The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-14
our Consul General Mills since nv arrivs
at this place. '.AIBxsr ). WILLIS"
FneSFnxSr nofrss xxrsv


President Dole's reply 70 Willis follows
under date of December 2S:
Your exceilency's communication a
/ December 10. announcing the conclus
| SION which the president of the United
| SKATES OF Auseric2 has finally arrived af
respecting the application of this govern.
/ mens Tor treaty OF political union with
thar country. and referring also to thu do
me>fic snalrs OF these islands. has had the
| consideration of the governments While
/ ~ - wath deep disappointment that We
| learn that the important p~oposissor
which we submitted 90 the government OF
/ the United States, and watch MAS at sirss
/ issorahsy considered by it. has as length
| been rejected. We have experienced sen "a
/ OF relief that We are now favored with ths
| hrst official information upon the saoiect
| that has been received through q pesloa 10
/ over ninc months. While accepting tho
| decision of the president OF the ualsei
the annexation proposition "a
the final conclusion OF the
/ present administration, we do not feel
/ inclined to regard il as the last word Of
the American government upon this sub
| iect, for the history of the mutual relations
| OF the two countries-American effort and
influence in building up the Christian
/ ciyiiixation which has 50 eonspicuonsly
i aided in giving this country an honorable
/ place among independent nations, tha
| geographical position of these islands, and
/ the Importance TO both countries of a
| profitable reciprocal commercial interest
/ which have iong existed, together with
| our weakness As a sovereign nation, all
/ point with convincing force to q practical
union between the two countries as ne
/ cessary and logical result from the circum-
stances mentioned. This conviction is
emphasized by the favorable expression of
| American statesmen over a long period in
| favor of annexation. conspicuous among
| whom are the names of ". 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 govern
ment and sending it To the senate with
/ view TO its ratification. We shall. there
fore. continue the project of political
| union with the United States Ms a con-
| spieuous feature of our foreign policy.
confidently hoping that sooner or later it
Will be crowned with success. To the last
ing benefit of both countries.
THE additional portion of your com
munication referring to our domestic af-
fairs with view to interfering therein. is
new departure in the relations of govern
ments. Your information that the presl-
dent of the United States expects this
| government to promptly relinquish to the
ex-queen her constitutional authority
with the question, Are you willing 10
autuc uy the ucclsiou Oh tne pfestuentf'
might we'll be dismissed in single word.
but for the circumstance that your COM
munication contains, and IL appears to
me. misstatements and erroneous conclu-
sions based thereon, 30 prejudicial TO this
government that cannot permit them 20
pass unchaiienged. Moreover, the im-
portance and menacing character of tnis
proposition make IL appropriate for mo to
discuss somewhat fully the questions
raised by it.
I'VE do not recognize the right of the
president of the United States to interfere
in our domestic affairs Such right could
be conferred upon him by an act OF this
government. and by that alone. or it
could be acquired by conquest. This [
understand TO be the American doctrine.
conspicuously announced from time to
time by the authorities Of your govern
ment."
Dole declares the basis on which the
president founded his decision in favor OF
the queen, that one OF the inducements
held out to the queen to induce here to re-
tire was that tho president of the United
States would hear and determine her
cause, Is not we'll founded. A statement
to that effect made to her by Damon was
not made by the authority of the provis-
ional government. but on Damon's indi-
viduai responsibility. Therefore the pro-
visional government is not bound by IL,
and could not recognize the authority OF
arbitration assumed by President Clevc.
land. However. the fact that the press-
dent of the United States recognized tho
provisional government without guaiisca-
ton and received two of its accredited
envoys successiveiy. granting all that
President Cleveland claims, must be
taken as conclusive that the president OF
United States had adjudicated and deter.
mined upon the queens claims adversely
TO her. and in favor Of the provisional
government. The whole business
OF this government with the pres,-
dent of the United States, however.
is set forth in the correspondence between
the two governments. and If the provis-
ional government has submitted its right
to exist 10 the United States the facts will
appear in that correspondence. Such an
agreement must be shown as the iounda-
ton of tho right Of the United States gov.
ernment to interfere. for an arbitr ator can
be created only by the act of two parties.
Moreover, IL appears that the queens at
torney vas refused passage on n govern
mcnt dispatch boat sent to San Franeisco
with annexation commissioners less than
two days after the new government was
declared. II the intention TO submit the
question Of Reinstatement of the ex-queen
existed, why should her attorney have
been refused passage on this boat7 Fur
| thermore. the queens letter TO the presi-
dent. two days after the new government
was proclaimed, makes no allusion TO the
understanding between her and the gov
| ernmsnt for arbitration. IL such an un-
| derstanding had existed some references
| thereto would naturally have been made.
| The government scnt its commissioners 10
| Washington City for the sole purpose os
/ entering into negotiations for political
| union with the United States. In the
| queens protest Of January II. there il an
| equal lack of evidences Of any mutual un-
derstandjng for submission Of her claim TO
the throne. she merely makes a protest
| against the action Of Minister Stevens,
| and thereon bases her individual appeal 10
the United States. That appeal IL . mat
ter OF indifference TO the provisional
! government That such is the case IL evi-
| dent from the fact that 10 WAS forwarded
by the provisional government without
| comment.
President Dole then touches upon Com
missioner Blount's report, and says:
..If We b ad known that Mr.. BIount was
| anthoritstiyriy acting - commissioner To
| take evidence upon the question Of res
scration Of the ex-qussn, the methods
adopted by him In making his investisa-
| tions, We submit, wers unfavorsble 10 such
| an examination or any examination upon
| which human interests we're TO be adIu6i-
| Gated As I am reliably informed he Sc