Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-06-29

part TO secure tneSe iSiitnuS WDulu De a
grave mistake and one which in years
to come might result In dangers ana
complications vastly greater than any
that opponents of annexation have
| thus far venfured to prOphesy.
| The people of my own city have long
| fert deep interest in this question Of
| Hawaiian annexation. Two Of fta
| former distinguished residents, Hon.
| Luther Severance and Hon. John L..
| Stevens, served with conspicuous
| fidelity and ability as United States
ministers to Hawaii--Mr. Severance
under the administrations of Presi-
| dents Taylor and Fillmore, and Mr..
! Stevens under the administration of
President Harrison. Prior to his selec-
| ton for this position Mr.. Severance
| had served with distinguished success
| as a member of the Twenty eighth and
Twenty ninth Congresses. 1t was the
hope that their salubrious climate
| might prove beneficial to his health,
| which had become somewhat impaired.
that led him to accept the appoin.-
ment to the Hawaiian islands.
OF his service at Honolulu, Mr.
Blaine, in a memoir written after the
death Of Mr.. Severance. in January
1855, says:
During Mr.. Severance's residence of
two years and eleven months as the Dip
1omatic representative of the United
States government at the Hawaiian king
dom he attained reputation perhaps
never excelled by any man on those
islands. His urbanity of manner, his
readiness to do good to all who stood in
neel OF his services, and the admirable
knowledge he exhibited on Every topic Of
political interest which came before, the
people of that remote government made
him especial personal friend an14 so
far as international proprieties would
permit the confidential adviser of \ the
King and his cabinet.
The strongest mark of his esteem and
confidence was manifested by the King
Offering Mr.. Severance the highest on
fetal position within his gif. Chat Of ssaf
rctary of foreign affairs if he would >Gsjss
sent to remain as a resident at HonGiul u
His rapidly wasting health and his Sat-
taChnent to his old home, in which Naf
desired to die. forbade Mr.. Severance end
terta.ning even for a moment the honorza
able proposal. IL was during Mr. Sewers
ancc's c0mmissionership that the subiectl
Of the annexation Of the Sandwich
Islands 10 this government was first
prominently asitated.
In response 10 a Communication from
the state department at Washington.
Mr. Severance prepared a paper on the
subject which was extra ordinarily mi
mute and accurate in regard 10 the re-
sources ana capabilities of the islands in
a commercial point Of view, and at the
same time analyzed in the profoundest
manner the political effect of their an
ncNltion. Although hc retained 4 copy Of
jhls paper. his sense Of propriety would |
not allow him 10 make ii public after it !
had hcrom" tho property Of the state de- |
pdrtment pf tins government. Should tbs |
subject eyer again he aGitated ANA this |
paper be called for by Congress. il would |
tfIF a. Hos -
pertinent and valuable information on |
he subject than anything which has yet |
been published.
As result of Mr.. Severance's OBJ |
servation. he returned to his native |
country firm believer in the great i'm |
portance, from many points of view, of |
the Hawaiian islands to this country, |
ana with the firm conviction that they i
would some day DE annexed by US 1t |
may he worth noting here that MI |
Severance, Mr.. Blaine, and Mr.. Stevens |
We're close personal friends. Each |
was at one time part owner in thc7
State paper at Augusta, the Kennebec |
journal. and each in turn served as its |
editor. For three years Mr.. Blaine |
and Mr.. Stevens were associated in the |
ownership and conduct of the paper. |
tltii Liz - ltli'iSil!H LIItil itIliItt fiStt! /
upon mutual confidence and esteem |
continued unbroken through life.
The first issue of the paper under tn |
editorship of Mr.. Blaine contained q |
vigorous editorial from his pen urging |
the Importance of annexinG Hawaii |
ana l will add that he was to the day I
of his death a firm believer in the wis |
dom Of this policy.
Mr. Stevens was appointed minister |
to Hawaii by President Harrison upon |
the recommendation of Mr. Blaine. In |
making ii the secretary of state de- |
clared that he regarded thisa one of the |
most important diplomatic positions in |
the gift of the government. and thar, |
owing to the obvious trend Of events il |
the Hawaiian islands, it was i'm |
portant that the place should be filed |
by an able and experienced man. such |
a man was John l.. Stevens. He hal |
already served his country with signal |
ability and success. first as its minister |
to Paraguay, and later as its minister |
to sweden.
No man was ever better qualified |
both by nature and attainments for |
the delicate and eXacting duties of an
important diplomatic position. With |
great tact h. combined an unusual |
degree Of caution. He had the in |
stincts Of 4 scholar and was the master
OF an English style of rare strength |
and grace. No man in public lif, |
understood more clearly than he tha |
proprleties Of his official position and |
none was more punctillious in obserN |
ing them. While extremely careful III |
his expression Of opinion, he was
nevertheless Il man Of strong convic- |
uHns and was never lacking in the
courage of them
He was a man of sound Judgment.
fine type Of the clear-headed, patriotic
American. During the latter years OF
his life it was my good fortune to sus-
tain close business and social relations
With him. We Were near neghbors. |
correSponded With him during his stay
at Honolulu and was thrown much IN
his society after his return. l have no
desire at this time to reopen that
odorous chapter of duplicity and shame
which has passed into history under
the late Charles y. Dana's character
ization as The policy Of infamy.
Fortunately for the good name of our
country, the OVerW lplminr sentiment