St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-01
UNDER MARTIAL LAW.
Consul Blackjack Advises
Secretary Bayard Of Ger
man Supremacy.
War Has Been Declares
Against Mataafa and Blood
shed Is Inevitable.
Cleveland's Premier Says He
Has Done Everything in
His Power.
Persons Well Acquainted With
Samoan Affairs Consider
the Situation Critical.

WASHINGTON, Jan. SIT IS under
stood that Consul General SeWall. who
has been detained in Washington tor
some time by the senate foreign rela-
tons committee, expects to leave here
Friday or Saturday for Samoa. Secre-
tary Bayard was this evening shown the
dispatch from Auckland, stating that
Germany had given notice that all YES
sells arriving at Samoa will be searched
for contraband goods. He said the de-
partment had to-day received dispatch
from Consul Blackjack, stating that war
had been declared against Mataafa. and
that martial law had been proclaimed
by the German consul at Apia. He did
not know whether the state of martial
liallaw referred to included all of Sa-
moa or only Apia.
Reference was made to the criticisms
of the department of state, and the sec
rotary said:
81 would Like the gentlemen who have been
criticising everything done by the state de-
partment TO show one instance in which l
have broken the law or permitted 1t to be
violated. do not know of such an instance
There has been great deal of misrepresenta-
ton. and in time my countrymen Will see
that the state department has done every
thing that could be done. / see," con-
tinued the secretary, that MT. sherman nan
been injured in Samoa. hat is So said
he, land Ihave yet to learn that any Amer
lean has been injared or any OF their rights
as defined by law and treaty taken away. our
policy has been fixed and steady in the d.
rection Of the preservation OF American
rights. The German government has con-
stantly given assurances that Germany would
not violate any American rights, and Prince
Bismarck. in his last letter to Count Arco-
Valley, renews his assurances that Germany
will serupuleusly respect these rights. The de-
partment," said the secretary, cannot stop
the fighting at Samoa; we cannot prevent
rival commercial companies quarreling and
fighting 1t is not for US to try and give
every country stable government.
Secretary Bayard said that he had not
vet received the proposition which
Count Arco-Yalley had Informed him
Prince Bismarck had sent for confer
ence between Germany and the Unlted
States in regard to Samoa. He could
not, therefore, say whether Or not it
was for all entirely new notification or
for renewal of the conference sus-
pended about year ago, at which the
secretary said he had endeavored to
bring about an understanding between
Germany and the United States to bet
ter the condition of the unhappy ma
tives. A gentleman who is well ac-
quainted with Samoan affairs, said to-
night that matters had reached
VERY SERIOUS STATE,
and he would not be surprised to hear
that a conflict had taken place between
the Germans and the Americans. The
natives had beaten the Germans re-
land dispatch (Which he regarded as en-
4iroi.- ro1ioh IaA Eprnapv now propocnd
to whip them by preventing arms being
sent in. The newspaper read by Ameri-
cans had been suppressed and the Ger
mans had taken open control OF the
police of Apia. The American residents
contributed to the fund for the support
of the municipal police, and it was bad
enough to have them under the direc-
ton of Tamasese, but under German
control was Infinitely worse. He said
it might appear an unusual and bold
thing for us to say that we would pro-
tect the independence of a country far
away, but our national honor and our
obligations required that we should
cOme'to it.
MULLEN CONFORMS THE REPORT.
Special TO the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Jan. I.-A dispatch
was received at the navy department
to-udy lfOiu Cdpt. Mulitu, COlHAdIlufiiS
the Nipsie, at Apia, Samoa, which, in
effect, stated that the German govern
ment, through its consul there, had is
sued a proclamation declaring martial
law in Samoa. Secretary Bayard, when
asked about Samoan advices tonight,
said nothing important had been re-
ceived at the department to-day. but
subsequently acknowledged having re-
ceived, through the navy department., a
copy Of the dispatch from Capt. Mullen.