Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 26, 31 Ianuali 1894 — SOUND SENSE. [ARTICLE]

SOUND SENSE.

A LESSON IX LEOAL FACTS. — Hon. F. K. Condert on the Hawa ian Qnest on. The qne>tion of Hawaii is fast reacbing tbe condition of tbe Scbleswig - H<>l.stein ]jroblera. i Everv d«y that passes bv a»lds to th <lifticaltv of un<lerstauding j facts and of npplying the Uw. It isdim, vag»ie and sliadowA' in it i «ut!inc, uncertain in nmeh of it» 6videnoe, complicated with partis*n preposses.sii>n and 1 monlded to fit p<rtis.»n opinious. Tbe t< stim >nv has b»»come so ; volnmin«ns and cor fnse<l as to discoorag i study and repel curio- ! sitv. so tliat Ihe average citizeu , it disposed to vote the whole ! business a bore and to inonm i the <1 iy when the Unite»l St.»tes , sohliers first put their fo»>t upon | Haw.iiian aoil. Whatever may j be the scntiwental pref»*rence ! of our i>eoplo for a repub!ican forra of government, most of | them «re disjM>sed to live in ; peaee au»l comfort even if ; Hawaii should be deprived of i tlie iiiestiiuable blessings of j democratic nile. But theu the question will not be jnit down ; witbouta struggle, for it involves us, our interests, and qur faonor. I Stu»lv it »ve mnst, aml it mav be j * J I of usa to the rea»lers of the Revit>v to have a brief statoment 1 of tbo coutroversy r rnade for tliem. Thero is, we need not say, a serious <juestion qf iutiuuational i law involved. Thut question, like every other, has two s des, tho right and the wrong side. I Let us try to have it settled right. Tlie Hawaiian difticulty be it rernembered, is au inheritance. The preaent admmistration did not or>giu ito it and has j thns far d»>ue nothing to affgrav o nn ate fhe evils of the legacy, uuless, iudeed, its vorv wise course in rcfusing, to jump iuto the p«rls and abs«rditv of annexing the Hawaiian Is lauds to tlie Unitod States be consi»lered such an »ggravation. N»>r hus the A»lministration es tablished or songht to estabiish auy uow and startling theorv of interuatioual law. Itbas labored to ass<Tt, at tlie outset, tho wise aml wholesome principle whieh it h.is been our policy as a governmeut to observe froni the boginning; t‘ie only j>riuciples whieh will permit us to eaeape j the perils of intornutional eollision and at tho sume time lo givo due prot»'ction to our citisens wbenever and wherever that j>ro ! tection may be needed. St cret.»ry Gresham s instructions t-> Mr. Blount when the l.itter st.»rted up»>n liis missioD to | Hou >lulu defiued the |>osition of [ the Administrutioa in apt ami ! conoi.se language. “Historica! precedents aml the I genoral course of the United SUtes authorize the emj>lovment of its armed force in f»>reign ter- i rit»>ry f»>r the securitv of the lives und proj»erty of Amenean citizeos aud lor tlie £OJ>re>sioii of jawless aud UmiuUuaoi ucts tlire:.t»-niug them; »nd the jH>wers conferred to th.tt end uj>ou the rej>reseuta- ! tives of the Uuited States are botb ueoessary aud proj>er, sub i ject always 'to the exerrise of souud discretion in their «j>jdi<ation lu the judgraeut of the Fresident, your autbunty. as weli as tual of the commander of the nava| forces in Hawaiian waters. should be and is hmited iu thē use of pbysical foroe tosuch measurt»s as are necessnry to protgfit tbe persous aud * pro|*ertv of our citizens and while abstaining from anv tnauner of mterference witb the doraostic eoneema of the islands. you sbould iudioate your willmg- j ness to intervene with your i fnendly offices in the iuterests of ’ a peaceful setlleroent of troobies witbin tbe hmits of soond discretiou. Should it be necessarv io laud an «rroed force upoa th*e Hawanau terntory ou occasions ct populai duturbauee, wheo Ut«

