The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1895, 1895-05-30
Department of State.
Washington ID. o.,
February q, 1896.

Sir: regret to be constrained
to bring to your attention, and
through you to the knowledge Of
the Hawaiian Government, Ger.
tain acts Of its representative in
the United States of which this
Government has just ground to
complain. In order to set forth
the facts with desirable clearness,
it becomes necessary to relate
fully what occurred at two in
terviews which / had with Mr..
Thurston at this department on
the 18th and 18th insts.
The recent seizure of ship at
San Diego, CAL, for alleged vio-
lation of our neutrality laws, in
carrying arms to Hawaii, was the
occasion of his first call. After
brief conversation on this sub
ject | took occasion to remark
that I had information that he
was not pleased with our action
in connection with the recent
evonts at Honolulu. Mr.. Thur
ston desiredto know why that view
was entertained here, whereup6n
L handed him clipping from a
New York paper OF the 18th inst,
of which full copy is hereto APP
pended. After he had read this
article 1 asked him if he had
furnished the matter to the
paper for publication. He at once
said that he had furnished the
paragraph which he pointed out.
(Here follows the paragraph
which is referred toy
then desired to know if Mr..
Thurston had also furnished the
paper the concluding paragraphs,
purporting to be extracts from a
letter written By ga prominent
many in Honolulu" (Here follow
the extracts referred to-
Mr.. Thurston answered that he
had furnished nothing to that or
any other paper, but he had per-
mitted an employee or agent of
one of the press associations to
copy at his Legation a private
letter or letters which he had re-
ceived, and added that the pub
lished paragraph did not contain
all that was in the private letter
or letters. / thereupon said that
1 was aware this was so, and
knew the private letter or letters
did not appear in full in the last
paragraphs printed.
Handing him a typewriter pa
per, l asked il the omitted parts
were not contained in the follow :
ing passage: "There is intense feel.
ing being manifested by the PEG.
pie at what is looked upon as
Mr.. Willis unwarranted inter-
ference in connection with the
present trials. He is doing every
thing that he can to protect the
Royalists and hareass..the Govern
ment. Many of our best man feel
it imperative for our future safety
that some examples should be
made. While the Government is
master of the situation for the
present, the danger is not entire.
ly over, Much Indignation is al
so felt at the fact that although
direct information was given to
Minister Willis last November,
before the shipment of arms was
made at San Francisco, that such
shipment was intended, nothing
appears to have been done to stop
the shipment. 1t is felt that the
Hawaiian Government has strong
ground for complaint against the
United States Government on the
score of its Indifference, if not at
its active conniving at this flag
rant breach Of neutrality. Wheth-
or or not the hawaiian Govern
ment will make claim by reason
of the breach of the neutrality
laws it is not yet known, but there
is a strong feeling here that it |
should be done.
"The action OF Mr.. Halves, the
British representative, is in
marked contrast to that of Mr..
Willis. An analysis OF the growth
Of feeling and facts leading to