1102-1103
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Mr. Day. An Hawaiian.
Senator Gray. J. A. McCandless?
Mr. Day. An American.
Senator Gray. Were they all voters, the same as you?
Mr. Day. Yes; many of them are old residents of the country.
Senator Frye. Is there anything that occurs to you that you would like to state in connection with this matter? If there is anything that you know about the revolution that occurred about that time, and it is legitimate, you may state it.
Mr. Day. I would like to state my opinion, if you will allow me, about the landing of the American troops—my individual opinion.
Senator Frye. Yes.
Mr. Day. It seemed to me as though it was the duty of the American minister, under the conditions, to land the troops for the protection of American property.
Senator Gray. And life?
Mr. Day. And the lives of women and children that might be sacrificed, perhaps. I think that duty devolved not only upon him, but upon all ministers there, to land troops for the protection of the citizens and their lives; but the Boston was the only ship in the waters at the time. The same thing has been done, during the last crisis by the British and Japanese, by landing troops from their ships.
Senator Frye. What do you call the last crisis?
Mr. Day. During the time when there was, apparently, danger of conflict between the Provisional Government and the royalists at an attempted restoration of the Queen.
Senator Gray. While you were there?
Mr. Day. No.
Senator Frye. That has been since the Provisional Government was established?
Mr. Day. Yes.
Senator Gray. After you left the islands?
Mr. Day. Yes.
Senator Gray. That is hearsay.
Senator Frye. Did most of the valuable property in Honolulu belong to men of American birth?
Mr. Day. Yes.
Senator Gray. Do you know Mr. Thurston?
Mr. Day. Yes.
Senator Gray. Have you seen him since you have been here?
Mr. Day. I saw him for a few minutes last evening.
Senator Frye. When did you arrive, yesterday?
Mr. Day. Last evening.
Senator Frye. Did you call on Mr. Thurston or did he call on you?
Mr. Day. I called on him.
Senator Frye. Was Dr. Delamater with you last evening when you called?
Mr. Day. Yes; Mr. Irwin, Dr. Delamater, and I called on Mr. Thurston. Mr. Thurston is an old patient of mine.
SWORN STATEMENT OF ROSWELL RANDALL HOES.
Senator Frye. Are you a chaplain in the Navy?
Mr. Hoes. Yes.
Senator Frye. Have you ever been in Honolulu?
Mr. Hoes. I have.
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Senator Frye. When and how long were you there?
Mr. Hoes. I reached Honolulu on the U. S. S. Pensacola September 25, 1891, and remained there until March 9, 1893.
The Chairman. Who was your captain?
Mr. Hoes. The commanding officer of the Pensacola was Capt. Albert Kautz, U. S. Navy.
Senator Frye. What were you doing there during that time?
Mr. Hoes. I went there as chaplain of the Pensacola, and, having considerable leisure, apart from my professional duties, I commenced a study of the history of the country, pursuing it as carefully and critically as the books and pamphlets at my command would permit.
The Chairman. Do you mean to say that you stayed ashore from 1891 to 1893?
Mr. Hoes. No; I will explain that. I was officially attached to the Pensacola while she remained in Hawaiian waters, and performed my duties accordingly; but, having considerable leisure at my disposal, as already said, I engaged in historical studies, and was instrumental, with Prof. Alexander, J. S. Emerson, and others, in organizing the Hawaiian Historical Society, and was officially connected with that organization until I left Honolulu. The Queen, subsequently hearing that I was so deeply interested in historical research, applied to Secretary Blaine, through Minister Stevens, for permission for me to remain in Honolulu after the Pensacola left, to prepare a bibliography of Hawaii, and also to examine and arrange the early archives of the Government, which were in a state of disgraceful confusion. I was subsequently detached and remained in Honolulu until the time stated.
The Chairman. If the Queen made that application of her own motion she could not have been a very ignorant woman?
Mr. Hoes. No one ever claimed that respecting the Queen. As a matter of fact, however, the Queen took this action upon the advice of Prof. Alexander, the recognized historian of the country, and of others who were interested in the history of Hawaii and the preservation of its early archives.
Senator Frye. Did you keep a scrapbook?
Mr. Hoes. I kept a scrapbook of the first days of the revolution. It was made up of all the cuttings relating in any way to the revolution, taken from the Advertiser, a supporter of the Provisional Government, and the Bulletin and Holomua, both of which then and subsequently advocated the cause of the Queen.
Senator Frye. In that scrap book does there appear the recognitions of the Provisional Government by the various governments represented in Honolulu?
Mr. Hoes. Yes.
Senator Frye. The letters of recognition sent by the various Governments represented in the Hawaiian Islands do not appear of record here, and I think they ought to come in. They are as follows:
- Consulate of Chile,
- Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, January 18, 1893.
- Gentlemen: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of yesterday's date, together with a copy of the proclamation issued yesterday, whereby I am informed, for reasons set forth, the Hawaiian monarchy has been abrogated and a provisional government established, the same being now in possession of Government departmental buildings, the archives, and the treasury, and whereby you request me to recognize the said Provisional Government
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