The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-01-21

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The atten-
| ton of the President has been called
to a hint thrown out in the Senate
discussion on Friday that the visit of
q certain committee of royalists from
the Hawaiian Islands was connected
in some way with the departure Of
American ships from that locality, he
said tonight to an Associated Press re-
porter:
"Of course, such an insinuation is
very absurd. It's propriety and the
motive behind it, 1 am sure, can safely
be left to the judgment of fair and
right-minded Americans. I am en-
tirely willing that 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, several
gentlemen from Hawaii arrived here
and asked through the Secretary OF
State my designation of time when
thew could have an interview with me
and present a message from the de-
posed queen. Though I could not,
with propriety, recognize them ON.
cially, I was not disposed to refuse
them, personally, the audience. The
day and hour were fixed for the inter-
view. In the meantime, at my re-
quest, transmitted through the Secre-
tary of State, these gentlemen made
knaSvn the precise purpose of their
visit In the following note:
; To w. O. Gresham, Secretary Of
.State-SIR: We, the Commissioners
sent by her majesty, Queen Liliuoka-
lani. request an audience with the
President of the United States. We
desire to ask his excellency whether
there is any hope for his doing any
thing for the restoration of the Con
stitutional Government OF the Ha-
| waiian Islands.
J. A. CUMMINS,
n. A. WIDEMANN,
. SAMUEL PARKER.
"After the note had been submitted
TO me I prepared in writing, with
some care, a reply to the question 1t
= contained, to be read by me to the
Commissioners at our meeting. In
~ tended to avoid all m1sunuerstanolne
and misconception by absolutely con
fining myself to such written reply
!. of which the following is a copy:
Gentlemen, you must permit me
to remind you that this interview i:
Le mot an official one, and that instead
% of receiving you in any representa-
d tive capacity meet you as 1ndlVlu-
uals who have travelled long dis
tance for the purpose OF laying a Ger
tain matter before me.
You ask me if there is any hope
of my doing anything for the restora
,n ton of the constitutional government
> of the Hawaiian Islands. suppos'
that this question is largely promptet
by the fact that soon after the over
throw of the late government OF TN
y. queen I in nvestigated that transactloI
and was satisfied that there had beel
such an upjustifiable interference II
aid of that movement on the part
the representatives of the Governmen
of the United States in its diplomat1
5r and naval service as to call for correc
ton, not only to rectify what SCENE
to be wrong done to others, but ais
IT through that rectihcation TO Waru o!
can honor and probity. Fully appre
ciating the constitutional Limitation
Al of my executive power, and by u
tu means unmindful of the hindrance
that might arise, undertook IN
task.
Having failed In my pianS CoU
mitted the entire subject to the Cor
=. gress of the United States, which ma
abundant power and authority In tn
premises. The executive branch
the government was therefore d1i
charged from further duty and respoI
sibility in the matter unless move
thereto by Congressional demand
The Congrt IS las both by its actio
2 and omission t0 act, signihed ths
nothing need re done touching An
erican interference with the owe
- throw of the government of the queer
,,c "'Quite lately n govvrnmeut hs
Mn been established in Hawai-, which
in full force and operation ~ all par
of the isIan6-. II Is main aiDlDS l
authority anJ discharges all ordlnaI
governmental functions upon gener'
M principles, and, not loOsing sight
gN the special circu instances surr0uudlI
o this case, the new goVernntnC
j. clearly entitled TO our Iecognitlo
'o'' without regard to any of the incIden
. which accompanied or preceded
Inauguration.
"'This reorganization and the att
tude of the Congress concerning ii
re waiian affairs, of course, led to
I'D absolute denial of the least present
future aid or encouragement on n
/. part of an effort to restore any go