The record-union., 1894-01-15
Cleveland.

Cleveland.
copyright, 1894 by the Associated Press.I
honolulu (H. L., Jan. 3, 1S94-The
United States cutter Corwin took the last
official advices hence. By the Warrimoo
the demand of Minister Willis on the
Provisional Government was forwarded
TO the press. Since then the Government
has decided that it was better to publish
the reply of the Hawaiian Government.
Although at first refused to the press
officially it is now available.
Every influence was brought to bear on
President Dole to have the reply pub
lished sooner, but he refused, and outside
of rude summary furnished local cor
respondent nothing has yet leaked out.
The following is the text OF the reply as
officially published:
''EXECUTIvE BUILDING,
"HONOLULU, December %, 1898.
''SIR: Your excellency's communica-
ton of December 18th, announcing the
conclusion which the President OF the
United States of America has finally ar
rived at respecting the application OF this
Government for a treaty OF political union
with that country, and referring also 10
the domestic affairs OF these islands, has
had the consideration OF the Government.
s.While it is with deep disappointment
that we learn that the important PROPOSE
ton which we have submitted to the
Government of the United States, and
which was at first tavorably considered
by it, has at length been rejected, we have
experienced a sense of relief that we are
now favored with the first official in
formation upon the subject that has been
,rrh InI of in O
months.
while we accept the decision of the
President of the United States declining
further to consider the annexation prop
osition as the final conclusion OF the pres
ent Administration, we do not feel IN
clined TO regard it as the last word of the
American Government upon this subject;
for the history of the mutual relations Of
the two 4, 1ntries, of American effort and
influence in building up the Christian
civilization which has so conSpIcuOuSly
aided IN giving this country an honorable
place among independent nations, the
geographical position of these islands
and the important and, to both countries,
profitable reciDrocal commercial interests
which have long existed, together with
our weakness as a sovereign nation, all
point with convincing force to political
union between the two countries as the
necessary logical result from the circum-
stances mentioned. This conviction is
emphasized by the favorable expression
OF American statesmen over long Pc
riod in favor Of annexation, conspicuous
among whom are the names OF W. l..
Marcy, William II. Seward, Hamilton
Fish and James q. Blaine, all former
Secretaries of State, and especially so by
the action of your last Administration IN
negotiating treaty of annexation with
this Government and sending 1t TO the
l. tffNYa
I'VE shall therefore continue the pro-
iect of political union with the United
States as a conspicuous feature OF our for
eign policy, confidently hoping that
sooner or later it will be crowned with
success to the lasting benefit OF both
countries.
1.-The additional portion of your COM
municatlon referring to our domestic
affairs with view OF interfering therein,
is a new departure in the relations OF the
TWO Governments. Your information
that the President of the United States
expects this Government to promptly
relinquish to her tmeaning the eX-Queen)
her constitutional authority with the
question Are You willing to abide by
the decision oil the President?' might
we'll be dismissed in a single word, but
for the circumstance that your communi-
cation contains, as 1t appears to me, mis-
statements and erroneous conclusions
based thereon that are so preludlclal to
this Government that l cannot permit
them to pass unchallenged; moreover,
the importance and menacing character
OF this proposition make II appropriate
for me to discuss somewhat fully the
questions raised by it.
NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE.
1--WE do not recognize the right of the
President of the United States to interfere
in cur domestic affairs. Such right could
be conferred upon him by the act OF this
Government and by that alone; or could
be acquired by conquest. This l under
stand TO be the American doctrine con-
spicuously announced from time to time
by the authorities OF your Government.
president Jackson said in his message
to Congress in 1896: The uniform policy
and practice of the United States is to
avoid all interference IN disputes which
merely relate TO the internal government
of other nations, and eventually to recog
nize the authority OF the prevailing party
without reference TO the merits OF the
original controversy.
''rhis principle of international law has
been consistently recognized during
the whole past intercourse of the two
countries, and was recently reaffrmed In
the instructions given by Secretary
Gresham to Commissioner Blount on
March Ii, 1898, and by the latter published
in the newspapers in Honolulu in a letter
of his own to the Hawaiian pnblic. The
words of these instructions which refer
To are as follows: The United States
claim no right TO interfere III the political
or domestic affairs, or III the internal con-
hicts OF the Hawaiian Islands, other than
as herein stated referring to the pro-
lection of American citiZens). or Tor the
purpose of maintaining any treaty or
other rights which they possess The
treaties between the two countries confer
no rights OF Interference.
WHAT DOES CLEVELAND RELY on?
ssUpon what then, Mr. Minister, does
the President OF the United States base
his interference? Your communication
is without information upon this point
excepting such as may be contained in
the following brief and vague sentences:
sShe (the eX-Queen) was advised and as
s,lred by her Ministers and leaders of the
movement fer the overthrow of her
Government that if she surrendered
t,nder protest her case would afterward
be fairly considered by the President OF
1he United States. The Queen finally
yielded to the armed forces OF the United
States then quartered in Honolulu, rely
mo on the good faith and honor of the
president wnen informed of what oc-
..urred, to undo the action Of the Minister
and reiustate her aud the authority
which she claimed as the constitutional
sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands,
Also. 1t becomes my further duty 10 ad
wise YOU, sir, the Executive OF the Pro-
.-isional Government and your Ministers,
OF the Presidents determination OF the
onesrion which your action and that of
he Queen deyolyed upon him, and that
1-oI, are expected TO promptly reiinqnlsh
- bar her constitutional authority l
understand that the first quotation IS re-
tered to in the following words of the
second: which your action and that OF