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Mr. Stevens. The committee called and presented their document, which I have made of record among the documents.
Senator Gray. When did they call?
Mr. Stevens. I think they called right after the close of their mass-meeting.
Senator Gray. That was on Monday?
Mr. Stevens. Monday.
Senator Gray. Did you see any of them on Saturday or Monday?
Mr. Stevens. I do not remember that I did. If I did, I saw them as individuals.
Senator Gray. I mean as individuals?
Mr. Stevens. I may have seen one or more of them; I can not say that I did. If I saw them, I saw them just as I did the other side. They had every access, both sides, to the legation; but the leaders of the Provisional Government were men of brains, and they did not embarrass me by coming there and letting me know their plans. And that is what I said of Mr. Dole, who is alleged to have conspired with me. He nor his wife never hinted to me his intention, and it was so of all the others.
Senator Gray. Did Mr. Thurston call upon you during any of those four days?
Mr. Stevens. Mr. Thurston, I think, called upon me once. Mr. Thurston was taken sick, if I remember aright, on Monday, after the mass meeting. I think he was sick and did not go out. I did not see him again until he left on the Claudine for Washington. I saw him for a few moments only before he went on board the Claudine.
Senator Gray. Did you see Mr. Cooper during these days?
Mr. Stevens. Not at the legation.
Senator Gray. Or anywhere else?
Mr. Stevens. Nor anywhere else.
Senator Gray. Did you see Mr. Cooper on board the Boston?
Mr. Stevens. No.
Senator Gray. Did you see Mr. Castle on board the Boston?
Mr. Stevens. I did not. Mr. William R. Castle was a member of the committee of safety, and he called when they presented their request.
Senator Gray. Did you see Mr. W. O. Smith ?
Mr. Stevens. That is when they called and presented the request of the committee of safety. I think only the subcommittee of three called. Of course, there were so many who called during the three or four exciting days that I can not remember in each case who did call; I have to go on memory.
Senator Gray. Did you state to Mr. Thurston when he called, that the troops would have to be landed from the Boston?
Mr. Stevens. Not at all. My answer was the same—when the troops landed it would be for the purpose of protecting life and property.
Senator Gray. You say you made no statement to Mr. Thurston about landing troops?
Mr. Stevens. I do not remember any. I may have stated, as I did to other gentlemen—that the troops might be landed. I used great caution in my language; and you may be quite sure of this, that I was quite as courteous to the royalist emmissaries as I was to the others. There was reason: Mr. Thurston and Mr. Dole and others were men of too much sense to embarrass me with improper questions.
Senator Gray. Did Mr. Thurston state to you on that occasion that they had a proposition for establishing a provisional government?
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Mr. Stevens. No; it would have been absurd for him to have so stated. It was generally talked that the opponents of the Queen would form a new government.
Senator Gray. That they were going to establish a provisional government?
Mr. Stevens. Yes. When the Queen failed on Saturday, at the churches and everywhere else they were talking over the situation, and what they would do. They called a mass meeting for Monday, and appointed a committee of safety and proposed to establish some form of government, and that was notorious, and they would not have to give me any special information.
Senator Gray. Whom did you get your information from; you say it was notorious?
Mr. Stevens. Such parties as would call there at the legation. Men and ladies called there from both sides.
Senator Gray. Did you state to Mr. Thurston on the occasion when you state he may have called—I think you said he did call?
Mr. Stevens. I think he called on Sunday. If he did he remained but a few minutes.
Senator Gray. Did you say to him when the Government was established and actually in the possession of the archives and buildings that you would recognize it?
Mr. Stevens. It was not necessary. He and those acting with him knew perfectly well that the de facto government would have to be recognized, and Judge Dole and Mr. Thurston understand international law and usage as well as any of us. Judge Dole was too intelligent to ask me what I would do in the contingency named.
Senator Gray. When did the communication come to you at the legation, asking you to land the troops?
Mr. Stevens. That came to me on Monday just after the mass meeting.
Senator Gray. Who brought it?
Mr. Stevens. It was this committee of safety; I presume it was only a part of them; I think there were three.
Senator Gray. The committee of safety was composed of 13 members?
Mr. Stevens. I think there was a subcommittee of three. Mr. Castle was one, Mr. Smith another; the third I can not recall.
Senator Gray. That was before you went on board the Boston?
Mr. Stevens. Yes. I could not state the precise hour—whether it was 3, or half-past 3, or 4.
Senator Gray. And immediately after you went on board the Boston and requested the landing of the troops?
Mr. Stevens. Very soon. And my note was drawn up before the committee called, and if it had not called I would have made the request.
Senator Gray. And you saw Capt. Wiltse that day?
Mr. Stevens. Capt. Wiltse called at the legation probably nearly every day after we got back from Hilo.
Senator Gray. I understood you to say that you went on board the Boston some time about 4 o'clock, you could not be precise as to the time, but it was after you received this communication from the subcommittee of safety. Now, I understood you to say, that prior to your going on board the Boston that day you had a full conference with Capt. Wiltse?