Anniversary of President Cleveland's address to Congress


Today is the 110th anniversary of President Cleveland's message to Congress regarding the situation in Hawaii. If you haven't read it, read it! If you haven't read it recently, re-read it now! It is an eloquent and compelling statement that lays out clearly and passionately the illegality of U.S. intervention in Hawaii and calls for the restoration of Hawaii's legitimate government. (Note that the amnesty called for by the president for the traitors was acceded to by the queen.) Here's an excerpt:

The law of nations is founded upon reason and justice, and the rules of conduct governing individual relations between citizens or subjects of a civilized state are equally applicable as between enlightened nations. The considerations that international law is without a court for its enforcement, and that obedience to its commands practically depends upon good faith, instead of upon the mandate of a superior tribunal, only give additional sanction to the law itself and brand any deliberate infraction of it not merely as a wrong but as a disgrace. A man of true honor protects the unwritten word which binds his conscience more scrupulously, if possible, than he does the bond a breach of which subjects him to legal liabilities; and the United States in aiming to maintain itself as one of the most enlightened of nations would do its citizens gross injustice if it applied to its international relations any other than a high standard of honor and morality. On that ground the United States can not properly be put in the position of countenancing a wrong after its commission any more than in that of consenting to it in advance. On that ground it can not allow itself to refuse to redress an injury inflicted through an abuse of power by officers clothed with its authority and wearing its uniform; and on the same ground, if a feeble but friendly state is in danger of being robbed of its independence and its sovereignty by a misuse of the name and power of the United States, the United States can not fail to vindicate its honor and its sense of justice by an earnest effort to make all possible reparation.


Posted: Thu - December 18, 2003 at 10:58 AM    
   
 
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Published On: Dec 27, 2005 10:13 PM
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