No. 9.
Affidavit of Paul
Neumann.
Hawaiian Islands, Island of Oahu, ss:
Paul Neumann, being duly sworn, on his oath deposes and says: That he is a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu, and that he has resided there during the last nine years prior to this date.
Affiant says that he was in Honolulu on the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th of January, 1893. That on the 14th day of January, about 2 o’clock p.m., Hon. W. O. Smith, the present attorney-general of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands, invited this affiant to come to his (Smith’s) law office, where a number of other citizens called shortly after affiant’s arrival, and the persons assembled were then informed that the Queen had requested her cabinet to join her in proclaiming a new constitution, which the cabinet refused to do, and wished to know whether the community would sustain the ministers in their refusal. A unanimous expression of those present followed that they would sustain the ministers in their course.
Some one then suggested that Mr. Stevens be requested to land troops from the Boston to assist the people in resisting the desire of the Queen. A few of the persons present opposed this movement, and affiant can not state what steps, if any, were taken by those who sought the armed intervention of the United States forces.
The persons assembled as aforesaid prepared a list of those who decided to sustain the Queen’s cabinet in their course, and said list was signed by a number of persons, including affiant, at that time and place.
On Monday, the 16th of January, in the afternoon, troops of the U. S. S. Boston were landed, and after one squad had been left at the U. S. consulate and another at the U. S. legation, the main body, including the battery, were stationed between the government building and [Page 639] the palace, at the instance, as we were informed, of Mr. John L. Stevens, then U. S. minister plenipotentiary, etc.
On the preceding Saturday and Sunday, and on the Monday when the troops were landed, as well as at all times thereafter, the town and country was in profound peace and tranquillity, and the sudden and unexpected landing of a large body of troops and the battery created great surprise, and was ascribed generally to the intention of Mr. Stevens and Captain Wiltse to assist in the establishment of a Provisional Government, a movement which had been hinted by Wiltse and Stevens at various times, acccording to the information which a number of people had at that time.
The pretext that the troops were landed to protect American lives and property was spurious and false; both lives and property were as safe here and as unlikely to be threatened or disturbed as in Kennebec, Maine, and the sole object of Mr. Stevens and Captain Wiltse was to abet and assist, not alone by intimidation, but by actual violence the revolutionary movement headed by Mr. L. A. Thurston and other persons belonging to his party.
In making this statement affiant refers to the replies of Mr. Stevens to the protest of the cabinet and of the governor of Oahu, copies of which affiant believes are in the possession of the U. S. Government.
Mass meetings of foreigners and natives were respectively held on Monday afternoon, which in themselves showed that no outbreak of any kind was impending, and both meetings had peaceably and quietly adjourned before the Boston forces were landed.
On Tuesday, the 17th of January, Mr. Peterson and Mr. Parker, members of Queen Liliuokalani’s cabinet, about 3 o’clock in the after-noon, informed affiant that Mr. Stevens had told them categorically that he would support with the Uniedd States forces a Provisional Government if such were proclaimed, and Mr. Peterson, when asked by affiant what reply Mr. Stevens had made to their protest against the landing of the Boston forces, showed to affiant the letter from Mr. Stevens recognizing the new government.
The following is a copy of Mr. Stevens’ reply to Mr. Cleghorn:
United States
Legation,
Honolulu, Jan.
17th, 1893.
Sir: Yours of yesterday, the 16th, regarding the landing of the United States naval force at Honolulu, is received. I have carefully read its terms and import. My responsibility as the United States minister plenipotentiary at this critical time in Hawaiian affairs it is impossible for me to ignore. I assure you that, in whatever responsibility the American diplomatic and naval representatives have assumed or may assume, we shall do our utmost to regard the welfare of all persons and interests concerned.
Yours sincerely with kindest consideration,
John L. Stevens.
Hon. A. S. Cleghorn,
Governor of Oahu.
Affiant suggested to Peterson and Parker to obtain from Stevens a written declaration of his intention to support the revolutionary movement by the U. S. troops, but affiant can not state if such a declaration was delivered to them. About two hours after affiant had been made aware of Mr. Stevens’s attitude toward the lawful Hawaiian Government, and of his instantaneous recognition of the revolutionary government, if in fact that recognition was not made and delivered to the leaders of the revolution before any Provisional Government was at all proclaimed, affiant was requested to call at the Palace, when he met the Queen [Page 640] and her Cabinet and a number of citizens, including Mr. J. O. Carter, Mr. Macfarlane, Judge Widemann, and Mr. S. M. Damon, who discussed the situation, and after the statement was repeated that Mr. Stevens had unqualifiedly stated that he would by force of arms sustain the Provisional Government, and had in fact given it official recognition before it had a lawful existence, and the further fact was stated to affiant that the U. S. legation had been at various times the meeting place of the persons who conspired to overthrow the Hawaiian Government, affiant among others advised the Queen to accede under protest to the request of Mr. Dole to surrender the station house and barracks, and advised to disband the persons who had been sworn in and armed to preserve law and order.
Affiant drafted the protest, and after Mr. Dole, the President of the revolutionary faction, had acknowledged in writing the receipt of the Queen’s protest, the order was given to the marshal, who thereupon, between 7 and 9 o’clock p.m., disbanded the men and subsequently but whether that night or the next day affiant does not know, delivered the possession of the station house and its contents to some representative of the Provisional Government. Affiant can not state when the barracks were delivered to the revolutionary party but believes that it was done on Wednesday the 18th of January.
Notary Public, Island of Oahu.