| loeal anthorily roay be nnab!e to I give adequate protcction to the ■ Sife And pn>|«rty of citizens of tbe Uoite*l i»es the ssseut of snch aothorīt3' shonhl first be | obtained if it ean be done with«>nt prejndice to the interests | involved.” Tlie position here taken is im portsut in a dooble aspect: First. l>ec;»use it clearly statesthe v ews ! of our government as to its r:ght to interfere in the ccncerns of auother people. next, because the rul».s here Jaid <lown msy serve >»s a test when we Du»Jertake to decide to what extent, if any, the late admiaistratiaa bas violated rules of inteinaiienal obligationas that obLg.:tion is viewed by tbe ex»‘cative nower now in rftice. It is plaiu tbnt if Ministcr Stev- ; ens did nothing more. y»nd nothing else tb:»n Secrctaiv Greshara autl.orized Mr. Blonut to do, any ! criticism of the co«rse pursued bv Minister Stevens is ill-timed aud uufonnde»l. It is clairaed, howev«*r, an»l a ■ mnss of evidence is atlduce»l to ;>rovo, that Minister Stevens did not coufine him-ell t»> tiie simj>le an»l obvions dnties thns eoneeile»! ! to be j>roj>erly within his sphere, but that, on the contrary, he use»l h;s great j>ower as the re- ■ , presentative of the Unjted States , to ;:>recipitate the dowufall of the I existing guvernment. It is in sisted that, without the ahl whieh he hAoiiI» 1 »! to the insnr - 1 gents, the revolution conld never [ h »ve ?ucceede»l, n »v. wonhl uot \ have beeu attempte»lj that the i b.»yoi:ets of t!ie l’nited Stutes s»>l»liers virtually terr fied the Qneen into submission and eom pelled hor to resign. If these 1 charges are made out. tbe result would seem to be plain, viz: that au injustice having been done by the abuse of <mr representutive’s authority, it is incumbent upon us, so far «s practicable, to re; dress the wrong done. As the ! »>uly way to accomj>lish this is t) restore the status qiix>, justice and 1 self respect concur to make an attempt at least at restitutiou. It is plain at the outset. that i whatever Miuister Stevens may h«ve intended, thought, or <le- i I signed, the promoters of the j insurrection, when they appealed ' to him for ai»l and comfurt. were not limited iu their action by the lines set out in Secretary Gresham’s subse»iuent instructions to Mr. Blonnt. It di»l.not oceur to them thjxt. tb_a Ujiited St.:ites Governmeut was only bjjund t»i pr>it» 1 ct its own ci(i/ens, n»»r »l d they believe thut thejr appeaL t<> j be etfectuul must be based upon some threatened or actual injury | to Ameiiean iuterests. It is ob vions that they ealleil uj>on the j government of the Uuitcd States verv mueh as the bemired travel j ler called uj>on Hercules to ox- j tract bis cart froiu an imj>assable j roud. They kue.v the j)hysical powe_r of our nation, and eouhl well imagine that the moral forco of our ti »g, haekeel up ev«jn by an insignificant number of bayonets ] wouhl be omnipotent m the„ destruction or the creatiou of i a government at Honolulu. Aud. i I therefore, when tliey wrote under , date of Januarv 10, 1893, to Minister Stevens, they resj>ectj fully reported that the Queen was misbehaving herself. that the pnhlie safety was men iced, ! that I ives aud }>roperty were im I l>erilled; on these gronnds they | ; apj>ealed to the United St»tes forces aud to him for assistance. A j>etty, fogging lawyer would have beeu dispj.sed to iuterp«»se > a demurrer, as there certainlv w»>re not faets enough on their' own showiug to justify the forcihle interference of the United St»tes. There was no pretence ;ii it ti e j>r»>i>eity »>f our citizeu,s l was imperit!ed or tbeir lives end«pgered; nor did it appear that the i>etitioners were Ameriu fact the inajor:tv cf the s»guers were not. But the embryonic iusurrectionists went on to state their grievance viz: That the Queen. *‘with the aiil of armed force and with threats of violence and bloodshed frt>m those with whom she was acting. ll atiempted to prodaim a neie conMitution , and while pnt*nted, for the time, from accomplishiog her object, j pulJidy lhat ehe ucmld | ° 1il y *«* adionT 1 Th is eondoct aml action. it was insisted. had created ganeral alarm and t«irrur, uod th« aigners who!

