The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-09
Ex-MlNlSTER STEVENS DEAD.
Passed Away at His Home in Augusta
Yesterday After Brief Illness.

Augusta, Me-. February 8.-Hon.
John L. Stevens, ex-minister to the
Sandwich Islands, died at O'Clock this
morning, having been critically i'll for
the past two weeks. He suffered from
nervous prostration and heart trouble.
His age was IA years.
John Leavitt Stevens was born at
was educated at the Maine Wesleyan
Seminary at Kent's Hill and the Waite r.
Vile Institute. He studied theology,
and at the age OF "a was ordained min
lister of the Universalist church., After
ten years service he was compelled
by i'll health to abandon tie ministry,
and he then became associated with
James G. Blaine in the publication OF
the Kenne bee Journal, and the TREND
ship formed during the existence OF
their business relations was broken only
by the death of MIR. Blaine. Mr.. Stevens
was editor-in chief of the Journal for ID
years. He was a member of the first
Republican state convention held In
Maine, and was chairman OF the Re-
publican state committee from 1858 to
1860. b served five years in the state
legislature, three in the lower house. and
two in the senate. He was United
States minister to Uruguay and Para
quay from 1870 to 1878, when he resigned
and returned home. In 1877 he was APP
pointed by the President of the Un1ted
States as minister to Sweden and Nor
way, resigning in 1883.
On the accession of Mr.. Harrison to
the presidency Mr.. Stevens was appointed
minister to Hawaii where he made his
quick to grasp the situation OF AFFAIRS,
and saw the approaching revolution
against the tyranny of Queen Liliouka..
lani. With his finger on the pulse OF
public affairs, he waited until the time
was ripe and when the lives Of American
citizens were endangered by the proba-
bility of an uprising, Minister Stevens
called the troops from the man-cf-war
| Boston ashore to protect American lives
| and pror erty. The revolution succeed
| ed. President Dole succeeded the Queen
as the head of a provisional government,
and Mr.. Stevens officially recognized him
as the head of the nation.
This action of Mr.. Stevens called for
very bitter criticism from his political
| opponents in the States. and he was one
| OF the first officials to be removed upon
| Mr.. Cleveland's assumption OF office.
| MIR. Stevens returned home, and mis-
voice and pen have been very busy since
| in denunciaton of the policy adopted by
| the administration towards Hawaii. He
was strenuous advocate of political
union of the islands with the States, and
in his zeal extended the protection of bis
government to the provisional govern
ment, and the American flag was flying
from the government house wnen Com
missioner Blount arrived with para
mount" powers to investigate the situa-
ton. Mr.. Stevens's course in Hawaii has
been as fervenJly defended by Repu bill
cans as it has been condemned by the
Democrats, and it is doubtless true that
had Mr.. Harrison been reelected the
islands would have been annexed to the
W as conferred upon him by Tufts Col
lege. Mr.. Stevens, through this long
and busy life, has been exceptionally
honored by all who have personally
known him. An ardent politician, his
name has escaped all calumny, and
even the severest critics of his course in
Hawaii have had no word to say i'll of
him personally.