402	HAWAIIAN   ISLANDS.
opportunities for power and spoliation, will be  gone if annexation 
becomes a fact.
The Hawaiian pear is now fully ripe, and this is the golden hour for 
the United States to pluck it. If annexation does not take place 
promptly, all is held in doubt and suspense for six or ten months, there 
certainly will be here a revulsion to despair, and these people, by their 
necessities, might be forced towards becoming a British colony, for the 
English here of the monarchial type would then avail themselves of 
their opportunity and stir up all possible opposition to annexation. 
The wealthiest Englishman of these islands has today called at this 
legation, and no man in Hawaii is more earnest for annexation. His 
two sons, large business men, are with him in this regard, and the next 
old British resident, a Scotchman by birth, is with the man first named 
for annexation. I can not otherwise than urge prompt action at Wash- 
ington.
I am, etc.,
JOHN L. STEVENS.
Mr. Stevens to Mr. Foster.
No. 83.]	LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Honolulu, February 1, 1893.
SIR: In my No. 81, by this mail, I have given information as to the 
going of Paul Neumann to Washington by this steamer to represent the 
interests of the fallen Queen. I have since learned that it is not im- 
probable that there also will go to Washington, of the Queen's faction, 
Mr. H. A. Widemann and Mr. C. O. Berger. The former is a Hessian 
German who came to these islands nearly forty years ago. He is 
married to a pure native wife, and has acquired property through his 
relations to natives and by the American sugar tariff under reciprocity. 
His views are widely different from all the other principal Germans 
here. His relations have been close with the fallen Queen and he was 
voted out of her cabinet early in the session of the recent Legislature, 
all of the best members voting against him. He is, and always has been, 
strongly anti-American. He was of the small clique in Honolulu bit- 
terly against us from 1861 to 1865. He was the leading man of the 
only five who, in the Legislature two years since, voted to put an end 
to all further negotiations with the United States. For years he has 
had relations with the English minister here, though the latter has not 
always approved of Widemann's eccentricities, for which the latter is 
well known.
Widemann is 70 years of age, somewhat broken, and says he is going 
only to California for his health. He takes with him Mr. O. C. Berger, 
his son-in-law, a German or a Swede, who came here from the United 
States. Berger is reputed to be of few scruples. He was a member 
of the recent Legislature, always voted with the thieves, voted for the 
lottery franchise, and had "a job" with the recent Government which 
made much talk here unfavorable to Berger. It is thought now that 
he cares little for the old palace dynasty, but goes only to please and 
to take care of the health of Widemann,* of whose property, as son-in- 
law, he hopes soon to share. Possibly Widemann and Berger tell the
* It is now understood here that Widemann goes to Washington with Paul Neu- 
mann. Both of them have taken tickets for the steamer which leaves here tomorrow 
for San Francisco.

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