Seventy years ago, Christian America sent over Christian men and women to give religion and civilization to Hawaii. They gave us the gospel. They made us a nation, and we learned to love and trust America. To-day, three of the • sons of those missionaries are at your capitol, asking you to undo their father's work. Who sent them? Who gave them authority to break the constitution which they swore they would uphold?

To-day, I, a poor, weak girl, with not one of my people near me, and with all these Hawaiian statesmen against me, have strength to stand up for the rights of my people. Even now I can hear a wail in my heart, and it gives me strength and courage, and I am strong-strong in the faith of God, strong in the knowledge that I am right, strong in the strength of 70,000,000 of people, who in this free land will hear my cry, and will refuse to let their flag cover dishonor to mine."

of her gracious hostess. She published her farewell address to the people of the United States, March 21st, and sailed the same day for Liverpool.

WITHDRAWAL OF THE TREATY.

The President was inaugurated on Saturday, March 4, 1893. On Monday, the 6th, the Senate met in special session to confirm the appointment of his Cabinet. On Thursday, the 9th, the Senate held its next session, when the President sent in a message, withdrawing from their consideration the treaty negotiated with Hawaii. This he did without assigning any reasons or stating his intentions.

The new Secretary of State, Mr. Gresham, told Commissioner Thurston on the 10th, that "with insignificant knowledge of facts and of detail, they desired time for consideration of the subject, and the treaty had been withdrawn for that purpose." On the same day he intimated to Admiral Brown his impression that "some kind of a job was mixed up in the matter."

On the same day Secretary Hoke Smith telegraphed to Mr. Blount of Macon, Georgia, asking him to "come prepared for a confidential trip of great importance" to Honolulu. From that day on the President became inaccessible to the Hawaiian Commissioners, and from that time on they could obtain no information as to the intentions of the Administration concerning Hawaii.

Messrs. Wilder and Marsden of the Hawaiian Commission speedily returned home. Mr. Castle followed later, arriving in Honolulu, April 7th, in company with the ex-Queen's commissioners and Mr. Nordhoff. Mr. C. L. Carter remained at Washington during Mr. Thurston's absence at Chicago; but the Secretary constantly declined to allow him any opportunity of making a statement on behalf of the Provisional Government. J. Mott Smith was superseded as Hawaiian Minister at Washington by Mr. L. A. Thurston, who was officially received as Minister by President Cleveland, June 9, 1895.

The President in replying to Thurston's address, said in part: "I beg to assure you that our people and Government are at all times willing and anxious to strengthen and multiply the ties of friendship which bind us to the people of Hawaii. To this end no effort on our part shall be neglected which is consistent with our traditional national policy, and which is not violative of that devotion to popular rights which underlies every American conception of free government."

CHAPTER V.

THE MISSION OF COMMISSIONER BLOUNT.

As already shown, President Cleveland was deeply impressed by the statements contained in the Queen's protest. and in the precis, (drawn up by the same hand), to the effect.

that she had yielded only to the superior force of the United States, and now appealed to his sense of justice to "undo a great wrong," in which he probably imagined that he saw the far reaching hand of his former rival for the Presidency. His suspicions were also excited by the haste with which the treaty had been negotiated during the last month of the preceding administration.

Accordingly he determined to send a special commissioner to investigate all the circumstances attending the late revolution, and to report on the expediency of annexation. For this important duty he chose the Hon. James H. Blount of Macon, Georgia, who had commanded a regiment in the confederate army during the civil war. For eighteen years he had served as a member of the House of Representatives, and during the 52d Congress had been Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs in that body.

Mr. Blount received his written instructions March 11, just one week after President Cleveland's inauguration. The Secretary of State also verbally instructed him to remove the American flag which had been hoisted over the Government building in Honolulu. His instructions were as follows:

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, March 11th, 1895.

HON. JAMES H. BLOUNT, etc. SirThe situation created in the Hawaiian Islands by the recent deposition of Queen Liliuokalani and the erection

of a Provisional Government demands the fullest consideration of the President, and in order to obtain trustworthy information on the subject, as well as for the discharge of other duties herein specified, he has decided to dispatch you to the Hawaiian Islands as his special commissioner, in which capacity you will herewith receive a commission and also a letter, whereby the President accredits you to the president of the executive and advisory councils of the Hawaiian Islands.

The comprehensive, delicate and confidential character of your mission can now only be briefly outlined, the details of its execution being necessarily left, in a great measure, to your good judgment and wise discretion.

You will investigate and fully report to the President all the facts you can learn respecting the condition of affairs. in the Hawaiian Islands, the causes of the revolution by which the Queen's Government was overthrown, the sentiment of the people toward existing authority, and, in general, all that can fully enlighten the President touching the subjects of your mission.

To enable you to fulfill this charge, your authority in all matters touching the relations of this Government to the existing or other government of the Islands, and the protection of our citizens therein, is paramount, and in you alone, acting in co-operation with the commander of the naval forces, is vested full discretion and power to determine when such forces should be landed or withdrawn.

You are, however, authorized to avail yourself of such aid and information as you may desire from the present Minister of the United States at Honolulu, Mr. John L. Stevens, who will continue until further notice to perform the usual functions attaching to his office not inconsistent with the powers intrusted to you. An instruction will be sent to Mr. Stevens, directing him to facilitate your presentation to the head of the Government upon your arrival, and to render you all needed assistance.

The withdrawal from the Senate of the recently signed treaty of annexation, for re-examination by the President, leaves its subject-matter in abeyance, and you are not charged with any duty in respect thereto. It may be well, however, for you to dispel any misapprehension which its withdrawal may have excited touching the entire friendliness of the President and the Government of the United States toward the people of the Hawaiian Islands or the earnest solicitude here felt for their welfare, tranquillity and progress.

Historical precedents and the general course of the United States authorize the employment of its armed force in foreign territory for the security of the lives and property of American citizens, and for the repression of lawless and tumultuous acts threatening them; and the powers CODferred to that end upon the representatives of the United States are both necessary and proper, subject always to the exercise of a sound discretion in their application.