Jere Krischel at 09:33, 20 December 2005

2005-12-20T09:33:40Z

Jere Krischel at 04:43, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T04:43:36Z

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764 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
Mr. BLOUNT. That is amongst your papers.
Senator DOLPH. I saw the letter at the time. I suppose it was shown
to you in confidence because you were on the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the House.
Mr. BLOUNT. Very largely so.
Senator DOLPH. Did you form any opinion at that time about
Hawaiian affairs and as to the fitness of Mr. Stevens for the position
he occupied?
Mr. BLOUNT. I did not. I did not like the looks of the letter; but
I think they did not make much impression on me. I went oft' home;
I did not think much about it.
The CHAIRMAN. YOU had then declared your determination of retiring
from Congress?
Mr. BLOUNT. I did not intend to hold any place when I went away
from here. I did not even pay my respects to the President.
The CHAIRMAN. You had determined to retire from public life?
Mr. BLOUNT. Oh, yes.
Senator DOLPH. You did not consider there was any impropriety in
such a letter coining from a minister of the United States?
Mr. BLOUNT. No. Perhaps I misunderstood what you said.
Senator CRAY. Mr. Blount did not speak about the impropriety; he
spoke of the impression.
Mr. BLOUNT. Oh, I rather had an impression—it was a vague one—
that it manifested some passing beyond the proprieties for an American
representative in a foreign country.
Senator DOLPH. That was not long before the news arrived in the
United States in reference to the revolution in Hawaii, was it?
Mr. BLOUNT. My impression is that the treaty had been negotiated
at the time. The Secretary of State sent for me and expressed a desire
that I would endeavor to bring the Democratic party to the point
of supporting the ratification of the treaty and acceptance of annexation.
Senator DOLPH. Then you saw that letter after the news of the revolution
had arrived here?
Mr. BLOUNT. That is my impression. I think I am correct.
Senator DOLPH. Did you express any opinion concerning the revolution,
or the part which it was alleged had been taken by Minister Stevens
in connection with the same, shortly after the news arrived and while
Congress was still in session?
Mr. BLOUNT. My impression is that I avoided the subject. I recollect
saying once to a newspaper correspondent when the announcement
was made of the establishing of an American protectorate by the American
minister that "it looked a little lively." I did not think much
about it at the time; I did not care much about it; I was going away.
Senator DOLPH. Have you stated what the expression was you used?
Mr. BLOUNT. I said, " I t looked a little lively." That I believe to
be it.
Senator DOLPH. Did you express any opinion concerning the landing
of the naval forces upon the island?
Mr. BLOUNT. N O. I say that because my recollection of it is that I
did not know anything about the particulars at all.
Senator DOLPH. Did you form any opinion shortly after the receipt
of the news of the revolution, or after the treaty had been negotiated
and sent to Congress, concerning the question of annexation?
Mr. BLOUNT. I did not form any opinion.
Senator DOLPH. Or express any ?
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 765
Mr. BLOUNT. I had some apprehension that there might have been
something imprudent done there; I had no opinion.
Senator DOLPH. Did you not have conversations with various persons
about the affair?
Mr. BLOUNT. Very little. I was authorized to show that'paper. It
was given to me in manuscript—the letter of November. 1 was authorized
to show it to some persons, in my discretion.
Senator DOLPH. The letter of Minister Stevens to the Secretary of
State?
Mr. BLOUNT. Yes.
Senator DOLPH. And you were furnished a copy?
Mr. BLOUNT. Certainly, with a view of conferring with certain persons.
Senator DOLPH. Did you show it to members of the House?
Mr. BLOUNT. I showed it to Governor MeCreary and, possibly, Mr.
Hitt, and possibly some others. I do not know now.
Senator DOILPH. Did you have any conversations with those people
about the subject of the annexation of Hawaii?
Mr. BLOUNT. I can not remember that I did, other than showing
that paper.
Senator DOLPH. Did you undertake to secure the approval of your
colleagues on that committee or in the House of annexation?
Mr. BLOUNT. NO.
Senator DOLPH. Did you express any opinion in favor of annexation?
Mr. BLOUNT. I think not.
Senator DOLPH. Or against it?
Mr. BLOUNT. I think not.
Senator DOLPH. YOU think yoa simply handed that persons named,
and possibly others, without any conversation or suggestions with
regard to that?
Mr. BLOUNT. Oh, I have not said that.
Senator DOLPH. That is what I am trying to get at.
The CHAIRMAN. Allow me to ask if that is the letter to which you
refer, and of which Mr. Poster gave you a copy (referring to Executive
Document of the House of Bepresentatives No. 74, page 111 of the
Report.)
Mr. BLOUNT. I think it is.
Senator DOLPH. What did you say to Mr. Foster you would do concerning
his request?
Mr. BLOUNT. I did not say to Mr. Foster that I would do anything.
He showed me that letter and expressed a desire that I would endeavor
to bring the Democratic party to the support of the annexation of the
Hawaiian Islands.
Senator DOLPH. Mr. Foster gave you a copy of that letter and made
that request, and you made no response to it?
Mr. BLOUNT. Oh, yes, I did.
Senator DOLPH. I would like to know what you said to him.
Mr. BLOUNT. I said to him, " I do not know anything about it." The
paper was handed to me. He did not expect any answer. The whole
thing was new to me.
Senator DOLPH. You did not read it in Mr. Foster's presence?
Mr. BLOUNT. NO. He handed it to me to be read, and I said, "You
have given me this paper; I can not converse with the Democrats without
this paper." I had not seen the paper. Mr. Foster said, " I will
leave that to your discretion."
Senator DOLPH. I am asking if you expressed any opinion in the

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Jere Krischel at 09:33, 20 December 2005

Jere Krischel at 04:43, 12 December 2005