, 1889-01-31
In The Senate.

and Central Pacific railroads on tie LIST Of
February, 1889. under the Thurman act
with the amount of each invested in
bonds; the market value of such bonds,
and the amount which would have been
in the sinking fund if no investment in
bonds had been made.
The senate then resumed consideration
of the diplomatic and consular appropria-
ton bills, the question being on the
amendments affecting the Samoan isl
ands. Dolph said the question was one
OF special and local interest to the people
OF the Pacific coast, that whatever might
be thought as to the propriety of a gen
eral discussion of American rights and in.
terests IN the Samoan islands and of the
relations OF the government of the United
States to the German government the
discussion had proceeded so far as to
render further discussion desira BILE. The
views which he would express would be
his own individual views and should
neither compromise the government nor
receive undue attention elsewhere.
After a general description of the
islands, their products, they inhab-
ltanst and the commercial importance,
Dolph reviewed the history of interest
in the islands and the recent occurrences,
which, he said, had involved the United
States in some controversy with the Ger
man government. He spoke of the treaty
or convention OF November, 1884, be-
tween Samoa and Germany as one of
which if it had beer executed would have
substantially secured to the German gov
eminent entire control of the islands. The
extensive provisions OF that treaty and
the powers conferred by it on Germany
were entirely incompatible with the indie
pendence and autonomy of the native
government, and Inconsistent with the
American treaty rights there. As soon
as the German fleet sailed away the treaty
had been repudiated by Malietoa as hay-
ing been signed under protest.
In the course of his review Dolph
came to the point where United States
Consul Grecnbaum raised the AmericanyI
flag over the Samoan flag in the harbor of
Apia, an act which had been, he said,
promptly repudia. ed bv Bayard, who mott.
fed the German and English govern.
ments with the suggestion as to a protect
crate.
Morgan stated that Bayard never com
mitted the United States government
TO a position that there should be either
a separate or Joint protectorate over the
islands, not believing 4 protectorate en-
tirely consistent with autonomy.
Coming down to the conference in July,
1887, Dolph spoke of an agreement, and
that pending that conference 5tatu quo
should be observed, and Morgan asked
him for his authority for the statement
that the German government agreed
to observe the statu Quo. Dolph replied
that there may have beer no such special
agreement, but the observance of the
statu quo was necessarily implied.
Dolph added that if congress was to
interfere with the matter something very
different from the pending amendments
would be required. If he were asked
what that was to be he would say that
congress should direct the president to
insist upon the restoration by the German
government of the statu quo at the time
of the W ashingtou conference, and notify
the German government hat the United
States would not permit the Samoan
islands to pass under the control of any
foreign nation, and their independent
autonomy must be maintained. He saw
no good reason why, If necessary and if
requested by the Samoan people, an
American protcctorate should not be
established over them, and that, he said,
would be an entirely different thing from
the Intervening as practiced by Euro
Dean powers on the continent of Europe.
Regan referred to the documents that
had been published on the subject and
declared tibet no American citizen could
read the correspondence without feeling
humiliation to see the ri ghts of the United
States brutality overridden and troddcn
upon by German subalterns, while the
German Prime minister was protesting
friendship and a desire to maintain pro-
perTelatiOns with the government OF the
United States. His purpose was, he
said, to call attention to the fact that the
proposed amendment was too feeble to
answer the purpose. II we care any
thing let us signify it 10y our action. If
We believe we have rights which have
been violated we should assert those rights
as becomes a great and powerful nation. |
am not in favor OF war. | know
too well the calamity of war, but the
humiliation of 4 great nation in the
lace of an arrogant power is worse than
war. | would give the president power
to determine what our rights in the mat
ter are and the power to assert those
rights In a way that could not be mistaken.
1t &c may expect to maintain our rights
and to see the restoration of the statu
quo would suggest the addition to the
pending amendment of the words: And
for the protection of the rights
of American citizens residing in
said islands and to preserve the neutrality
and independence Of the people" Then
we will have said something, but il we do
not in some such declaration we leave the
president exactly where he is now, in a
position where he regards himself as pow
erlcss 10 vindicate the rights of the United
States.
At the close of Regan's speech the
senate proceeded to executive business
and when the doors TO opened adjourned.
1t is understood that the secret session
was consumed in discussing the British
extradltion treaty.
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