had constitated them?ielves into a Citizen’s Con-mittee if Saf-;ty. declared tbat they were ouahle to protect themec!res withoot »id, theref**re pn*yed for the pr».tection of the Untted States forces. Any one dispostd to criticism wonld natur»lly suggest that if the Queeu Lad only atiemfJe-i to }nvcio'v\ a new constittition. bot bad been jrmented frora aeeompli»bicg Ler object. tbere was no real ground for interference of the Unite<i States forces, or any oue else. A j?obiic declaratir>n that she wonld defer her aeiion so far from inviting forcib!e interfereuce, should ratber bave been considered a reason for leavmg her some ro m for penitence, with the hope that her acton woold be '‘deferred” indefinitely. Besides, how do we know that the new constitu tion \vas worse than tl.e one uuder whieh the inhabitants were living and that great wrongs woald be done to c ur minister’s proteges? It is certain tlr t this reqaest of the Committee of Safety reac’ ed the American minister. It is ccrtajn that the troops were landed, nnd it is eqnally snry that tbe Qoeen yielded onl}* to, the saperior force of the United States rf Araerica, whose minTster. Mri Stevens. she*'saicT, had "caused United St-.ites troops to Jye at Honolulu, and declared that lie would support tbe saidprovisionnlgovernment.’’ It is stated, in defeuce of Mr. Stevens, that he on!y consented to administer forcible remedies for the constitnti"nal aiiments of the Hawaiians ufler the goverument de /ueiU- had been established. It requires some etiort to consider this seriously upon the evideuce in the case. Bnt let us glance for a moment at the dates. The eall on the Araerican Minister was made on January 1(3, 1893. On tbe 17th—that is the next day, the insurrectionists had made sncli progress as to be Iully estublished, anel to be entitled to recoguitiou as a Provisional Government! "About ■1 to 5 p. m. of thfs date— am not certuin of the precise time”— says Mr. Stevens under date of January li 1S9J, "I addressed a short note to Hon. Satn«el Parker, Hou. William H. Cornwell, Hon. John F. CoIburn, anel Hun. A. P. Peterson, no longer regaading them as Ministers in forming them that I /uul recoj nized the Provisional Governmeut.” It is plain, therefore, that at S')ine time before 4 o’eloek on tlie 17th of Jaimaiy, Mr. Stevens ha«l of !iis motion, clismissed Messrs Parver and others from their office and notified them, that he had recognized the Provisional 6overnment. And what makes this the more remarkable and, iueleeel, renders tbe proiupt snccess of insurgents inexplicahle, is. is we have seem7TTuit they themselves hud declared in tbeir letter thai they vere unahle to ni-' ted t/icin*elce8 wiihoul oid, and for that reason, prayed fur the protection «f the Uuited ,Statcs. forcēs. The exercise of eoimmm reasoning powers anel the injeetion of eommon seuse :uto discassion are not inhibited, even where grave diplomatic questions are concerned. Is it probable—we raight alin<>st ask. Is it pojvsible: that tbese men knowing their own inability to protect themselvos without aid and looking for proteetion only to the T nited States forces, conld have succeeded in subverting the government in these few hoars unless tliey had, at ie\i*t, the assorance of aid and encouragement frotn Mr. Stevens? That the action of Mr. Stevens, or at !enst his purposc. v as we!l known at au early hour on Jan. 17th, is plain, from tbe fact that the Queen’s abdication whs made on the same day, Jan. 17,1893. and tbat in the instrameut of resignation she recites that Mr. Steveas United8tates tro-.ps to be landed at Houulnlu uiul declared that he woulel supP°rt the said provisional govern: meut. ~ ,r - Mr Charles L. Carter, who visited the United States soon after the revolution. in tbe inter®sts ofthe Provisional Governw®ot. 16 very W roth at Her

