Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-02-15
SEWALL INVITED TO RESIGN.
BAYARD THINKS HE CAN GET
ALONG WITHOUT HIM.

What the Deposed COnsul-General
Has to Say About Samoan Affairs.
When the president told Harold NJ. Sewall
Of Maine, our consulgeneral to Samoa, on
Saturday last, that he did not intend to send
him back to Samoa, he thought Sewall
would take the hint and resign, Sewall
waited a few days to see what the state de-
partment, which had ordered him to remain
mere, would order him to do. On Thursday
he received formal request for his resigna-
ton from the secretary of state. The reasons
actuating the president and Secretary Bay
ard are found, first, in the complaints made
against Sewall by Bismarck, and, second, in
Sewairs course before tho sonate committee
on foreign relations in opposition to the adj
ministration's policy.
Mr. Sewall said tonight that he supposed
his removal was due to the testimony he gave
before the senate committee on foreign
affairs. Speaking of his views of Samoan
affairs, Mr. Sewal said: Il believe that the
deposition of Maliaspa was determined upon
before the confereNe of the three powers be-
gan, and that it was the German intention to
carry out tho policy it had decided upon re
gardless of that conference. The purpose OF
Germany Is to secure control Of Samoa in
defiance Of the solemn and repeated assur-
ances it has given to our government. Eur
thermore, believe that Lord Salisbury is a
pal ty to this scheme, and that the movement
against Samoa Is only the precursor OF an
Anglo-German attempt to secure supremacy
in the Hawaiian islands.
81 concur with Mr.. Bates our late COM
missioner to Samoa, in his published opinion
that Admiral Kimberly can accomplish
from tho ctptn
department.. Mr.. Bayard expects Admiral
Kimberly to succeed In doing by protest
what he has been trying, without success, to
do for a year. Does Mr.. Bayard suppose
protest will turn Germany from the course
She has been steadily pursuing? Com
mander Leary and Mullen have protested,
and their protests have been received
expect Admi al Kimberly will be
treated any better' I believe with Sec
retary Whitney that definite policy should
be adopted in Samoa. To send our ships
there with only their present instructions is
simply to subject t. cir officers and men to
humiliation, or, as Secretary Whitney (using
polite term out Of respect, I suppose to
Mr. Bayard) terms, Irritating conditions"
from which their self-respect makes them re-
volt But Secretary Bayard cannot punish
| Secretary Whitney or Mr. Bates. | am the
weakest, and am, therefore, singled out for
sacrifice"
Mr.. Sewall said that, whatever his person
al opini of the attitude of Mr.. Bayard In
! Samoan affairs might be- he had during his
entire term of service Loyalty and implicitly
! followed the secreta US instructions, not
withstandiug tn placed him in false and
humiliating position. Said he: "As the rep
resentat We Of the government to which our
citizans locked for prote tion, / was forced
to see indignities inflicted upon them, their
property seizet and their trade destroyed. l
had no power, whatever, to give them re
dress"
In reply to an inquiry as to whether Ger
man aggression had been going on for so long
a time, Mr. Sewal said that the recent news
! from Samoa, which had so arous the coun-
! try, was only a repetition of what had hap
pened before.
'Why," said he, "a great stir has been
made by the annou cement that martial law
has been declared by Germany in Apia; but
this is not the first time the German consul
mas declared martial law in force. German
sentries even before the Americans had been
deprived of their right to a joint voice in the
government of the town, had been com
manded to shoot Cuntil deadly men not an
swering the challenge and the notice giving
warning Of this was posted in German script
only. An American banL er had been torn
down by Germans and tramped on.
'When war was declared against MalietOa
Apia was occupied without notice to the
Americans. A leading Amer can merchant
standing on his own land was knocked down
by German sailor, who on his return to his
ship was imprisoned for not having bayonet-
ed the man. | myself was stopped on the
highway Of Apia even before war
had been declared and the ofl-
Ger whose command had taken posses
sion of that part of the town threat
ened that would be shot if l proceeded
German sentries were posted around my CON
sulate at night 1t is for testifying TO these
facts, l presume, that my resignation was
asked. Is it not natural th t / should differ
with Mr.. Bayard In policy-if such it can
be caled.-which permits these things to be
! doneW