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was no government of the Queen's for more than forty-eight hours; from 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon, the 14th of January, the Queen's government was absolutely dead, as much so as was that of Louis Phillipe's government was after he left the city of Paris in 1848.
The Chairman. From the time you spoke of going on board ship and conferring with Capt. Wiltse about troops going on shore, was there any government in Honolulu which could have issued any authentic order which the people would have respected?
Mr. Stevens. There was none. As I stated before, the only government was the thousand white citizens who were acting as a unit; they were absolutely masters of the situation, and their unity and self-possession and the presence of the Boston kept the city as it was.
The Chairman. The period of time from Saturday afternoon to Monday afternoon you regard as an interregnum?
Mr. Stevens. Absolutely an interregnum—theoretically and practically.
The Chairman. During that time did you receive any information to the effect that the Queen's forces were under arms and under orders in any way to protect the public order, or to protect life and property, or were engaged in any military operation?
Mr. Stevens. No authentic information.
The Chairman. Did you receive any information that that was the state of the case?
Mr. Stevens. I remember that Mr. Peterson and his associates called on me Sunday evening and made certain inquiries about the situation, and from them I got some impression. But it was only his story; I got no reliable information. It was the general situation that taught me my duty.
The Chairman. What was Mr. Peterson's story about the military preparation on the part of the Queen to protect the public security?
Mr. Stevens. Mr. Peterson was then between the opposing forces; he was expecting the natives and white citizens would support him, and he came to see what the United States officials would do. I did not promise him anything.
The Chairman. What was his story?
Mr. Stevens. His story was just what I have stated—that he was expecting
Senator Frye. The chairman asked you if you had any information that the Queen's troops or Queen's forces were in any condition to make any attack upon the Provisional Government or to preserve order and life or property?
Mr. Stevens. None at all.
The Chairman. Did you see any array of the Queen's troops anywhere in Honolulu between the time of your landing from the Boston on Saturday and your going back on the Boston on Monday?
Mr. Stevens. Not any.
The Chairman. No parade through the streets?
Mr. Stevens. No parade through the streets that I saw.
The Chairman. Did you see any parade through the streets, of any organization, or any police force in charge of Mr. Wilson?
Mr. Stevens. None whatever.
The Chairman. So that, as a part of the interregnum during these days, between Saturday noon and Monday afternoon, there was no display of military force on the part of the Queen's government?
Mr. Stevens. None whatever that I was made cognizant of.
The Chairman. Or on the part of the Queen?
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Mr. Stevens. None whatever.
The Chairman. Within your knowledge or information, did she during that time exercise any governmental act except the promulgation of the proclamation on Monday giving up the enterprise of overthrowing the constitution?
Mr. Stevens. That was all. She made a communication to me on Sunday—it may have come from the Queen or ministers—that I should meet at the Government house the English ministers and others. On Sunday, knowing the situation, I declined to go to the meeting, because, first, I did not want to leave the legation, and secondly, when this communication came I could not make a tripartite with Mr. Wodehouse and the Japanese minister, and I declined to go to this meeting. That meeting was evidently for the purpose of making an appeal for our assistance to save her.
The Chairman. The proclamation was the only effort on the part of the Queen to assert her government from the time you got off from the Boston on Saturday afternoon to Monday afternoon, when you went back on the Boston"?.
Mr. Stevens. That is all. I got a note from the Queen on Tuesday. That was twenty-two hours after the troops were landed. That is the only one.
The Chairman. I have not come to that; I am speaking of the period you are pleased to call the interregnum.
Mr. Stevens. That is all.
The Chairman. During that interregnum what military array, if any, was there on the part of citizens of Hawaii?
Mr. Stevens. You mean the citizens?
The Chairman. Yes.
Mr. Stevens. My information was—of course I had to obtain from A, B, and C---
The Chairman. Did you see any military array?
Mr. Stevens. No.
The Chairman. What was your information?
Mr. Stevens. My information was that the citizens were preparing for a public meeting, and they were going to be governed by the exigencies of the case. All the information that I could get was that they were notifying all parts of the city and island to be at the mass-meeting and have their arms at the right time. I could not get reliable information of that; but it was such that I had no doubt about it.
The Chairman. Did you see any military organization or assemblage of the citizens during this period of interregnum, or have any knowledge of the fact?
Mr. Stevens. No; only at this meeting at the armory it came to me, not officially, but I learned it from others.
The Chairman. At the armory?
Mr. Stevens. Yes.
The Chairman. Did that meeting occur before you went on board the ship?
Mr. Stevens. Yes.
The Chairman. And you knew of it?
Mr. Stevens. Knew of the results of it. I think they had not gotten entirely through when I went on board the ship. I could not swear to that; I did not go to the meeting.
The Chairman. Was there any meeting of the retainers or supporters of the Queen at the same time or about the same time?
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