Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-01
vlss ress aaa 9akotaiaa
ON SAMOAN AFFAIRS.
A Letter from Bismarck Sent to Con-
gross by the President.
A STORY WITH TWO SIDES.
bismarck Tells How They, Were Com
PEELED to Make war Against Their VIII.
hut Consul Blacklock's Diary Gives
a Different Coioring.

WASHINGTON, Jan. SI.-The president
transmitted to n cas- a message on
Samoan affairs, accompanied by a num-
Der of documents. The president says:
ITO the congress: l had the honor on
the 18th inst. TO communicates TO your
honorable body certain correspondence
and documents in relation to affairs in
the Samoan Islands, and having since
received further dispatches from the
vice consul at Apia, and the commander
of the United States AVA vessel .Nyp-
sic in those waters, / lose no timein lay
ing them before you. / also transmit
herewith the full text of the instructions
from Prince Bismarck to the German
minister at this capital, which was COM
municated on the afternoon OF the 2Sth
inst. This appears to be an amplifica-
ton OF prior Geographic instructions on
the came subject, communicated through
the same channel, and which being in
the note. of the secretary OF state to
Count Won Arco Valley, the German
minister, of the 18th, was duly
brought before congress with my last
message III relation to Samoan affairs.
Ii is also proper to inform you that on
Monday, the 2Sth inst, the occasion of
the communication of the nese of prince
chancellor, the secretary of state was
gwen to understand by the German
minister that a proposition from his
government to that of the United States
Tor a conference on the Samoan subject
wa on It's way by mail, having left
Berlin on the goth inst, so that its ar
rival here in due course of mail can be
looked for in n very short time. In re-
ply to an inquiry from the secretary of
state whether the proposition referred
to WAS for a renewal of the joint con-
ference between the United States,
Germany and Great Britain, which was
suspended in July, 1887, or FOR the con-
sideration of Samoan affairs alb ovo,
the German minister stated his inability
to answer until the proposition, which
left Bsrlin on the Goth inst, should have
been received. / shall hereafter COM
municate to congress all information be-
fore me in relation to the Samoan status.
...GRovER CLEVELAND
Under date of Berlin, Jun. 13, 1899.
Prince Bismarck writes Count Won Arco,
the German minister at Washington, as
follows, a copy of which the count left
at the state depa rtment on Jan. 90:
II have already notified Your excel
feAiSy Uid ttGlpiuti1S w lSltS IdpnlC COLL
m~unications from Apia on the 18th of
. i.a.s.... =. i,s.r@ sfz iast sess.. . siatasi .nse.astS 6.
German naval forces which had landed
at. the request of the Imperial CONSUL
for the protection OF the German settle
ments which We're endangered by the
C:i:Hicts bet ween the native parties, was
attacked by armed Samoans belonging
to the party of Chief Mataafa. The un-
provoked attack is said to have taken
place under the leadership of An Ameri-
can named Klein. On this occasion
more than fifty German soldiers and
officers We're killed and wounded. In
consequence of this we have been trans
planted FROM the territory of mediator
ial negotiations, by which the imperial
consul IN Apia Was trying to reconcile
the ~contending parties, and for which he
had sought the cooperation OF
his English and American col.
leagues, into a state of war
with the assailants, to our regret. We
shall carry on the contest which has
been forced upon us by Mataafa and his
followers with the utmost consideration
for English and American interests.
Our military measures have in view only
the punishment of the murderers Of
German soldiers and the protection of
our countrymen and their property. AS
they, on then part, are at wal with Tam
asesse, Il interference will necessarily
assume the character of assistance to
Tamasesse. In the endeavor for the
Just punishment of a murderous crime,
we hope for the cooperation of the
treaty powers in Samoa in FRIENDSHIP
with us, and we ask the government OF
the United States to be good enough to
furnish the consuls and the commanders
of its ships of wal in Samoa, with suita-
BILE instructions. Our ,armed forces
there are instructed to avoid and to pre-
vent all injury to neutral commerce
and property, INT to adopt measures of
reprisal and destruction only against
the followers of the party which initiated
the contest against u troops by a mur
derous attack. We shall, Of course,
ABIDE by the agreements with
America and England with respect
70 Samoa and pay due regard under all
circunst 'nces to the rights Of these
powers as established by treaty, beg
your exceHency to bring this comrnuni,
cation to Mr.. Bayard's knowledge by
reading it to him, and to leave a copy
with him, il he requests it.
lSigned. BISMARCK
The correspondence begins with q
diary from Consul Blackjack, Gated
Dec. 10, 1888. He says the political
state of affairs is gradually reaching a
crisis Four American lives are in the
greatest danger.
On Dec. II. he records: 1.-THE Tama-
sesse natives say they have bought guns
from the German man-of-war Elba.
Dec. IA. The German man-of-war Olga
arrived from Alden, where she took
Malietoa off the German mail steamer
via Marshall island, where she left
Malietoa. Should the Germans under
take to capture Mataafa there will be
trouble involving all white residents.
A Swedei was stabbed on Dec. 16 by q
German officer. and Consul Blackjack
says the German consul refuses to listen
to the Swedeis complaint. About $50
German sailors came ashore to-day, and
became drunk and maltreated the ma
tives.
Dec. IS. The Germans have com
menced war on the Samoans in earnest.
They attacked the Mataafa party. hui
We're finally repulsed, with twenty
killed and thirty wounded. There is no
telling where the affair will end. Capt.
Mullen roe to interview the German
captain and the German consul as to the
meaning of their actions. The general
consul tells him that he can only discuss
political matters.
On Dec. 90 the German consul sem
Mataafa word to come on board of the
Atlas and his life would be spared. Hi
did not go, as he knew he would neye,
come off. Capt. Mullen sends more ma
rines on shore and a Gatlin gun and
fifty men TO remain at the co lstsIate.
Dee. 81. The German consul informed
Mr.. Blackjack that the German man-of.