399-401

Previous Page

Next Page

---

-p398-

and at the same time have afforded all necessary protection to the lives and property of our citizens at that port, if they were in any jeopardy.

The moral support and good offices of this Government, or of any government, is always permissible in promoting the moral tone and political improvement of the government of foreign countries on terms of amity with their own; but there is nothing in international law, in sound public policy, or in our past history and traditions which justifies a representative of this Government in interfering officiously or improperly in the domestic or political affairs of a foreign country, whatever may be the character of its rulers, its form of government, or its political condition. We have enough to do to attend to our own business.

We cannot, therefore, avoid the conviction that the inopportune zeal of Minister Stevens in the project of annexation of the Sandwich Islands to the United States caused him to exceed the proper limits of his official duty and of his diplomatic relations to the government and people of those islands. His conduct as the public representative of this Government was directly conducive to bringing about the condition of affairs which resulted in the overthrow of the Queen, the organization of the Provisional Government, the landing of the United States troops, and the attempted scheme of annexation; and upon this conclusion his conduct is seriously reprehensible and deserving of public censure.

M.C. Butler,
David Turpie,
John W. Daniel,
George Gray,
Members of Minority.

February 22, 1894.

The question of annexation is not submitted for the consideration of the committee, except as it incidentally affects the main question discussed; but it may not be improper for me to say, in this connection, that I am heartily in favor of the acquisition of those islands by the Government of the United States; and in a proper case and on an appropriate occasion I should earnestly advocate the same. But I am unwilling to take advantage of internal dissentions in those islands, for which I believe we are in some measure responsible, to consummate at this time so desirable an object.

M.C. Butler.

I concur in the above.

David Turpie.

-p399-

APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.

I. The following is the translation of the original poster referred to by mr. hoes in his statement.

[Translation.]

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

1. A mass meeting will be held in front of the opera house, outside of the Palace yard, at 2 o'clock this afternoon, Monday, January 16, to consider the condition of the country.

By order

Committee of Law and Order

THE VOICE OF THE CHIEF.

2. On the afternoon of Saturday last the voice of the sacred chief of Hawaii, Liliuokalani, the tabued one, speaking as follows:

"Oh, ye people who love the chief, I hereby say to you, I am now ready to proclaim the new constitution for my Kingdom, thinking that it would be successful; but behold obstacles have arisen. Therefore I say unto you, loving people, go with good hope, and do not be disturbed or troubled in your minds, because within the next few days now coming I will proclaim the new constitution.

"The executive officers of the law (the cabinet) knew the errors in this new constitution, but they said nothing.

"Therefore, I hope that the thing which you, my people, so much want will be accomplished; it also is my strong desire."

And her last order was that we should pray to God to bless this Kingdom and the throne of Hawaii.

STUBBORNNESS.

3. From the day of the passage of the lottery bill until the prorogation of the Legislature the members of the Reform party in the House have been refractory. It is seen that this is the Missionary party. This is a childish act, showing the lack of principle of the Reform party and the unexampled pride of the missionaries. The missionaries are the parents of these actions, and their reason for so doing is because of their regret and vexation by reason of the failure of their schemes in the Legislature. The National party is not this way. If the Reform party is successful the Hawaiian party does not show its disappointment, but, with its customary patience, continues on working for the good of all without feelings of strife.

The foreign members of this session have shown their wicked intentions, their causeless jealousy, when the majority of the people,

-p400-

the Hawaiian party, voted as they wished. During all the bribery there has grown up a united determination on the part of the National party to hold their prerogatives and carry out the desires of their constituents who elected them. Great is our contempt for this causeless opposition of the missionaries and their friends, and for the first time we are able to congratulate the Hawaiian members on account of their unanimity during these few days.

DIFFERENT VIEWS.

4. We hear that the representatives of the foreign countries "have met and decided to help the Queen's cabinet and support her, except the American minister. The Annexationists are seeking some pretext to injure the Queen, and order the American naval forces on shore to protect their property without knowing what they are afraid of, for the ghosts which they are conjuring up will act as they acted in 1887.

