Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-21
Minister Thurston's Friends Deny
Mr.. Gresham's Allegations.
DIPLOMATIC SECRETS NOT BETRAYED
He Only Communicated Informa-
ton Sent to Him.
NO BREACH OF FAIT n

Although Mr.. Thurston, the Hawaiian
minister, refuses to discuss the causes that
led to his estrangement with Secretary
Gresham, his friends think it only fair to
him to refute the allegation in many
newspapers that he has betrayed diplo-
matte secrets. 1t has been generally pub
lished that the immediate cause of Secre-
tary Greshams demand for Mr.. Thurston's
recall was that he had given the press
information touching the trial of the con-
Spirators at Honolulu before he communi-
Gated the same to the State Department.
This action has been variously described
as IAN overt act" "a diplomatic discour-
tesy'' and "a breach of official etiquette"
Did Not Exceed His Diplomatic Duties
Admitting that Mr.. Thurston did as is
alleged, his friends assert that he did not
exceed his diplomatic duties in the slightest
respect. The matter in question related to
the sentences imposed on several of the
Hawaiian conspirators by the military
court. The proceedings of the court We're
conducted openly and the sentences of the
prisoners had been publicly announced in
Honolulu. All the facts reached San Fran
cisco by the first mail steamer from the
islands and were telegraphed from there
by the Associated Press, all over he coun-
try, the very day the steamer arrived in
port. Mr. Thurston's advices including
|
tails of occurrences to date, were brought
to San Francisco by the same steamer and
were transported to this city by mail; con-
sequently he did not receive them for near
ly week after the story of the trials had
been fully told by telegraph from San
Francisco.
Information to Newspaper Men.
Several newspaper men called on Mr..
Thurston for information as to the progress
of events in Hawaii, and he told them the
result of the trials of the conspirators, as
disclosed in his mail from Honolulu, at
the same time making pertinen. COM
ments on each case and giving his personal
views as to the general effect of the pro-
ceedings upon the people of Hawaii. He
simply gave a brief narrative of recent
events in Hawaii, obtained from Ha-
waiiap sources, and took special care to
avoid any reference TO the United States
or the course of it's representatives, either
in Washington or Honolulu. The advices
he received were solely for his own in
formation, and he was under no obligation
wha tever to impart 1t to the State Depart
ment- That he did so was purely an act
of courtesy. His friends assert that Mr..
Thrrston had just as much right to pub
nsh the result of the conspirators' trials
as he had to tell of an earthquake or any
ether event in Hawaii that might come
to his' knowledge through Hawaiian ad-
vices. He was not indebted to the State
Department for the information and had
had no commune alton with that depart
ment on the subject further than to in
form Secretary Gresham of the general
tenor of his dispatches He did this as an
act of friendly interest and in the absence
of formal instructions. The Secretary had
already been fully informed on the subject
by Minister Willis. 1t was through the lat
ter and not through Mr.. Thurston that
Secretary Gresham conducted his diplo-
matte correspondence with the Hawaiian
government.
The Point His Friends Emphasized.
Mr.. Thprstons friends candidly admit
that his relations with Secretary Gresham
have been strained. The point they wish to
emphas size, however, is that Mr.. Thurston
has never betrayed any official information
contained in the correspondence between
his government or himself and the govern
ment of the United States or any of its
representatives. They desire to show that
he has never abused official confidence, and
that he has never transcended diplomatic
privileges. 1t is admitted that it would
have been a manifest improperly for him
to have divulged any information received
from the Secretary of State touching the
relations between Hawaii and the United
States. At the same time, however, ii is
claimed for him that he was perfectly free
to publish any information ne desired in
regard to events in the Hawaiian republic
that came into his possession entirely inde-
pendent of the State Department, provided
he did hot comment on the action of the
United States government in regard there
to.
senator Hale's Position.
Mr.. Thurstons defenders say that Sem
ator Hale is right in saying that his recall
was justified, if he had made public diplo-
matte correspondence before submitting it
to the State Department, but they say he
is entirely wrong in supposing that Mr..
Thurston has been guilty of any such dip
lCn:atic impropriety According to their
representations, he merely related a con-
diticn of facts within his own country, re-
celVed from mis- own government, regard
ing which he had had no diplomatic inter-
course whatever with the Representatives
O. the United States.
When tie News Will Come.
It was discovered today that an import
ant miscalculation has been made in regard
to the time when Secretary Gresham's note
to Minister Willis was sent from this coun-
try. 1t may have been telegraphed from
Washington January 21, but there was no
steamer by which it could have left San
Francisco for Honolulu earlier than March
Z, when the Mariposa sailed. And If that
was the case 1t Is entirely too soon to look
for an answer, even if the Hawaiian gov
ernment took prompt action in the matter.
No advices can be expected to reach this
country sooner than next week, Wednesday,
the 9th of March, and to that must be
Washington. 1t is not likely that outside of
official communications much. information
will be secured at San Francisco on the
arrival of the return vessel. 1t is certain
that neither Secretary Gresham nor Minis
ter Thurston has as yet received any ad-
vices from Honolulu in regard to the affair.