Jere Krischel at 09:03, 20 December 2005

2005-12-20T09:03:42Z

Jere Krischel at 04:43, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T04:43:00Z

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756 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
was kept quiet, because I did not want any demonstration made when
I went away from there. It was understood by the Provisional Government.
I talked to them freely about it.
I asked the Queen about the natives keeping quiet. She said there
was no danger until the question of annexation was finally determined
upon by the United States. She asked me, in the event of her arrest
what would Admiral Skerrett do—what would the United States forces
do in the way of protection. I said, "So far as I am concerned I must
decline to answer as to what the Government of the United States will
do; when I leave here Admiral Skerrett will be in command of the
naval forces, and questions of public order, etc., will be left with him
without my control." I never gave her an intimation.
Senator GRAY. IS that all that occurred?
Mr. BLOUNT. That is all that occurred.
Senator GKAY. HOW many times had you had interviews with regard
to public affairs with the Queen?
Mr. BLOUNT. Had but two interviews; one concerning her abdication,
and one just before I left, to see if there was danger of bloodshed
when I left.
Senator GRAY. The one you have just spoken of?
Mr. BLOUNT. Yes. Those were the only conversations I ever had
with her, and each of them I have substantially detailed.
The CHAIRMAN. In your estimate of her in those brief conversations,
did you think her an intelligent, bright woman?
Mr. BLOUNT. The conversations, I say, were very brief; the first one
only two or three minutes, when she seemed to be a little wary and
disinclined to talk except in response to questions. She was dignified
and reserved. She was quite reticent. I had no means of determining
her intelligence from any observation of my own. She was reputed by
all the people there to be a very well educated woman.
The CHAIRMAN. A woman having dignity?
Mr. BLOUNT. Oh, yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Having polite manners?
Mr. BLOUNT. Yes. That is quite a feature of the Hawaiian people—
dignity and good manners. So I learned from the peoide over there.
The CHAIRMAN. Was that your observation ?
Mr. BLOUNT. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. I do not find in your report that you gave any
advice to the Government of the United States in respect to the restoration
of Liliuokalani to her former rule?
Mr. BLOUNT. I did not give any advice. I was not called on to give
any advice to anybody; I went down there to report facts; those were
my instructions, and I reported as I believed them to be.
The CHAIRMAN. Does your report contain all the information you
gave to the Government of the United States with regard to the forces
there?
Mr. BLOUNT. I think it does; it is the only way I carried it—on
those papers.
The CHAIRMAN. And you had no motive in your report of interfering
with or changing the Government that existed in Hawaii and
restoring Liliuokalani?
Mr. BLOUNT. It never entered my head to do anything about the
restoration of the Queen until I returned to the United States, except,
as I told you, I would see the matter discussed in an American paper.
The CHAIRMAN. But as a purpose on your part?
Mr. BLOUNT. Oh, no. I was rigidly loyal to the idea that I was not
there except to report information.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 757
The CHAIRMAN. How long after your arrival in Honolulu was it before
you gave orders to Admiral Skerrett to remove troops from the
islands and to haul down the American flag?
Mr. BLOUNT. In two or three days. You will see a record of that.
I met people day and night. They met me cordially, people of both
factions there at the legation. The active leaders would resent the
idea in the newspapers of there being any danger of disorder. They
would say to me it would be folly for us to attempt anything to change
the present condition of affairs until the question of annexation was
disposed of; that if the United States wanted to annex the islands,
they would annex them; what could they do? That seemed to be in
their minds, and the thought that determined the peace of the islands
up to the time I left, so l'ar as I could see.
The CHAIRMAN. Up to the time you caused Admiral Skerrett to
withdraw his force did you find the people in a quiet state?
Mr. BLOUNT. It was as quiet a looking city as ever I saw.
The CHAIRMAN. YOU could then see no occasion for military demonstration
on shore for the purpose of protecting the peace?
Mr. BLOUNT. None in the world, as I said in my report. I went to
President Dole and told him my impression about it, and my purpose
to withdraw the troops, and asked if he could preserve order. He
said he could jneserve order. I was hastened for the reason which
appears in the report. I had learned of a meeting of some eighty
people who wanted to communicate to me certain political views, and
it occurred to me the best thing to do was to have the troops removed.
I intended to have them removed lest it would appear that they had
brought about the removal of the troops.
The CHAIRMAN. The day that the troops were removed was there
any civil commotion in Honolulu?
Mr. BLOUNT. Not the slightest. I did not go down to the Government
building at the removal. I did not know but possibly there
might be some demonstration and my presence might occasion it. I
asked Admiral Skerrett to see what demonstrations, if any, were made,
and he has reported it. Capt. Hooper, of the Hush, took me over. He
is quite an intelligent gentleman. He was on the shore, and I said I
would be glad to have him go down there and see the impression it
made on the people, what manifestations thei'e were. His report is of
record.
The CHAIRMAN. During the time that you were there, the flag was
ordered down. Was there any civil commotion in Honolulu, or any
part of it, of which you were informed?
Mr. BLOUNT. No.
The CHAIRMAN. Would you describe the condition of the people as
one of peacefulness and quiet?
Mr. BLOUNT. Yes, as a general rule, I would say that was true.
The CHAIRMAN. Was there any riot or outbreak of any kind?
Mr. BLOUNT. Not the slightest.
The CHAIRMAN. Were you informed of any combinations of a political
sort during your stay, to reinstate Liliuokalani by a counter
revolution?
Mr. BLOUNT. NO. I have stated the condition of the native mind
as far as I was impressed by it, and that was that they could do nothing
until the United States determined upon the question of
annexation.
The CHAIRMAN. Were the people quiet in their avocations?
Mr. BLOUNT. Yes. There was nothing to indicate that there ever
had been any revolution.

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Jere Krischel at 09:03, 20 December 2005

Jere Krischel at 04:43, 12 December 2005