OH, YE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE.

5. To-day a public meeting has been called by the missionaries of the Reform party and those who are deceived by them at Manamana, with the intention of injuring the Queen because of her love for the people in consenting to promulgate a new constitution, to depose her from being Queen, and to turn the monarchy into a republic. Therefore, those who love the country, those who are born in the country, stand fast in support of the monarchy and do not let one true Hawaiian go to this meeting to which you are invited. Oh, all ye true Hawaiians, let us support our Queen, and consecrate our lives for the benefit of our Queen and the peace of the land. All of the people who love the chief are invited to go straight to the meeting in front of the opera house at 2 o'clock this afternoon. One loving heart in our breasts throughout the land, oh, descendants of Kamehameha.

THE HELPERS OF THE CABINET.

6. The banks of Bishop and Spreckels are ready to help the Government with money. Certain merchants are also ready to support the Government. It is apparent that it is only certain missionaries who are secretly meeting and seeking a riot as a reason for landing the men of war when there is no reason.

LET THE PEOPLE BE READY.

7. To give their thanks to-day at the meeting to be held at 2 this afternoon in front of the Opera House, to their Queen, who wanted to execute the desires of her people, but by reason of obstacles she could not lawfully do so. On account of this love of our Queen, and what she tried to do under her spirit of love, but she could not accomplish it, and when she saw that it could not be done she expressed her regret with sorrow, and instructed the committee of the people to go and wait, and their desires would be carried out in accordance with the right, and for them to keep the peace.

MASS MEETING!

8. The meeting which is to be held in front of the opera house is to be held by the party which supports the Government, and the subjects of the Queen are invited to attend and listen to the voices of the

-p401-

leaders of the people. We are being plotted against without reason. The independence of Hawaii is being assaulted by the wicked and refractory ones because the Queen listened to the pleadings of her own people to give a new constitution. She has left this thought to her cabinet, and thanks are due for this loving thought of the chief in leaving to them this desire of the people of the land, and they have restrained the love of the chief until such time as it may seem good. Because it can not be helped, we had better be patient and listen to her words: "I regret that your desires are not complied with, but you must go and keep the peace, and the time will come when your desires will be satisfied."

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct translation of the accompanying extra issued by the Ka Leo o Ka Lahui, a Honolulu newspaper, published in Honolulu in the Hawaiian language, on January 16, 1893.

Lorrin A. Thurston.

II. By order of the committee the following instructions of the secretary of the navy to commodore perry, dated april 15, 1847, were made part of the record.

[Confidential.]

Navy Department,
Washington, April 15, 1847.

Commodore M. C. PERRY,
Commanding the Home Squadron:

Sir: The successes which have recently crowned our arms would seem to justify the expectation that the Government of Mexico would feel disposed to submit proposals for peace. That there may be no unnecessary delay in acting on such proposals, if they shall be made, the President has directed Nicholas P. Trist, esq., of the State Department, to proceed to the headquarters of the Army or to the squadron, as he shall deem most convenient, and be in readiness to receive any proposition for a settlement of the questions at issue. Mr. Trist is clothed with such diplomatic power as to authorize him to enter into arrangements with the Mexican Government for the mutual suspension of hostilities. If he shall communicate to you in writing that the contingency has occurred, you will act in accordance with his directions and suspend actual hostilities until further orders from the Department, unless the enemy shall continue or recommence them. In doing so you will not relinquish any position which you may occupy, or abstain from any change of position which, in your judgment, may be necessary for the security or health of your command.

You will afford to Mr. Trist every facility and accommodation in your power and a speedy passage to New Orleans when he may desire to return. You will not relax the vigor of your operations while he may remain in Mexico, unless he directs you to suspend them, but during that time it is desirable, if it does not conflict with your arrangements, that you shall be in the harbor of Vera Cruz, or as accessible as may be.

You will be pleased to make your communications to the Department as frequent as you may find opportunity.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

John Y. Mason

S. Doc. 231, pt 6----26

---

Previous Page

Next Page