The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-10
LATEST FROM HAWAII.
Secretary Gresham's Letter to Minister
Willis.

Secretary Gresham's Letter to Minister
willis.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 9.-The feeling
of the government Is that Thurstou
was justified in informing the American
public of the situation here. The fol-
lowing is part of Secretary Gresham's
letter to Minister Willis:
~ regret to be constrained to bring
to your attention and through you to
the knowledge Of the Hawaiian govern-
ment, certain acts OF it's preventative
in the United States, OF which this gov
eminent has just ground to complain.
The recent seizure OF q ship st San
Diego, Cal, for alleged violation Of our
neutrality laws in carrying arms to
Hawaii, was the occasion OF Mr.. Thurs
toms first sail.
after brief conversation on this
subject, took occasion to remark that
1 had information that he was not
pleased with your action in connection
with recent events at Honolulu. Mr..
Thurston desired to know why that
view was entertained here, whereupon
l handed him clipping from New
York paper OF the 18th instant, of which
full copy Is hereto appended, and
asked him ii he had furnished the mat
ter to the paper for publication. He at
once said he had furnished the para
graph which he pointed out.
81 then desired to know II Mr.. Thurs
ton had also furnished to the same
paper the concluding paragraphs, pur-
porting to be abstracts from letter
written by a prominent lawyer in
Honolulu Mr.. Thurston answered
that he had furnished nothing. bat he
had permitted an agent Of one OF the
press associations to copy at his lega-
~ 70 lat lot I'll u
had received.
Having read the papers, and after
some apparent hesitation, Mr.. Thurston
said he did not know what right had
to thus interrogate him. l replied that
he had already admitted he had allowed
the published matter to be copied, from
letters at his legation. He said the LETT
tiers were submitted by him to the re-
personalities OF the press association to
be copied for pu blication as showing the
state OF feeling In Honolulu.
~ then remarked that all | desired
to know was whether he had furnished
the matter for publication, and he re-
peated that he had not furnished it in
his representative capacity or as ex
pressing his personal views, but merely
as information, and that in doing so, It
was not his purpose to injuro the sd
ministration, the President or Mr..
Willis.
when MIR. Thurston called at the de-
parsment two days later, he informed
me that there was further statement
he desired to make. After being told
that anything more he had to say on
the subject should be in writing he at
once proceeded:
" Il simply desire to say, Mr.. Secre-
tary. thst realize that | was guilty Of
official improperly in furnishing for
publication the matter mentioned in
our former interview. l did not realize
this at the time, but do now. I regret
what did and apologize for it.
You are instructed to make this in
cident known to the minister OF foreign
affairs by reading this instruction TO
him. You will express the surprise and
dissatisfaction with which this govern
ment regards the conduct of foreign
envoy who thus covertly uses his infiu-
ence through the press to bias public
opinion in the country whose hospital-
ity he enjoys.
"And you will add that the President
would be pleased were Mr.. Thurston re-.
placed by another minister from Hawaii,
in whom he may feel that confidence
which is essential to frank and cordial
intercourse.
Reverting to Free Trade.
SfnNEV NJ - w T., T.,