unjustly, to the imputation of seeking to establish the claim of our
neighbors to a territory with a view to its subsequent acquisition by
ourselves." This is in marked contrast with the hasty recognition of a
government openly and concededly set up for the purpose of tendering to
us territorial annexation.

I believe that a candid and thorough examination of the facts will force
the conviction that the Provisional Government owes its existence to
an armed invasion by the United States. Fair-minded people, with the
evidence before them, will hardly claim that the Hawaiian Government
was overthrown by the people of the islands or that the Provisional
Government had ever existed with their consent. I do not understand that
any member of this Government claims that the people would uphold it by
their suffrages if they were allowed to vote on the question.

While naturally sympathizing with every effort to establish a republican
form of government, it has been the settled policy of the United States
to concede to people of foreign countries the same freedom and
independence in the management of their domestic affairs that we have
always claimed for ourselves, and it has been our practice to recognize
revolutionary governments as soon as it became apparent that they were
supported by the people. For illustration of this rule I need only to
refer to the revolution in Brazil in 1889, when our minister was
instructed to recognize the Republic "so soon as a majority of the
people of Brazil should have signified their assent to its establishment
and maintenance;" to the revolution in Chile in 1891, when our minister
was directed to recognize the new Government "if it was accepted by the
people," and to the revolution in Venezuela in 1892, when our
recognition was accorded on condition that the new Government was "fully
established, in possession of the power of the nation, and accepted by