The record-union., 1895-02-11
Interview With Minister Thurst0n
Concerning Their Case.
LBNIENCY A FEATURE OF PRFSI-
DENT DOLE'S ADMINISTRATION.
All Trials VIII be Open and Fair, and
the Accused VIII be Allowed Their
Fullest Idghts-The Hardness of the
Former Law of Death for Treason
Reduced to Fine and Imprisonmeut.
Special to the RECORD-UNION.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-L. A. Thurs
ton. the Hawaiian Minister, being asked
whether he had any information con-
corning the alleged sentencing to death of
some of the leaders of the late Hawaiian
insurrectionists, and whether, in his
opinion, such sentences, if given, would
be carried out, MIR. Thurston said: IL
have received no communication con-
corning the sentences, nor do | know
precisely what action will be taken; but
from my intimate acquaintance with all
the Hawaiian authorities and their char
acterlstlcS and methods, | can state posi-
lively that all the trials will be open and
fair; that the accused will be allowed the
assistance of counsel of their choosing
who will be allowed the fullest right of
ross-eXamination and of defense; that
there will be no convictions which are
not based upon the clearest evidence. II
there is any particular policy in which
the Hawaiian Government has erred in
the past two years, it has been in being
too lenlent with those VINO have cOntinu-
ously schemed to overthrow ii, first by
strategic diplomacy and then by force.
From its inception, the Government
has exhibited Ieniency towards its enc
llllGS I1dG is uuLJdEdlI6l6U III history. ltS
extreme lenienCy has been a feature Of
the administration OF President Dole,
which has caused criticism from many of
his strongest suppOrterS.s l will state
a few facts in substantiatiOn of what ] say:
THE penalty for treason from the
foundation TO the overthrow of the mon
archy was death and cOnfscatiOn of all
property. On the 10th Of January, 1893,
three days after its creation, the Provi-
si0nal Government passed an Act provid-
Ing an alternative penalty tOr treason of
line and imprisonment, and otherwise
mitigating the hardness of the former
law.
''NFas there ever before known a Gov
ernment, scarce seated in power in the
midst of the enemies, involved in all the
multitudlnOus plans which attempted a
reconstruction upon the entire system OF
Government, deVOtlng Its first moments
10 mitigating the penalties which might
be visited upon its enemies, if they under
took TO overthrow it? Again, although
the resignation OF 1894 was caused by the
attempt OF the Queen 10 abrogate the con-
stitutlOn and disfranchise nearly every
person connected with the new Govern
ment, she has since been treated with the
utmost consideration by the Government.
She has been allowed to occupy her COM
Portable residence in Honolulu within a
block of the executive building in peace
Ghu "ltuOub L1O1SS IdllOD, d1IDOuBn Sn6
has increasingly, publicly and privately,
plotted Tor the overthrow OF the Govern
ment, and finally made an arsenal in
which was discovered forty rifles two
dynamite bombs, pistols, swords and
ammunition in quantities.
Again, although Liliuokalani has
made no claim for compensation, the an
nexatiOn com mission, in the interest OF
harmony, and to avoid even the appear
ance OF harshness, secured the insertion
IN the proposed annexation treaty of a
clause giving her an annual cOmpensa-
ton OF $4,000, and until she began to
openly work for the overthrow of the
Government the salary which she had
received as Queen continued to be paid
her by the Provisional Government, and
until Princess kiaulani came to Wash
lngton to work for the restoration, she
also received her former allowance.
The ex-Queen has twice applied to the
Government for protection against sup
pOrters of the Government, whom she
feared might do her harm, one OF the
times being when she was in the act OF
negotiating with Mr.. Willis for her restor-
alton and the overthrow of the ProVi-
siOnal Government. Upon both occasions
a squad of police was detailed to guard
her from harm for as long period as she
desired them. Her only response to all
this treatment has been the beheadiug
proposition made to Minister Willis and
continuous plotting to overthrow the
Government, eliminating in last months
inSurrecLlOn.
The Royalists have been allowed, and
have repeatedly avaiied themselves of
the privilege to associate uumOlested in
the public square in front OF the executive
building at Honolulu, and unrestrictedly
to pass such resolutions as they chose
cOndemning the Government. protesting
against annexation, against the constittI-
ton and the Republic, and declaring i'll
favor OF the restoration Of the monarchy.
"One OF the serious features of the situa-
ton in Hawaii is that number of lead
ing lnSurrectlonlStS are what may be
called professional revolutiOnists. The
rank and file are ignorant dupes. Will
cox, the military leader in the last insur-
rectiOn, is mentioned as one of the lead
ers. WilcOX's dOings in the island in the
past decade, in which he is put down as a
turncoat and ready any minute to support
the side which best suited his purposes,
is cited as one of such class. This is a
fair sample of the material OF which the
leaders and the organizers of the late in
surrectlon are composed. Most Of them
are foreigners. Their class and character
is that kind which furnished the Com
mune in Paris and the anarchist riots in
Chicago.
what is the Government of Hawaii to
do? is the Government to condone every
of1ense that can be committed against the
Government, and, upon capturing insur-
rectionists i'll the act of shooting down it's
citizens, allow them again to 90 free TO
repeat the operation at the first conyen-
lent opportunity? Amid hostile environ
ment, amid opposition, treachery and
revolution at home, and in the pressing
effects OF continuously hostile influences
from abroad, President Dole and his as
sociates, to the best of their limited
powers, and with all the wisdom with
which God has endowed them, maintain
ing their outer breastworks of civiiiza-
ton IN the Pacific with d reserve consist
ing of a handful of professional and
business men, mechanics and clerks, the
problem which has been forced upon
President Dole, and upon which he and
his advisers are now forced unaided, and
in the presence of hostile influence to
solve, is one which would prove q task
how to achieve revenge. 1t is how to
prevent Hawai- from gravitating into the
catalogue Of chronic revolution.
How the Government of the Republic
will solve the problem l do not know.
The gospel of forgiveness and forbear-
ance has been practised. Whatever meas
ures are taken, the white men who or
ganized the late insurrectioa and fur
nIshed the arms therefor, but had the
adroliness to keep out OF sight when there
was nghtlng 10 be done, will be held in an
equal degree of responsibility with their
native companions, who had at least the
manIIness and courage to attempt to carry
out their lll-conceiyed plan, and, further,
L know that Abraham Lincoln did not
possess moro patient, loving, kindly
disposition than does Sanford B. Dole:
that there does not exist in the United