The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-01-11
REPORT ON HAWAII.
MINORITY CHARGES VIOLATION
OF THE CONSTITUTION.
The Republican Members of tho Foreign
Affairs Committee Say President Clevo-
land Overstcpped His Powers - Tariff
Will Precede Other Legislation.
Unworthy the Nation.

Washington correspondence:
The minority report cE the rcSc1u-
tiOns PRESENTED by Chai. man Actl cary
on the day Congress adjourned as a
substitute for the Hitt re-o'ut;o IS has
been finished. Il wa, prepared: by Mr..
StOrer of Ohio. and is signed by Nes,rs.
Hit, Harmer, Elair, Drai g p, and Van
NOrhis OF New York. Il is very vclu,n-
inOus, and goes in detail int the vii lie
history of Mr.. Blount's appointment
as commissions" raram ul,t and The
course of the administration. i rc2,,
in part:
When President Cleveland was inarcurated
March L. l-sa the IawaIians uc,e t,,:.r tire
control OF republican govern ,,,ent recognized
not only by the United state, lut ty ever"
civilizei nation. This government "as III
in existence for an indefinite period "nti the
time when terms of union with the Unite!
States shon b We been agreed Upon TIE
Minister Plenipotentiary o: the Tn ted
States to Hawaii was III per-on at his POST
and the Senate of the Urltei states in
session. The President sent To he Senate the
name OF Mr. Gresham as secretary " state.
and that body. March 5. confirmed the APP
point ent. 1t was at that line rubiiclE
stated though yet not official y known ttat
James NJ. Blount started non Nasi;in- ton
March on mission 20 the hawaiian Islands
with verbal secret instructions from tie Pres
tdent. II this be true, his suhseG"ent writ en-
instructions, not made pub lc Unit; November
last. must have been forwarded to Mr. Elornt
after his departure from "ashinGton as tl5ry
bear date March II. The treGty stn5 to the
Senate by the outgoing adm inistr",lon Feb
u. was withdrawn by the presitcrt March {"
between the time Of Mr. Blonnt'~ dcpai tucc
and the date of his WRIT n in>trncIinns
Then follow &C. les Of the Instructions
to Mr.. BlOunt. with Mr.. Cleveland .
greeting to President Dole. The mar
rative then proceeds TO re ate Mr..
Blount's action in hauling down the
American flag and the Investigation
which he made. 1t then discusses at
length the Presidents power t. APP
point a diplomatic officer arme with
p, wers given TO Mr.. BlOunt without
the consent If the senate. Tie re, Ort
goes on:
This covers all that is reeded to show how
the President ignored the PLAIN language of
the constitution. He has assumed To appoint
.: his own voli.ion, without the advice of the
senate. diplomatic officer with paramount
powers. TO try to argue that Nj. Biount
was not diplomatic officer Of the United
States. but only my repres ntative. Is idle:
There is no ground OF debate now whether
the present Hawaiian Government was rightly
or wrongly established nearly tw I've months
ago. The issue is directly before the House
whether to arl rove and commend the course
of the present administration dis closed by
himself. If a President, without the consent
OF the Senate, can seEd a paramount diplo
matte officer to superscde minister leaving
Gie laLteI oHAy IOutllic uut.cS nc may 40 III III
Great Britain or in Germany a. well as in the
Hawaiian Islands That officer, according
to the Presidents apologists: is only
the presidents commissioner and not
officer in the dii lomatic services
of the United sta.es. The sac right
asserted here to appoint an amba ssador under
the name OF a commissioner wOuld allow the
President to appoint any agent of hi, own
without conference with any other branch of
the government to exercise judicial functions
paramount TO Judges already i'll Office by ard
with the Sc:lates cons mt. After review ard
tiOn appears from its records. the MI
nOrity OF your committee have no hesitation
in recommending he adoption OF the following
substitute for the resolution reported by the
ma iOrity:
WHEREAS, Executive COMMUNICATIONS to
Congress disclose that TIE executive depart
ment has been furnishing to a Miriste r Plcni-
rOte ntary OF the United States secret lnstruc-
tiOns to Couspire with the repr, senta tvcs and
agents Of Gcposed and discarded monarchy
government, duly recognized by all he civil
lied nations to which said minister
credited, and to which his public Instructions
pledged the good faith and sympathy of the
President, the Government and the people of
the United II ates:
Resolved That it Is the sense of this House
that such intervention by the executive of the
United States. its civil or military representa-
tives or officers. without authority Of Congress-
Ia a dangerous and unwarranted invasion Of
the rights and dignities Of the Congress Of the
United States. and violation of the law Of
nations, and further
Resolved. That the manner of such at
tempted Intervention by the executive and
methods used are unworthy OF the executive
department Of the United States, while the
trary to the policy and tradition Of the Repub-
Tic and the spirit Of the constitution"