The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-21
PRECEDENTS ARE NUMEROUS
MANY DIPLOMATEs HAVE BEEN DE-
CLARED PERSONA NON GRATA.
The Secretary of States Action in the
Present Case Probably Influenced
by a Desire for Revenge.
Special to the indianapolis journal.


Lorin A. Thurston, the Hawaiian minister
to the United States, there is little doubt
that such action has been taken by the Sec
retary of State. Mr. Thurston, virtually,
has been persona non grata ever since his
appointment representative of the Pacific
republic. He has been a warm advocate of
annexation This has not been in accord
with the Cleveland-Gresham policy, which
had for it's aim the restoration of the mon
archy, hence there was more or less friction
between the administration and the minister.
Mr.. Thurston has been subjected to a great
deal of newspaper interviewing-some of it
at long range-and his utterances, real and
coined, have, not always been relished by
Cleveland and Gresham. The fact that
much of what the minister is credited with
saying was true, only hurt the more and
aroused resentment in the State Depart
ment. However, a candid consideration of
diplomatic history and usage would seem
to Indicate there is no just ground for
adverse criticism of Secretary Greshams
demand. Mr.. Thurston has made himself
personally obnoxious to this administration.
That is ample reason why Mr.. Gresham
should indicate to President Dole that Mr..
lnurstons usefulness as the Hawaiian rep
resentative at Washington has ended The
Hawaiian government will promptly take
this view and to-morrow's steamer from
Honolulu will undoubtedly bring to Mr..
Thurston his relief from his present post
PLENTY OF PRECEDENTS.
Precedents abound for Mr.. Gresham's
action, however drastic it may appear As
early as 1871 Secretary Hamilton Fish de-
manded the recall of the Russian minister.
Catacazy, because of article published
by him in New York journal Mr.. Fish
went out of his way to justify his conduct
by laying down the undisputed opinion that
Every government has the right to have
the representative of another power an
ceptable person, and no government has the
right to expect of another the retention of
a representative who INDUCES in personal
abuse of the head of the government to
which he is accredited There is no occa-
sion for any explanation when the govern
ment does not desire the presence of some
objectionable person, and no government
ever thinks of asking "for cause" When
Austria refused to accept Judge Kelley,
whom President Cleveland appointed minis
ter to Vienna during his first administra-
tion, Mr. Cleveland never asked any ques-
tions. though it was perfectly understood
that Austria's reason was found in the OBJ
lection of the court circles to the religious
faith of Judge Keiley's estimable wife.
When during the same administration Mr..
Bayard demanded the recall of the British
minister, Sir Lionel Sackville West, Great
Britain made no demurrer and the author of
the Murchison letter went home in disgrace.
When, under the Harrison administration
China refused to accept Mr.. Blair because
of his oft-ayowed anti-Chinese views, it
never occurred to President Harrison to dis
play any resentment. The recall of a min
lister is naturally bound to attract much
attention and comment.
1t would surprise very many people if
list could be printed of the minor attaches
of the various foreign legations and en-
bassies here who are transferred" month
after month"; when, matter of fact,
the transfer is the result of an intimation
from administration circles that the young
diplomatic in question has been indiscreet,
sometime not even in what he has said. An
instance is we'll remembered here of the
exemplary punishment dealt out a few
years ago to a thoughtless attache for an
infraction CT the social code of the diplo-
matte circle The word of the American
Secretary of State is law in Washington SO
far as the representatives of foreign ma
tions are concerned. They look to him for
immunity from all the laws that bind every
citizen of this country and he in return
demands a scrupulous adherence to every
nicely of intercourse. The decided change of
the recent bumptious attitude of the Spanish
minister is undoubtedly due to the fact that
that gentleman had received an intimation
of coming events
WHAT DOLE MAY DO.
1t has been suggested that Mr.. Dole, the
President of the Hawaiian republic, may
show his resentment of Mr.. Thurstons
call by appointing Mr.. Hastings, the pres
ent able secretary Of the legation to be
II,
remain with the legation in some official
advisory capacity, and then promptly vindi-
cate Mr.. Thurston by reinstating him as
minister when the change of administration
places a Republican at the head of the
State Department. 1t is difficult to believe
that Mr.. Dole will contemplate any such
indiscretion. Mr.. Gresham will refuse all
recognition of the Hawaiian republic so
long as Mr. Thurston represents it in any
capacity, and Mr.. Dole must have curious
opinion of American manhood and fine
feeling if he believes that any American
will ever preside over the Department of
State of this country who would so far
forget the amenities due his predecessor
as TO receive as minister the man whom
that predecessor has found personally OBJ
jectionable.
Mr.. Thurston's entire fault so far as con-
servative observers judge is an unfor-
tunate excesses OF zeal and especially in his
attitude during the critical hours when Min
lister Willis was instructed to watch over
the rights of American citizens who were
being tried by military tribunal for their
participation in the late uprising. Mr.. Gresh-
am-not it can be authoritively stated, by
permission of a confidential attache of the
department, that this was the last straw
demands Mr.. Thurston's recall because he
believes that the Hawaiian minister sought
by interviews and communications to under
mine the influence of the American minis
ter But no matter what are Mr.. Gresham $
reasons he has acted entirely within his
authority, and MIR. Thurston has, like many
another statesman. fallen victim to lfs
own conceptions of duty.
An Associated Press reporter says that
Mr.. Thurston is accused. besides giving
out diplomatic correspondence, which the
State Department wanted TO keep secret,
OF having instigated publications of news
paper articles In New York papers attack