M*jesty for this ill timed procla malion. Evidentlv. in his mind, it would have been more decorons for ber to wait nutil »11 these minor ra itters bad beeu settled to tbe satisfaction of Mr., Stevens and the Provisioaal Government. He s.-»ys that the Qneen's*protest was a ' tnck whieli now ro»kes clear to many of ns , what we tben considered her i •*ccwardly surrender. Inde- j j pendently of the f»ct that this , i sentence is nnintelligib!e, for a j "quibb!ing trick” is not apt to | make clear a "coward!y snrrender,” it does seem unfair to her to ase these hsrd wor>ls where ber conduct was so obviouslv proper and natnral. Bat he pours out a good deal more languflge upon her unj>rotected bead and npon tbose who vejatured to st ind by her to aid and abet her in hei dis ister. 1 hey • were "trick.-ters” they incorpor j ated a "wanton lie but "thnt lie did not act as an estoppel i aud he winds op with the preg- ; nant iuformation to the Seere- | tary that "national affairs ;ire ; not controlled as litigations in i counts of law. I nfortunately, i this is true. National aflfairs are i not alwavs controlled by sound i ru!es of justice and of truth. The weak are not aīways pn>tected; the strong are uot always bearing aud prudent. Jndgment d >es uot | alw.»ys follow justice. Mr. Car- ! ter is. no doubt, a very able and ! intelligeut man, whose character, i so far as we know. is uniinpeaeh- | ed and nninīpeaohahle, but his j defenee of Mr. Stevens and the insurrectionists would have been quite as strong if he had said less about the "tricksters” and tbeir I ! wanton lies. and had more clejirlv demonstrated "the migbty truth thnt inspired tbe course” of tbe insurrectioaists. One of the points raost botly contended for by the defenders of Mr. Stevens is that he on!y gave his recognition of the Pro- : visional Governraent as tiie de | facfo Goverunient of the islands, I affer the Coinmittee of S;ifety had I taken possession of the Governj raent bnildiugs, archives and j treasury, a u >1 nft er t he Provisional Government had been installed at the heads of these respective depart- ; ments. Possibly, this may be true, althongh very stong evidence to tbe contrary is otfered. It is possib!e that Mr. Stevens m;iv have actnallv deferred recou • P nition of the provisional government mitil snch occapation of the public 'bnildlngs, but that does | n*>t seetn to be tlie onlv, or : iudeed the imrmrt mt, question : in the case. If by his action, lie coerced the feeb!e adrninistration of the Queen to yield np its j power and to s:iccnmb before the ' anthority of the Uuited States, i then to argue that he should j esc ipe criticisni because of these i delays, is siinply pettifogging; The expression may be harsb, ; but it is a pmpor one. The truth i seems t«» Oe that he had arranged i the matters witb the insurrectionj ists; that the soldiers had bcen landed, that the moral forces at liis eommaml were nsed nnd the pliysical forces hekl readv for action, and when, nnder these j combined influences tbe governI ment resigned. he appe.tred for i t!ie first tmie formallv to recognize. an admiuistmtion of his | own creation. But even this attempt at palliation is disposed of by Jndge i DoIe. u gentleraan iu whom Mr. | places the highest eon- | fidence, aud wbose ver-tcitv he i the last man in tbe worid to imjieach. J«dge D le ■ writes on Januarv 17th . 1893, the j vtry day on whieh Mr. Stevens I refnsed any longer to regard j Messrs Parker and others as miii;sters, and s»vs: .. 1 acknowledge receipt of your valned coram nnicatinn of j t .? ,s d S v ™<*jnizingthe Uaieaiian ; 1 ronsiona! Govemrnent, and ; expressdeep appreciation of the same. T\ehave conferred with tbe mmisters of the late government. and have maile demand upon the marshal to snrrender station honse. We art not aeiual• ly yet tn po»se**ion of tke stalion house, but as night is approachinn and our jorces may be in*ufficienl to mainiam order, vx request the tmmediate support of Ihe Cniled &tatesjorces, etc.,” We must leave this highly respectable man, Jndge Dole, W recvm«iU hi» sUtem«nt,

