Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 33, 8 February 1894 Edition 02 — A Sound View. [ARTICLE]
A Sound View.
President Cleveland bas sent to Congress a message relative to ! the Hawaiian qnestion, togetber ; witb a mass of olEeial documents ; bearing on the subject, The message embodies a review of the ' events incideut to the change of governraent in Hawaii, of the indecent haste with whieh un annexation treaty was conclndeil and transmitted to the United States senate, jnst 32 days after the United States minist9r ut Honolulu had supervised and controlled the pretended revolation, of Commis«ioner Blount’s investigation and of M«nister Stevens’ course prior to and after the Queen’s deposition in pnrsuance of his monomania for aunexation by conqnest. The fact thattheQueen yielded under protest to the superior force of the United States is strongly emphasized, as is also the character of the committee whieh Stevens and his troops converted into a governing body, aud whieh is composed entirely of alieus and the sons of aliens. All the circumstances recited are described as leading to tbe couclusion that the Provisional Government “owes its existence to an armed invasion by the United States” and that reparation is, therefore, due from this uution. Hoping to restore the status quo by amieahle means, Mr. Cleveland states, he dispatched Minister Willis with authority to propose restoration to the Queen on condition that she would bury the past and sobject the “rev>lutionists to n»=puni8hmeat.” This offer having been rejected, tbe powers of the chief executive are ethansted and he accordingly re fers the whole matter to congress for legislative consideration. The jnstice of the position m tintained by the President is s > plaiuly apparent that it is a marvel that even tbe most nnreasoning partismship shotibl attompt to run countor to it. In the instrnctions to Minister Willis, ont of whieh the annexation party hoped to make capital, it is explicitly stated that “the Pre sident will not authorize the us« of the United States troops eiihei to restore her (Liliaokalani) or
mtintain bor apon the tbrone. The nse of the tronps ean only be aathorized hy act of Conppress.” Thia disposes of the pirotal argnraent nsed against tbe President, to wit. that he himself had ondertaken to assarae the power of armed interference whieh he eon demneii iu the case of the agents of tbe Iast administTaiion.
j In whatever Iight the atf »sr is ■ 1 riewed. whetter from a Rapabi lic*n or a D3inocratic 3t;»ndpo«nt. '■ ‘ it is m mift«t that Mr. ClevelHnJ has been r'g'it fro n the first *nd i has been actuated wholly by sol- > icitade for the honor of bis i country and the conservation of s the Ameriean doctrine of non l interference wiih friendly power». ’ That Bepabliean leaders u.»ve l seen fit to take the other side of i . tbe qoeetion, for the sake of j vindicating Sfcevens. who scted , w«th hia eyes open and Prosident s Hanieon. who waa hoodwinked, j 1 is unfortunate in so hr as ii tendsj I to oommit the Bepublican party | i to a form ol jingoism nnworihy of I the great American nation.— PitUb*rgk L*ader.