Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 4, 1 April 2011 — President Cleveland responds [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

President Cleveland responds

As we reported issue of Ka Lei , Cleveland the U.S. Senate

in the last issue, the hnal , Momi, about President sending his response to about the Hawaii question,

# ®he fulfilled what he stated, and on the ship Arawa it was heard that on the 18th of December he did submit his document pertaining to the question, whieh was announced by our English papers. The things that he brought forth and presented to the Senate is that he is going to support the rights of our side, speaking strongly about the restoration of the Queen. There will be no way for the plunderers to evade that response, for "struck by the bitter thrust," and "saggy hipped" are those great rascals, like Stevens, Thurston, Dole, Judd, Smith and so on, including "crowds, like in Kailua, and throngs, as found in Kaneohe."

In the first section of the President's document he listed the account of the things that he had done on the part of Executive power, and due to obstructions that arose in that country and here in Hawaii, it was decided to submit it for the Legislature to analyze and to decide the proper things that should be done. He also listed the things done here prior to and following that unforgettable past January 17, and his assaults upon Stevens' wantoness, mischief and desire to annex Hawaii with the United States were strong indeed. He also reported that Stevens hadlong ago intended to do just that and the letters that that scoundrel had sent to his government were displayed, and some of those letters had been written on the 8th of March, 1892. Included in the response document was that unsuccessful journey of Thurston and company, to give away Hawaii, and it was reported that President Harrison had believed

TRANSLATION OFARTICLE By Puakea Nogelmeier

To read the original Hawaiian-language artide, visitwww.nupepa.org and search for Ka Makaainana, Jan. 1, 1894, page 5.

the deceits of the rebels, and stated wrongly in his address to the Senate, "The overthrow of the Kingdom was in no way urged by this Government." The President reported about sending Mr. Blount here as a commissioner to seek all the information about that question and also his command and advice to Minister Willis, and he also submitted all of the testimonies and documents acquired by Mr. Blount and Mr. Willis. Nothing was left hidden, but the full length and breadth was exposed and left open to criticism of the form from top to bottom. The President also clarified about how that government's clear aggression as a result of the actions of its officer without authority from the Legislature, the government of a friendly and trusting nation was overthrown, and therefore, a wrong was enacted upon them, and it is only fitting that the govemment repair that wrong whieh was done, and that the rights of the people who were harmed and distressed should be cherished as is customary for them.

And indeed, whereas the Provisional Government has not assumed any stability nor has sought the support of the populaee, but the Envoys on their side have, in fact, spoken rudely about the inability of the Hawaiian people to intelligently govern, and about how they should be strongly and forcefully done away with. However, the United States of America ean never be thrust into a position of approving a clear wrong that has been done, after said wrong has actually been carried out, and ean never agree to them moving forward on that premise. That nation ean never refuse to repair the damage that has been

done, following the antagonistic actions of officers cloaked with the authority they acquired along with the uniforms they wore, and upon a foundation likened to a feeble but friendly nation being caused distress, and it was nearly as though its independence was stolen, or its governing authority, as a result of wrongdoings in the name and the authority of the United States of America, yet clearly the United States of America cannot shy away fromburnishing the cherished pride and good intentions by striving to make all repairs to the damages done in its name and authority. In the last section of that docu-

ment, the President expressed his great desire that he should be able to carry out the things clarified above, with the explanation that the Queen and the Provisional government had eaeh submitted this question to the United States of America, with it being understood via a proclamation of the Provisional Govemment that they had limited their term to be until annexation with that Govemment was gained. He was hopeful that settlement could be gained peacefully, and because of that wish, he advised Minister Willis to report to the Queen and her people about the President's readiness to restore her to the position she held prior to the landing of the soldiers of the Boston on the 16th of January, if however, that restoration could be carried out under the terms of general amnesty for all the persons involved in that overthrow and the continuance of the restored govemment carrying out its authority as though it had never met with the upset. The Queen denied the appropriateness of these terms, however, she was informed that those would be

terms upon whieh the United States of America would insist regarding her restoration and if her consent was not gained, then that govemment would step away from assisting the restoration of Hawaii to its previous position. Whereas he had not again heard from Minister Willis about the amnesty, he was unclear on that point, and following the public's agitation, thus this separate submittal was made to the Legislature without resubmitting the annexation treaty to the Senate, that house of the Legislature of that govemment. The President ended that document by submitting the work into the broader ministrations and expansive deliberations of the Legislature, adding his intention about his readiness to assist in any effort considered by the Legislature for coming to terms with the outcome of this question, in accordance with the dignity, the sincerity and the righteousness of the United States of America. Ka Makaainana is also hopeful about that righteousness and the restoration of this land. ■

Grover Cleveland

Minister Albert Willis

President Benjamin Harrision

Queen Lili'uokalani