with Mr. Stevens’ decl»ntion. lf Jadga D>le w»s tho truth. at a time when thero w-«> TTTTison why he shouW dis semble »>r disreg.rd it. >‘f the s.Ution Mr. Stev*ne a*jnihonōf tirPfovmomū ho* 77777~ Untn these two gentlebilve settled th.s ’ qnestiou. it must be assuroed. I with all the prol>abihties m i f lT or of the assumption, that Mr. I Stevens ha.l actn:illy. as he certainly bad in intent, «»coaraged. *ided and aheUeeL

7nsnrrevtiom, —The downfall of the mon .rcfcy j may or may not be a desirab!e event; the Queen may or may not be wh'*t her en-m;es cbarge. Ji.dge Dole and his associates i jn;»y absorb in theroselves all the cardinal and ojhS£. hnt ft Ts d fflcult for an impartial ra an to escape tbe conviction whatevt-r good. whatever credit. and wb itever praise may att »cli ! to the downfall of Queen Liiiu j okalaui belongs maiuly to Mr. Stevens. JudgeDoleandotherex eelleni men may have a just elaiin to a s.uall part of the success, j i bnt the chief actor is undoabtedI 1 v Mr. St<*veiia. Trnly he did it; \ aTd if it be part 6Ī the oeeo'pa- | tion of United States envoys to j act the j>art of international Don ; Quixotes, to ose their office, and [their power to sabvert govern- | ments that do nut suit their ; tastes, and to arrange uew establishments more to their own lik- | j ing, be has earned the gratiiude j of his countryinen. In the mean ( while lus zealous efforts ha\e 1b:ide it imperatiye upou our pep”pfe to decide how far they wjjl ratify liis ucts, tliereby. establishing precedents whleh are very sure, if foilo\ved, to rtlieye our interuation;»l relations from tbe rej»roach of being tame or mono *touous. F. R. Coudert. In Xorth Amcrican Revieio. The Adverti*er arauses itself bv j>rintiug a letter whieh aj> | peared iu t!ie Sexc York Sun > nnder the lieading "One Shot ; Fired” ;.n>l was sigued by Hawai- ; ian Ann Arbov. People farailiar I \vith the circumst »nces whieh 1 took plaee oa the 17th of Jan. 1 ! 1893, will e»sily realize that j Haieaiian lies. We have taken the trouble to interview Messrs Wilson and Fnrnat'.d z and we eau add our own knowledge in regard to the raatter referred to. in proving that ne.ther was , Mr. Fernaudez a spy for Mr. | AVilson, nor did tl.e marshal | depend upun liim for aiiv iuformj ation. It is equally untrue that a squad of armed j>oiice officers vvere around on the 17tli of j Junuary, waiting tho delivery of I arms froni E. O. Hall and Co, or that the few unarmed offioers did run when Mr. Go.>d— this tine acqnisition of the P. G.—firhd otf his gun and hit a poor officer. Anybody canversant with our atl‘airs will knuw tbat the revo- ■ 1ution was not depemling ou the fe\v persons who fur a large nmoant of cash ‘ did t!ie shooting a n d talking dnring tho mernor.»ble days of last ye r. It is imiewortby that a son »>f Frank Jiuld aud a son of Mr. Waterhouse are amongthe pupils of Ann Arbor, there to receive the superficial ; education (?) whieh the American ! contineut farmshes. If the eoin- I m«nication priuted m the Adver - j this rao.ning emanates fr<>m the | cbips of the oid blocts mentioned, i no oue will wonder that the j wnter has reached to a snper iative of lying. i The Star near!y overdid itself i la au t« be c..4ti..g, a ..d j Wittv *»t tho exjHJi.se ..f t:.« i*reuch Com.uissiouer. Mr. Yhrley needs not to feeUnnoyed over the msult whieh has been I otfored to him and his estimable : lady by the Star. That paper does not represeut tl.e tone ol the āociety amoag whom we hope that the French Commissioner shortly will find many congenial friends. The Star and tbe “rongh ’ elemont backing it mav know more abont the politica“l sitaation m the world than does the French Government. bnt we ane of the irapression that eveu Mr. Smith ol the Star, and Mr. Mullifaa of th« L«agae wili fiud

ont that all thoir inten» is to shnw their irr«’press'ble desire <>n«l willingaess to show the cloven hoofs as bears and boors.