The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-06-26
THE NEW GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA

THE NEW GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA.
The return of the L. S. S. Tusoarora to port
en- Sunday last, has enabled us t. place before
oar readers some interesting facts, gathered incl
dentally by our reporter, in regard to the Samoan
Islands and the object Of the TnSoorora's visit
there beyond the conveying Of Colonel A. B.
Steinborger as Commissioner of the United States.
. IL appears that the Samoans, who had con-
ceivei a very high opinion Of and attachment to
Colonel Steinberger, welcomed his arrival with
every manifestation of JOY, as their friend, for
whose return they had been anxiously hoping for
nearly two years. In fact, 70 use the expression
Of an officer of the TuSoarora, . they look upon
him as their Moses" AS in the earlier times of
the Hawaiian Islands, each had its chief claiming
sovereignty over the land and the people, 30 at
Samoa there happened to be two families, each
desiring to maintain their separate independence,
and war between them was a consequence. For
a number Of years there had been battles, hap
psning at intervals of n year. In these strug-
giles the rights Of neutrals-in other words of
foreign residents-were not always respected.
Their crops and other property were sometimes
destroyed, for which they sought redress from the
Samoan chiefs. Amongst them were a number
Of citizens Of the United States domiciled in the
islands, who represented their grievances to their
Government, and asked its interposition in their
behalf. Upon the arrival of the TuscGrora, a
naval court of enquiry was convened by Captain
Erben, composed of the principal officers of his
ship. for the purpose of enquiring into and de-
Gliding the cases brought before it. Every case
was thoroughly sifted and Judgment rendered by
the court, whose findings and decisions go to the
Sate Department at Washington for it's final
action. The decisions were made known to the
Samoans, and by them accepted as Just and salts
factory.
1t is presumed that Captain Erben was in
structed to cooperate with Colopel Steinberger in
any measure that was deemed necessary to the
success Of that g~entleman's mission. The first
object of the Commissioner was to compromise
the rival interests of the chiefs, and obtain their
assent to a consolidation of the whole group
under one Government. That being successfully
accomplished, the organization Of a government
under one head was readily acquiesced in, the
form of which seems to be a representative mon
archy, under a king with a four years. tenure of
Office, restricting the dynasty to two families
recognized by the Samoans as of highest lineage.
Provision is made for suudry cabinet officers, the
1'6h~o ~ hbASh Ao Il ACAuACl hulCu DO5ltlOu vac
conferred upon Colonel Steinberger. A consti-
tuition, most of the principal features of which
are modelled from that of the United States, was
accepted, adopted and ratified by the King
CMalietOa) and chiefs. and hailed with entire
satisfaction by the people.
The population of the entire group, in 1874, is
stated by the Wesleyan missionaries to have been
80, Io4, ana included in this are some 200 Euro
1900 on1 Apo;oaoo opd -nn ,ot;ros - oEbo.
parts of Polynesia. The native race is reported
as splendidly formed, of remarkably fine char
acter and possessing more than the average intel
lect and intelligence of the inhabitants of other
parts of Polynesia. They are generally well ed
ucated in the common rudiments, and well in
structed in religion. In those of the islands to
which the wars have not extended, the population
ts on the increase.
Lieutenant Geo. A. Norris, Of the Tuscarora,
was bearer of dispatches from the new Govern
ment of Samoa to that of Hawaii, transmitting
to HIS Majesty Kalakaua q copy of the C%onstitu-
ton as adopted, and requesting a formal recog-
milton of the independence of the Kingdom of
Samoa.
In closing this mere summary of a few selected
from a volume of interesting facts in regard to
the Samoan Islands, their people and Govern
ment, it may be well to add, that an event so
novel as the sudden s~pringing into existence as a
nation of an island people, will attract great
interest in the old civilized countries, and first
accounts may be exaggerated by the enthusiasm
of those who participated in the work of placing
a new nation on the map of the world-new at
least in now taking the form Of a Government of
laws. 1t may be well to take cum grano sails
some of those first accounts. 1t often happens
that people fond of adventure-and these are to
be found eyerywhere-hurry off to newly discov-
cred gold d~iggings, or to distant islands supposed
to promise fortunes in a short time. Overdrawn
or exaggerated accounts of such places are calcu-
lated to arouse the slumbering spirit of adventure
in great cities, and entice many reckless men to
flock to the new Eldorado. We think it would
be well for the newspapers in publishing letters
Of correspondents to caution against and dissuade
people from taking too much for granted in
regard to the Samoan Islands, until the new
Government has had a trial, its resources are
more developed, and its ability to sustain a new
and greater population is fully ascertained.
In this connection it may be well to state, that
so far as regards the present commercial interests
of the islands, Cobra Tor dried cocoanut) is the
principal article of export, and this has been a
quasi monopoly of the German house of Goddefroy
& Co. Very little can as yet be predicated of the
other productions, though cotton, sugar, and
some other articles of value to the old nations it
is said grow there, and may eventually become of
sufficient importance to invite the establishment
of more business houses than can be maintained
in the present status of the islands.
The following extracts from a letter received
here from an English missionary long resident on
the Samoan group, and which We are permitted
to copy, will be read with interest
Col. Steinberger has been received with great
gladuess by nearly all the people. \ very few,
who are Roman Catholics, seem not altogether
pleased. The fact is the priests party has been