The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-06
FROM OUR SAMOAN CORRESPONDENT.

German Firm-.-0ppressiOn of the Ma
tives SOS Rebellion Lawful King |
DcpOrted--Rebels Led in Battle by
u German ConsuI-..Where Lies the |
Blame?
SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUS
TRALIA, Dec. 90, 1883.
Dear Neigh6or:
The first thing that attracted my at
tention when I went ashore in Apia,
Samoan Islands, for the first time,
November S, 1885, was basket in
which were the heads Of three of Ta-
mascse's warriors. A horrible sight,
indeed, to meet ones eyes immediate
ly upon entering a foreign country.
OF course I had heard of the Samoan
war, for it was on account of it that
the Nipsic was sent to Apia to protect
American property in the Samoan Is
lands.
In 1850 the "Deutsche Handels and
Plantagen Gesellschaft" was establish
ed in Apia. This long named concern
was and is German company for
trading, planting, and the acquiring of
lands. Without burdening your read
ers with lengthy details of intervening
events, I will pass over period of
thirty-five years, during which time
the German Firm" as the trading
company is called, prospered greatly
in all the branches of their business,
especially in the acquiring of Samoan
lands; and during which period, also,
the native kingdom suffered frequent
internal disturbances, and, occasional
ly, small wars.
In 1855 we find the German firm in
possession of more than half the lands
of Upolu Island, on which Apsa (the
capital of Samoa) is situated. Malie-
toa, Mataafa, ("Mataafa" is a title of
courtesy meaning greatest chief is
King, and his distant kinsman, Ia
masese, is Vice-King. At this time
the natives had become dissatisfied
with the German firm for alleged sharp
practices in securing the vast tracts of
land in their possession; and some
lawless ones, becoming exasperated at
seeing their splendid estates in other
hands, and being reduced from their
former Independent condition, COM
mitted frequent depredations upon the
property of the firm, whereupon the
manager thereof complained to the
King, and demanded redress. Malie-
toa being convinced that the methods
of the firm had been dishonest, and
that they were in illegal possession of
the lands, took no active measures in
the case.
The German Consul was appealed
to, and through his influence squad
ron of the German Navy was sent to
Apia to aid him in securing the desir-
ed protection (?) of German rights in
Samoa. In the meantime. the firm
had gained the ear of the Vice-King,
Tamascse, and through him had sue
ceeded in arousing spirit of discon-
tent among the natives. Upon the ar
rival of the German men-of-war Ma
lietoa was notified that he must either
grant the satisfaction demanded by
the German firm, or abdicate in favor
of Tamasese. But the sturdy old man
denied that satisfaction was due the
firm, and refused to abdicate. The
German Consul then proceeded, with
an armed force of German sailors to
the Samoan government house, hauled
down Malietoa's flag, and had the
King elected from the grounds. I'M
medately thereafter he ran up q new
flag, proclaimed it Tamasese's stand
ard, and declared Tamasese King of
Samoa.
Malietoa, being man opposed to
war and desiring not to get his coun-
try into conflict with so powerful a
nation as Germany, went quietly to
another part of Apia and re-establish-
ed his government, relying upon his
old followers to recognize him as the
only lawful King. Immediately after
re-establishing himself, he made a for
NAL protest to the German govern
ment against the outrageous and lille
gal manner in which he had been
treated by it's representatives in Sa-
moa. Both the United States aud the
British governments refused to recog-
nize Tamasese, and continued to recog-
nize Malietoa as King.
Immediately after his usurpation,
Tamasese levied taxes OH the Samoans
amounting to Sl2,000 and also estab-
lished a schedule of fines for the most
trifing and imaginary misdemeanors.
About this time (early in lSS6) = Capt.
Brandeis, of the German army came
to Apia, and was placed in Tama-
sese's government as adviser OF the
King, such appointment being made
by the German firm.
In order to pay the taxes levied upon
them, the natives were compelled to
mortgage their lands, and as the Ger
man firm was constituted the treasur-
er of the Tama>cse government, it was
required that such mortgages be given