684-685
| Previous Page | Next Page |
|
petitions in its favor, which have been published at the end of Col. Blount's report, but without date.
"The impression which is sought to be made is that these petitions were sent in shortly before the passage of the said bill, and influenced the mind of the Queen in signing it."
Mr. Alexander. I should have inserted the words "by Mr. Nordhoff," so that it would read: "The impression which is sought to be made by Mr. Nordhoff," etc. I might give a wrong impression if those words were omitted, and I should be sorry to make an insinuation against Mr. Blount. That completes the historical part.
The Chairman. I continue:
"The facts are that these petitions were signed before the first introduction of the lottery bill, which was on the 30th of August, 1892, four and a half months before its final passage.
"The signatures were obtained by a rapid secret canvass, before publicity had been given to the movement, and before any discussion of its effects had taken place. Many signed without reflection who afterward deeply regretted it. As soon as the bill was printed a powerful opposition sprang up, which resulted in its being shelved, as was supposed, forever. Still it was known by some that the Queen and Wilson had been in favor of it from the first, and that the snake had been only 'scotched,' not killed.
Near the end of the session, in the absence of six of its opponents, the bill was suddenly revived, rushed through and signed in the face of a strong and unanimous protest by the chamber of commerce, and numerous memorials and petitions from all quarters.
"The passage of that bill, the voting out of an upright ministry, and the attempted coup d'etat were all parts of one plan to corrupt and destroy honest constitutional government in Hawaii. As it was only one white man dared to vote for it.
"W. D. Alexander."
Is there anything else?
Mr. Alexander. That is all.
SWORN STATEMENT OF LIEUT. LUCIEN YOUNG, OF THE BOSTON.
The Chairman. You belong to the Navy?
Mr. Young. Yes; I am a lieutenant in the Navy, on duty at present in the Navy Department engaged in the work of compiling the Naval War Records of the late rebellion.
The Chairman. Were you on the cruiser Boston in January, 1893?
Mr. Young. Yes; I was on the Boston during her entire stay in Honolulu.
The Chairman. When did the Boston first arrive there?
Mr. Young. On or about the 24th of August, 1892.
The Chairman. Did she remain in the harbor during all the time?
Mr. Young. She only left the harbor twice; once in October, I think it was, we went out to look up some shipwrecked Americans who had been cast upon the large island of Hawaii. We found them and brought them back to Honolulu. Then, on the 4th of January we went to Hilo, on the island of Hawaii, for target practice, and returned to Honolulu on the 14th of January.
Senator Butler. How long were you on that first trip?
Mr. Young. I think five days.
The Chairman. Did Minister Stevens go with you on your second cruise?
|
Mr. Young. Yes; he and his daughter went with us.
The Chairman. The one who was subsequently drowned?
Mr. Young. Yes. I helped her into the boat as she was going ashore.
The Chairman. Where were you?
Mr. Young. Off the island of Hawaii. She had been visiting one of the sugar estates there. It was in lowering her into the boat for passage from shore to the Inter-Island steamer, which was done in a cage, that she was drowned. One of the natives told me that he believed she was killed before she struck the water; that the waves struck her and she was killed in the cage. She was to take passage for Honolulu on a little island steamer, not the Boston. We landed her at the same place where she was drowned and then proceeded to Hilo.
The Chairman. Do you remember the date of her death?
Mr. Young. I can get that. We went down on the 4th; returned on the 14th, and her death must have been on the 18th, I should say. I think the minister got the news of the death about the time the revolution was going on.
The Chairman. I will ask you whether or not at the time you first left there you had some acquaintance with the state of public feeling and the situation of affairs generally in Honolulu?
Mr. Young. Yes.
The Chairman. Was there any evidence of a commotion or outbreak?
Mr. Young. When we left none whatever, everything appeared to be settled. And that was the reason that justified us in leaving to get this target practice which we were in need of.
The Chairman. Prior to that time was there any agitation in Honolulu?
Mr. Young. Yes; a good deal of agitation in reference to the voting out of the several ministrys by the Legislature and persistent appointment by the Queen of others inimical to American interests unsatisfactory to the intelligent members of the Legislature and wealthy classes on the islands. This involved a good deal of diplomatic trouble between the American and British ministers in reference to the interests of their respective countries, and I have seen the latter on the floor of the Legislature while in session lobbying. Finally a cabinet was appointed representing the wealth and intelligence of the islands, and also in favor of American interests. When they attempted to vote them out by a vote of want of confidence they failed to do so, and it left the matter looking like they were there to stay and we went away.
Senator Frye. That was the Wilcox cabinet?
Mr. Young. Yes.
The Chairman. So that the situation when you left Honolulu on that cruise was one of quiet, peace, and composure?
Mr. Young. Yes; everything was perfectly quiet when we left the harbor.
Senator Frye. It was the expectation that the Wilcox ministry was to continue for a long time?
Mr. Young. Yes. Minister Stevens told Capt. Wiltse in my presence that he believed the Wilcox ministry would continue, but Capt. Wiltse said that he did not think so.
Senator Frye. Minister Stevens believed it would continue?
Mr. Young. Yes; so he stated to me, and Capt. Wiltse based his opinion on what I heard on shore and reported to him. I heard from
| Previous Page | Next Page |