The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-14

monarchy in Hawaii was not in any
way promoted by this government.
and the protest Of the queen, declar-
ing that she had surrendered 10
the superior force of the United
States, and that she therefore cona-
IDENTIFY submitted the case to the en-
Hghtened justice of the government OF
this republic. 1t was in obedience to
the simple dictate of common honesty
that President Cleveland withdrew the
annexation treaty from the senate, and
sent man of high character and OF
known ability and experience to Ha-
waii to ascertain the facts Mr..
Blount, the agent selected, had enjoyed
the rare distinction, when leaving Con-
gress after many years of service, OF
carrying with him expressions of the
highest regard from leading members
Of both political parties. No man ever
thought of questioning his universally
recognized integrity until, after con-
scientiouS endeavor to ascertain the
truth, he told the whole story of the
theft of a country, and thus incurred
the rage Of those who found them
selves baked in the Ubiquitous attempt
to profit from the dissraceful tran
saction.
We have now before us in the pEesi-
dents message a frank statement OF
the steps taken by the administration
after the truth was known. Our
country" says the president, was IN
danger of having actually set up a
temporary government on foreign SOIL
for the purpose of acquiring through
that agency territory which we had
wrongfully put in its possession The
control of both sides of q bargain &C
quired in such a manner is called by
a familiar and unpleasant name when
found in private transactions. In
other words, our agents had taken the
first steps to put upon the country the
guilt and ignominy of an unmltlgated
act of fraud and robbery. 1t was the
duty of an honest government to do
all in it's power to retrace those steps,
and thus to clear the name of the
country of the foul spot. So far as
the president, within the constitutional
limitations of his power. could redresS
the wrong that had been done by the
agents of the government, it was his
plain duty to do so. He honestly tried
to perform that duty, and IN making
the attempt he did not forget the con-
sideration due to the circumstance that
those who had taken an active part
in the overthrow of the queens au-
thority had been encouraged by the
American minister, without whose ana
they would not have undertaken the
while Offering his good offices to the
queen as a mediator between herself
and the provisional government, IN
sisted that if returned to power she
should grant a general amnesty to
those concerned in the setting up OF
the provisional government ana
recognition of all its bona fide acts and
obligations. This was eminently hu-
name and proper in every sense.
Tho o1toan has not seen ut TO &C
cede to this condition. On the other
hand, the wild shouting of the Jingoes
and of Republican partisans IN TINS
country has made the provisional gov
eminent in Hawaii believe that 1T has
a majority of the American people at
it's back. These two circumstances
have conspired so far to Illustrate the
efforts made by the president and the
secretary of state to concihate the oil
ferences in Hawaii and TO v1ndleate
our national honor. This is not their
fault They have done what it was
in their power to do, and are hence-
forth clear of responsibility The
president, mindful of the limitations
the constitution imposes upon him, re-
fers the matter ''to the extended pow
ers and the wide discretion of Con-
gress." He will gladly cooperate in
any legislative plan which may be de-
vised for the solution of the problem
before us which is consistent with
American honor, integrity and NOR
atty" True to these principles, he
will, Of course, not resubmit the an
nexation treaty to the Senate.
This is as it should be. The presi
dent and the secretary of state have
done their duty. Now let the IN
scrupulous ranters in Congress who
have so wildly vociferated against the
administration show what remedy they
have to propose, consistently with
American honor integrity and NOR
atty. Mere denunciation will no long
er serve. On the bare assumption that
the president has ordered the queen of
Hawaii to be reinstated by force of
arms, without authority from Con-
gress. they have hurled against the
president vilification without meas
ure, even to the threat of impeach-
ment. The message, showing that the
president has remained strictly within
his constitutional limits, covers them
with confusion and shame. They are
exposed as WantOn calumniators.
Their rage may grow more desperate
but it will also become more harmless
every day. IF national honesty is to
be disregarded, says the president,
"and a desire for territorial extension,
or dissatisfaction with a, form of gov
eminent not our own, ought to regu-
late our conduct, I have entirely mis-
apprehended the mission and character
of our government, and the behavior
which the confidence of our people de-
mands of their public servants" Let
the president rest assured that, the de-
magogues notwithstanding, the Ameri-
can people are neither fools nor
knaves. Their conception of the mis-
sion and character of our government
corresponds with his own. Their sense
of justice will stand by him, and turn
his severest trial into his most signal
triumph.
Riding on an OId-Time Canal Boat.
I am old enough to dimly remember