The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-07
That HINT ABOUT ROYALISTS
Departure of Warships and the
Queens Committee.
SAYS THEY HAD NO CONNECTION
The President Was Prevented by
Sickness From Receiving the
Commissioners.

w ASHINGTON, Jan. o. He dttentou
of the President having been called to
hint thrown out in the Senate discussion
on Friday that the visit of certain COM
mittee Of royalists from the Hawaiian Is
lands was connected in some way with
the departure of American ships from that
locality, he said tonight to an Associated
Press reporter:
"Of course, such an iDsinuation ID very
absurd. It's proprety and the motive be-
hind it. am sure. can safely be left to the
judgment of fair and right-minded Amer
leans. / am entirely willing all our people
should know everything concerning the
visit of the so-called committee Of royal
lists Last year, in the latter part of July
or early in August, gentlemen from Ha-
wall arrived here and asked, through the
Secretary OF State, my designation OF
time when they could have an interview
with me and present a message from the
depOsed Queen. Though | could not with
propriety recognize them officially, l was
not disposed to refuse them personally the
audience. The day and hour were fixed
for the interview. In the meantime, at
my request, transmitted through the Sec
rotary of State. these gentlemen made
the folio wing note:
To the Hon. ". Q. Gresham, Secretary Of
.State-SIR: We the undersigned commission
ers sent by Her Majesty, Queen Liliuokalani, re-
quest an audience of the President of the
United States. We desire to ask his Excel
lency whether there is any hope for his doing
anything for the restoration of the constitu-
tiOnal Government OF the Hawaiian ISLANDS.
j. A. CUMMINGS,
II. A. WIDEMAN,
SAMUEL PARKER.
"a fter this note had been submitted to
me prepared in writing with some care
reply to the question it contained, to be
read by me TO the Commissioners at our
meeting. l intended to avoid all msun-
Outstanding and misconception by abso-
lutely combining myself to such written re-
ply, of which the following is copy:
GENTLEMEN: You must permit me
to remind you that this interview is not an
official one, and instead of receiving you in
any representative capacity meet you as
individuals who have travelled long dis
lance for the purpose of laying certain
matter before me.
I" 'You ask me If there is any hope OF
my doing anything for the restoration of
| the Constitutional Government of the
Hawaiian Islands. 1 suppose that this
question is largely prompted by the fact
that soon after the overthrow of the late
government of the Queen Investigated
| that transaction and was satisfied there
| had been such an unjustifiable Interior
| ence or aid Of that movement on the part
of the representa- tIves of the Government
of the United States in its diplomatic and
naval service as TO call for correction, not
| only to rectify what seemed to be wrong
done to others. but also through that rec
tlfication to ward off what appeared to be
danger to American honor and probity.
"'Fully approaching the constitutional
limitations of my executive power, and
by no means unmindful of the hiIdranc es
that might arise, 1 undertook the task.
".HaviDg failed in my plans l commit
ted the entire subject to the Congress of
the United States, which had abundant
power and authority in the premises. The
executive branch of the Government was
thereby discharged from further duty aud
responsibility in the matter unless moved
thereto by Congressional command. The
Congress has, both by its action and its
commission to act, signfied that nothing
| need be done touching American inter-
ference with the overthrow of the govern
ment of the Queen.
"'Qaite lately a Government has been
established in Hawaii. which is in full
force and operation in all parts of the
| islands. 1t is maintaining its authority
and discharges all ordinary governmental
functions upon general PRINCIPLES, and not
losing sight of the special circumstance
surrounding this case. the new Govern
ment is clearly entitled to our recognition
without regard to any of the incidents
which accompanied or preceded its inau-
guration.
"'This recognition and the attitude of
the Congress concerning Hawaiian affairs,
of course, led to an absolute denial of the
least present or future aid or encourage
ment on my part of an effort to restore
any Government heretofore existing in the
Hawaiian Islands,
when the day appointed for the meet
ing arrived | was confined to my bed by
illness and was unable to keep my engage
ment. therefore signed the paper 1 had
expected to read, and it was delivered to
the Commissioners who, | believe. re-
turned at once to hawaii. l never saw
any member of this committee or commits
sion, nor have ever had any communica-
ton or transaction with any of them, di-
rectly or indirectly, except as l have here
stated"