Question
To the Congress of the United States:
. . . While our foreign relations have not at all times during the past year been entirely free
from perplexity, no embarrassing situation remains that will not yield to the spirit of fairness
and love of justice which, joined with consistent firmness, characterize a truly American
foreign policy.
It is hardly necessary for me to state that the questions arising from our relations with
Hawaii have caused serious embarrassment. Just prior to the installation of the present
Administration the existing Government of Hawaii had been suddenly overthrown and a
treaty of annexation had been negotiated between the Provisional Government of the islands
and the United States and submitted to the Senate for ratification. This treaty I withdrew for
examination and dispatched Hon. James H. Blount, of Georgia, to Honolulu as a special
commissioner to make an impartial investigation of the circumstances attending the change of
government and of all the conditions bearing upon the subject of the treaty. After a thorough
and exhaustive examination Mr. Blount submitted to me his report, showing beyond all
question that the constitutional Government of Hawaii had been subverted with the active
aid of our representative to that Government and through the intimidation caused by the
presence of an armed naval force of the United States, which was landed for that purpose at
the instance of our minister. Upon the facts developed it seemed to me the only honorable
course for our Government to pursue was to undo the wrong that had been done by those
representing us and to restore as far as practicable the status existing at the time of our
forcible intervention. With a view of accomplishing this result within the constitutional limits
of executive power, and recognizing all our obligations and responsibilities growing out of
any changed conditions brought about by our unjustifiable interference, our present minister
at Honolulu has received appropriate instructions to that end. Thus far no information of the
accomplishment of any definite results has been received from him.
Additional advices are soon expected. When received they will be promptly sent to the
Congress, together with all other information at hand, accompanied by a special Executive
message fully detailing all the facts necessary to a complete understanding of the case and
presenting a history of all the material events leading up to the present situation.
make it shorter
. . . While our foreign relations have not at all times during the past year been entirely free
from perplexity, no embarrassing situation remains that will not yield to the spirit of fairness
and love of justice which, joined with consistent firmness, characterize a truly American
foreign policy.
It is hardly necessary for me to state that the questions arising from our relations with
Hawaii have caused serious embarrassment. Just prior to the installation of the present
Administration the existing Government of Hawaii had been suddenly overthrown and a
treaty of annexation had been negotiated between the Provisional Government of the islands
and the United States and submitted to the Senate for ratification. This treaty I withdrew for
examination and dispatched Hon. James H. Blount, of Georgia, to Honolulu as a special
commissioner to make an impartial investigation of the circumstances attending the change of
government and of all the conditions bearing upon the subject of the treaty. After a thorough
and exhaustive examination Mr. Blount submitted to me his report, showing beyond all
question that the constitutional Government of Hawaii had been subverted with the active
aid of our representative to that Government and through the intimidation caused by the
presence of an armed naval force of the United States, which was landed for that purpose at
the instance of our minister. Upon the facts developed it seemed to me the only honorable
course for our Government to pursue was to undo the wrong that had been done by those
representing us and to restore as far as practicable the status existing at the time of our
forcible intervention. With a view of accomplishing this result within the constitutional limits
of executive power, and recognizing all our obligations and responsibilities growing out of
any changed conditions brought about by our unjustifiable interference, our present minister
at Honolulu has received appropriate instructions to that end. Thus far no information of the
accomplishment of any definite results has been received from him.
Additional advices are soon expected. When received they will be promptly sent to the
Congress, together with all other information at hand, accompanied by a special Executive
message fully detailing all the facts necessary to a complete understanding of the case and
presenting a history of all the material events leading up to the present situation.
make it shorter
Answers
GPT-4o mini
To the Congress of the United States:
Our foreign relations have faced challenges over the past year, but there are no ongoing issues that cannot be resolved with fairness and justice. The situation in Hawaii has been particularly troubling. Just before this Administration took office, the existing Government of Hawaii was overthrown, leading to a negotiated treaty of annexation with the Provisional Government, which I later withdrew for review. I dispatched Hon. James H. Blount to conduct an impartial investigation.
His report revealed that the constitutional Government of Hawaii was subverted with the active assistance of our representative and the intimidation from a U.S. naval presence. In light of these findings, I believe the honorable course is to rectify the wrongs caused by our intervention and restore the original government as much as possible. To this end, our minister in Honolulu has been instructed accordingly, although we have yet to see definitive results.
Further updates are expected and will be communicated to Congress, along with a detailed account of the situation and events leading to it.
Our foreign relations have faced challenges over the past year, but there are no ongoing issues that cannot be resolved with fairness and justice. The situation in Hawaii has been particularly troubling. Just before this Administration took office, the existing Government of Hawaii was overthrown, leading to a negotiated treaty of annexation with the Provisional Government, which I later withdrew for review. I dispatched Hon. James H. Blount to conduct an impartial investigation.
His report revealed that the constitutional Government of Hawaii was subverted with the active assistance of our representative and the intimidation from a U.S. naval presence. In light of these findings, I believe the honorable course is to rectify the wrongs caused by our intervention and restore the original government as much as possible. To this end, our minister in Honolulu has been instructed accordingly, although we have yet to see definitive results.
Further updates are expected and will be communicated to Congress, along with a detailed account of the situation and events leading to it.