James Blount | |
|---|---|
 Blountc. 1873 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromGeorgia's6th district | |
| In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1893 | |
| Preceded by | William P. Price |
| Succeeded by | Thomas B. Cabaniss |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1837-09-12)September 12, 1837 Georgia, United States |
| Died | March 8, 1903(1903-03-08) (aged 65) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Children | Dorothy |
| Alma mater | University of Georgia |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Confederate States |
| Branch/service | Confederate States Army United States Army |
| Years of service | 4 years |
James Henderson Blount (September 12, 1837 – March 8, 1903) was an American politician, Confederate army soldier and congressman from Georgia. He opposed the annexation of Hawaii in 1893 in his investigation into the American involvement in the political revolution in theKingdom of Hawai'i.
Blount was born nearClinton,Jones County, Georgia. He attended private schools there and inTuscaloosa,Alabama. He graduated from theUniversity of Georgia atAthens in 1858. He studied law and was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1859. During theAmerican Civil War he served in theConfederate States Army as a private in the Second Georgia Battalion, Floyd Rifles for two years, and was laterlieutenant colonel for two years.
Blount served in theUnited States Congress representing the sixth district ofGeorgia from 1873 to 1893. He was part of the faction of Southern Democrats known as theRedeemers.[1] He was Chairman of theHouse Committee on Foreign Relations (1891–1893).
After acoup overthrew QueenLili'uokalani ofHawai'i in January 1893, the new government sought to be annexed by the United States. PresidentBenjamin Harrison was supportive and sent a treaty to the Senate. His successor, PresidentGrover Cleveland, a Democrat, opposed annexation and sent Blount, now a private citizen, to investigate. The report he issued on July 17, 1893 is known as theBlount Report.
Blount recommended the rejection of annexation and stated that the natives should be allowed to continue their ways. When Blount blamed the U.S. consul for providing assistance for the overthrow, Cleveland proposed to use American military force to overthrow the new government by force and reinstall Liliʻuokalani as an absolute monarch. When the deposed Queen refused to grant amnesty as a condition of her reinstatement, she was accused of telling an American official she would "behead" the current government leaders and confiscate their property,[2] Cleveland referred the matter to Congress.
The U.S. Senate, under Democratic control but angered at being shut out of a major foreign policy issue by Cleveland, then produced its own report, written by SenatorJohn Morgan, a Democrat, and known as theMorgan Report. It completely contradicted Blount's findings and found the revolution in Hawaii was a completely internal affair. Following the Turpie Resolution of May 1894, which vowed a policy of non-interference in Hawaiian affairs, Cleveland dropped all talk of reinstating the Queen and went on to officially recognize and maintain diplomatic relations with theRepublic of Hawaii. Other nations had already recognized the Republic. In 1898, the Republic again sought annexation, which withMcKinley's strong support won Congressional approval.[3]
Blount died at the age of 65 inMacon,Bibb County, Georgia, and was buried at theRose Hill Cemetery inMacon, Georgia.
He is the namesake to the community ofBlount, Georgia.[4]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromGeorgia's 6th congressional district March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1893 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | United States Minister to Hawaii 1893 | Succeeded by |
| Post Office and Post Roads (1808–1947) |  | |
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| (Reform in the) Civil Service* (1893–1947) | ||
| Post Office and Civil Service (1947–1995) | ||
| Note | *Name shortened fromReform in the Civil Service toCivil Service in 1925. | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
