The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-04-09

II/WAsHINGToN, March 26.-It was
Tsaid at the State Department late this
afternoon that Minister Thurston had
not notified the department of his re-
turn to Honolulu or of anyyintention
to be absent from the city, It is usu-
| ally customary for Minister to no.
tify the department of such intention
and to say who will be Charge DAT
| faires during the Minister'S absence.
| Nevertheless, late in the day Mr..
| ThurstOn did send formal notice ap-
| prising Secretary Gresham of his con-
| templated absence and that Mr.. Hast
| ings would have charge in his alb
sence.
Mr.. ThurstOn's departure will put
| an end to previous comment as to his
purpose to remain in Washington as
| a thOln in the side of the State De-
partmert. His statement as to his
intention to leave the country does
not make clear, however, whether his
absence is temporary or permanent,
and the Minister will not go into de-
tails. 1t is regarded as final, in show
ing that he will not seek to remain in
Washington as a source of any irrita-
ton. There have been reports, be-
lieved to be baseless, that if he per
sisted in remaining in private capa-
city the law would be evoked to have
him deported, but Mr.. Thurston's
statement is regarded as settling that
there will be no occasion for forcing
him out of the country.
Sn nnI9-TvO Esy,preAUE.
In some quarters Mr. ThurstOn's
move is regarded as shrewd diplOm-
attic stroke. 1t is recalled that he left
unexpectedly about fifteen months
ago when the question of restoring
the queen to the throne was at crit
icaI stage in Hawaii. The Hawaiian
Government was on the point of
reaching decision, but has not yet
done so. At this iuncture Mr.. Thurs
ton left Washington suddenly, his de-
parture not being known until he was
we'll on the way to San Francisco. He
had full Information as TO the senti-
ment in the United States, and when
he reached Hawaii his advice had
much to do in the final action of the
Government. 1t is being suggested,
therefore, that his departure at the
present juncture, before 1t is known
ment has taken on Secretary Gresh-
ANS demand, may result in his being
at Honolulu when final action is
taken. No information has yet come
from Hawaii as to the course of the
Government. The first ship to arrive
is the Australia, expected at San
Francisco tomorrow.
The departure of Mr.. ThurstOn from
the United States without being re-
hx- h will
the relations between this Govern
ment and Hawaii in peculiar condl-
ton. 1t cannot be said that there Is
rupture of diplomatic relations, but
they will certainly be severely strain
ed. 1t is customary in ordinary cases
when a Minister leaves the United
States permanently for him to present
his letters of recall to the President
and tal1esshis leave; but, as Mr.. Thurs
ton has not been recalled, he cannot
do this.
UNCOMFORTABLE FOR WILLIS.
Then when a Minister leaves the
United States temporarily, he usually
addresses a note to the State Depart
ment and informs it that he has left
the legation in the hands of Charge.
Probably Mr.. Thurston has adopted
the latter course. But in the cele-
brated CatecaZy case, in which the
Russian Government had been re-
uuested to recall its Objectionable
Minister, and the latter, before his
Government bad passed upon the re-
quest, notified the Department of State
that he proposed to leave the United
States on leave of absence, Secretary
Fish strongly objected, and insisted
that the United States would accept
nothing less than the Minister'S recall.
In the end, Mr.. Catecazy did leave the
UUited States without being recalled,
Just as Mr.. Thurston is about to do,
turning over the business of the lega
ton to a Charge; and this Govern
ment accepted the situation, and so
expressed itself as satisfied. 1t was
| long time before another Minister
| came from Russia to Washington, and
| the similarity in other features of the
| two incidents leads to the suppOsition
| that the parallel may be carried on
| further, and that Mr.. Hastings, the
| Hawaiian Charge, may be left here in
| that position for many months From
a diplomatic point Of view this cannot
| be regarded as a complete rupture of
| relations, but such q situation, similar
| TO that in which the Italian legation
! was left by the withdrawal Of Baron
| Fava, four years ago, is generally re
| garded as very unsatisfactory, and cal
culated TO make Mr.. Willis position
rlt1lY