had no right to
reopen the predetermined legality of the
provisional government
The report of the minority, signed by
| Senators Butler, Turpie, Daniel and Gray,
| without denying or conceding the correct
ness of other portions of the report, dissents
from that portion of it which declares, that
the only substantial irregularity was in the
conduct of the protectorate by the United
States over Hawaii While exempting
| from censuIe Captain Wiltse of the
United States Ship Boston and his
officers, because the minority find that Ste
|
bring about the condition of affairs which
resulted in the overthrow of the queen, the
organization of the provisional government,
the landing of United States troops and the
! attempted scheme of annexation; and upon
! this conclusion his conduct is seriously repre-
| hensible and deserving of public Censure. >
! Senators Butler and Turpie filed "A supple
mental report, in which they say that while
| the question of annexation was not submit
ted, except incidentally, they think it not
/ improper to say that they are heartily in
! favor of the acquisition of these islands in
the proper manner but not by taking ad-
vantage of internal discussions for which
| they believe the United States in some man
ner responsible.
Tho Gist of Blount's Testimony.
In the voluminous testimony which ac
/
of Commissioner Bloupt and ex-Mnistcr
Stevens is of considerable interest and bring
out some new points
Mr. Blount told the committee that he
had no fixed opinion about the condition of
! affairs in Hawaii when he was appointed to
| 60 there. When he was chairman of the
House committee on foreign rela-
tons two years before, Mr.. Thurs
ton had come to the committee
room and wanted to know if the democratic
party would consent to the annexation of
the Hawaiian islands. He said to Mr..
Thuiston: you had better see the secretary
of state about it Mr. Thurston replied
II am member Of the Legislature and
mean to endeavor to bring about the annex
alton of the islands. >
Mr.. Blount declared that after he reached
Hawaii the situation was rather painful to
him. 1t was most important for him to take
no position one way or the other, because
the simplest thing he might do would be
likely to be construed as significant. He was
never more determined to be careful and
hear the truth
Before he left Washington he had no con
versation with the president about the OBJ
jects OF his mission, nor did he ever have
any intnaton of what the president
thought about the Hawaiian situation. He
was impressed with the belief that the presi-
dent wanted information.
The President was NOn-CommittnI.
Here Chairman Morgan asked whether
the president intimated or indicated in any
way whether he was i'll favor or opposed to
| annexation.
Not in the slightest Mr. Blount re-
piled "On the contrary he said to me-
inst Gtiayf f,,,,
Springer that the democrats in the House of
Representatives are inclined to favor an
nexation. This seemed to be all inquiry
| said; Il think Mr.. Springer is in error
about that; my impression is that the feel
ing in the House is that the members are
not satisfactorily informed. He seemed
then as though he had made a mistake and
said: i ought not to have mentioned that >
and he never said anything more. The i'm
preston made on my mind was that he was
afraid he might give me some impression of
his opinion
Mr. Blount said he did not receive any in
structions except those in writing from the
secretary of state, adding; Il might, per
haps, say that the secretary of state ex-
pressed the opinion that there was no prin-
ciple of international law that he thought
justified the hosting of the Amer
lean protectorate there and his idea was that
it ought not to be continued. But | under
stood from him that was matter largely in
my discretion. There was no desire to make
any
Change if it Involved Bloodshed
When asked by the chairman if his iudg
ment was III any wise affected by a desire
either to promote or prevent or retard an
nexation, Mr.. Blount said n would hate
to think so. | had the idea that / was to
conduct myself III dccency and pursue the
inquiry with fidelity. | was, therefore.
over cautious, perhaps, in all my conduct in
reference to it. kept from their social
life, did not intimate any opinion to those
people one way OF the other.
Mr. Blount claimed that he had never seen
Lliuokalan but twice, the first interview
lasting only two or three minutes and the
other not twice as long, and President Dole
knew of these interviews
When Mr., Blount was asked if he had in