The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-07

rights heretofore claimed by you has
been delivered on your behalf to the
president. AS you were under arrest
at the time this instrument was signed,
it is desired before accepting and plac-
ing the same on file to make clear to
you, Mrs. Liliuokalani Dominis, in or
der that no misunderstanding may
hereafter arise, the views of the gov
eminent in the matter:
First-The eXaction of this docu-
ment cannot be taken to exempt you
in the slightest degree from personal
and individual liability for such COM
plicity as due investigation and trial
may show that you had in the late
conspiracy against the government and
the consequent loss of life, which posi-
ton is recognized by you in your
letter.
Second-It cannot be conceded that
such rights and claims as you Volun-
tarily relinquish have had any legal
existence since January IA, 1898. When
by your public announcement you no
longer considered yourself bound by
the fundamental law Of the land in
which you took office, and when, by
your acts, you attempted by the mere
exercise of your own will to estabhsh
a new system of government, the con-
tract existing between you and the peo-
pie was dissolved and all sovereign
rights therefore vested in you were
lost. The statement by members OF
your, then, cabinet that they could not
control your proposed action and their
appeal to the citizens of Honolulu for
assistance was the next step which LED
to a resumption by the people OF the
right of government.
Third-As far as your communication
may be taken to this effect, that 1t is
your desire that the republic be recoS-
nized by the people as the sole and
lawful government of the country, it is
fully appreciated. In this connection
your unselfish appeal for clemency for
those who took part in the late insur-
rection will receive full consideration.
BY order of the executive council,
CSigned) WILLIAM o. SMITH,
Attorney-General.
Willis Objects.
Since the arrival Of the Philadelphia
it is learned from trustworthy sources
that United States Minister Willis has
made objections, both written and YER
bal, to the powers of the military
court ROW sitting.
He seems to take the same views as
Paul Newman, counsel for the prison
YiouS to the date on which martial
law was proclaimed, should be tried
before a civil court and jury. The texts
of the objections cannot be obtained,
but it is understood to be of a nature
to cause the government more uneasi-
ness than anything that has taken
place since the beginning of the re-
belliOn.
Death Sentences Pronounced.
While the confession Of John Cum
innings, one of the rebels, seems to i'm
plicate Rudolph Spreckles as the one
who furnished the arms to the in
surrectionists, the government does not
seem to have strong proof of the fact.
Among the eX-queen'S papers, which
were seized by the government, were
found memoranda in which she says
Spreckles advised the use of arms, >but
that she was doubtful about adopting
such desperate measures. Among her
notes were also reference to the ap-
pointment by her of a commission to
so to Washington and see President
Cleveland. She says one of the COM
missioners,, Sam Parker. tried to sell
his secret to w. G. Irwin. ]. 0. Car
ter, the ex-Queen's counsellor, advised
arbitration and when young Spreckles
advised force, she said she thought the
arbitration plan would please President
Cleveland better.
Regarding the purchase of arms, it
is the impression that young Spreckles
did not purchase the arms himself. but
simply advanced money on the queens
account. and that the arms were pur-
chased by some one else. It is known
that the court martial has PASSED the
death sentence on some of the rebels,
presumably Wilcox, Bertleman, Now
lein, Gulick, Walker, Davies, Rickard
and sentences of life imprisonment for
many others. These decisions have
been handed to President Dole for final
Judgment, and he will decide whether
or not they shall be carried out. 1t is
hastily or in a spirit of revenge.