The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-02-05
Yours truly
PETER g. JONES.
Honolulu. Feb. 8, 1895.

HONOLULU, Feb. 1, 1895.
DEAR SIR: 1 understand that by the
law lately passed by Congress, every
citizen OF the United States, whether re-
siding at home or abroad, Is called upon
to pay an income tax of 2 per cent. on
all over $4,000, from January |, 1895.
Although residing IN these islands
and my income almost wholly derived
from Investments in this country, yet L
am quite willing To comply with the
law and pay my income. tax, but before
doing so, would like TO understand II
am ~ be considered an American citizen
and would request you to advise me on
that point at your earlies: opportunity.
| understand under "A ruling of Mr..
Frelinghyson, former Secretary OF
State, that | am still an American citi-
len, but under late discussion of Hon.
W. q. Gresham, the present Secretary
of state, there is IA doubt in my mind
AS well as many other Amer
leans living ON these islands.
l acknowledge that when the ex-
queen Liliuokaiani undertook to govern
Hawaii, not by the constitution and the
law which she was sworn to observe,
but by royal proclamation" and her
Ministers called on the citizens to take
measures 10 secure the public safety
against the anarchy which she threaten
ed, took IA hand together with all, or
nearly all conservative and law abiding
citizens of Honolulu i'll the attempt to
sustain law and order, and when the
Provisional Government which was es-
tablished by the COMMITTEES of Public
Safety, appointed in compliance with
the request of those Ministers and in the
1 AZ. - n ,.,i. h.. ~
come and development of the Provision
al Government, l have taken part,
both as member of the Executive
Council of the Provisional Government,
and by taking an oath to the Republic
of Hawaii 30 support the Constitution.
Laws and Government of the Republic
of Hawaii and will not either directly
or indirectly encourage or assist in the
restoration or establishment of mon
archial form of Government in the Ha
waiian Islands,"
| acknowledge also that during the
uprising last month shouldered gun
to protect my home, my family and the
city of Honolulu from an attack by "a
mob, that would, if they had gained
possession of the city, destroyed. much
valuable property and murdered many
of our citizens. and while / fully under
stand that from this maintaining
the existing Govern
mentr am not entitled to the protec-
ton of the U. s. s. Philadelphia" under
instructions to Admiral Beardslee by
President Cleveland, yet notwithstand-
ing this am quite ready to pay the full
amount due upon my income as an
American citizen, will then promptly
remit the amount due by me.
If an American citizen who defends
himself, his property and the lives OF
his wife and children from threatened
mob attacks, from murder, piliage,
rapine and all the horrors of mob vIo-
lence, when the mob is fully armed
with rifles, pistols and dynamite bombs
| il | say, an American citizen who doe:
Or who helps his neighbors in sucf
defense, ur who maintains the Gov
eminent" which stands between hin
and his family and anarchy. forfeiti
| his rights as an American cltiZen-whlci
is the apparent meaning of the In
structions to Admiral Beardslee-.
wish such position to be defined
and go on record, or if in all its conse
quences such monstrous and infamou
proposition was not really intended b..
those instructions, l wish to give an op
portunity to have them as publicly ex
planned and modified as they have beef
pu olicly proclaimed.
would state further that while hav'
been a resident of these Islands TO
more than thirty seven years l hav
never renowned my citizenship as al
American and there are many othe
Americans here who are in the sam
position as myself.
Iremain, Your obedient servant
PETER C. JONES.
HIS ExcELLENcy ALBERT S. WILLIS
Envoy Extraordinary and Minlste
Plenipotentiary of U. s. A. (Presenp.