The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-24
What is This?

Our neighbor, the Netc York Times, sent
a reporter to Princeton on Saturday to ask
the Hon. GROVER CLEVELAND If it was true
that he had favored the acquisition Of the
Hawaiian Islands, and had intended, in the
first place, to restore Queen LILIUoKALANI,
and then to negotiate with her a treaty Of
annexation.
The question was suggested by the re-
ported declaration of Senator MORGAN in
the Senate last week hat his private inter-
views with Mr.. CLEVELAND before the
Blount episode convinced him that Mr..
CLEVELAND then believed In the wisdom of
~annexing Hawaii.
To the Times's reporter Mr.. CLEVELAND
is reported as replying:
81 can hardly believe Mr.. MORGAN made the asser-
lions imputed to him. He know perfectly well that I
have been utterly and constantly opposed to Hawaiian
annexation. The nrst thing I did after my inaugura-
ton, in March. 1898. was to recall from the Senate an
annexation treaty then pending before that body. I
regard the annexation Of these islands a. o complete
departure from our national mission. l did not sup
poae there was any person In Federal public life that
had any doubt as to my position in this matter.
aside from any question OF annexation. and toith.
out harbortno any design Of restoring the Hatoattan
monarchy. I investigated the relation Of our repre-
sentatives to its overthrow. This investigation salts
fed me that our Interference in the matter was
disgracefui and wrong. and I would gladly. for the
sake Of our National honor and fair fame, have re.
paired that wrong only this and nothing more"
When Mr.. CLEVELAND was President
and Mr.. BLoUNT was Paramount Commits
sioner, Mr.. MORGAN was Chairman of the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Whatever Mr.. MORGAN LAY have learned
of Mr.. C~LEvELAND's private sentiments
md unavowed intentions must probably
remain a question of veracity between the
two statesmen.
But what does Mr.. CLEVELAND mean
when he declares that he "harbored no de-
slgn" of restoring the Hawaiian monarchy
when he sent out Commissioners BLoUNT to
investigated
MI. BLoUNT, poor facile creature. mani
testify did not understand Mr.. C~LEvELAND's
original purpose in that way. He went to
Honolulu, as the facts indicate, not to hear
both sides and weigh the evidence and ar
rive at an independent judicial conclu-
sion, but to make up an eT parte argument
plausible enough to afford a pretext for the
execution of a predetermined policy on the
part of the Administration.
That is to say, 1t was the Policy Of In
fanny which shaped the Blount report, and
not the Blount report which suggested and
shaped the Policy of Infamy.
Mr.. BLoUNT's own unconscious revelation
of his foreknowledge of the Administra-
TONS purpose in sending him to Honolulu
furnished the evidence of this. With as
tonishing simplicity and superserviceable
haste he had no sooner reached the field of
his Investigations than he wrote back to the
Department of State announcing his de-
cision before he had heard any part of the
testimony.
The Paramount Commissioners, COM
mended by Mr.. CLEVELAND to his "great
and good friend" President DOLE, wrote to
the Department of State on April o, 1893.
announcing his arrival at Honolulu on
March 20. Itco days later, OF April 8, he
wrote another letter to Mr.. GRESHAM
"~deploring the perverted influence Of Min
lister STEVENS and Consul-General SEVER
ANoE, to tOhich he aScTibsd the sutStence o.
the Provisional Government"
Thus, before he had fairly recovered from
the s~easickness of his voyage out to Homo
lulu, Mr.. CLEvELAND's confidential ennis
sary and agent reported to his principals
practically the whole conclusion which wa
embodied In his final report of July IL,
after more hhan three months Of pre-