Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-16
SAMOAN AFFAIRS.
The Important Correspondence Sent ia
Congress.

Il
Congress.
J SECRETARY wHrTSEY's INSTRUCTIONS TO ADMIRAL
KIMBERLY-GERMANY's ALLEGATION THAT THE
TROUBLE WAS CAUSED By AN AxERIcAS-sEc-
| RETARY HAZARDS REPLY.
Among the correspondence concerning affairs
in Samoa referred to in President Cleveland's
message transmitted to Congress yesterday,
and which was presented to the Senate to-day,
is the following:
LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS TO ADMIRAL KIMBERLY
from Secretary Whitney; contained in q cable
gram dated January IL, 1889:
Commander Mullan of the Nipsic telegraphs
by way of Auckland, New Zealand, that a force
was landed at Samoa from the German feet,
which resulted in an engagement between the
troops Of Mataafe and the German forces and
the defeat of the latter He reports that the
| Gseamans, in retaliation, bombarded towns
disregarding protests and neutral rights, and
that the property and lives of American citi-
zens are in danger. He strongly urges
the sending of reinforcements. The German
government claims that the German forces
were first attacked, and that war now exists be-
tween Germany and that portion Of the natives
OF Samoa engaged in the attack upon the Ger
| mans. The German government invites this
| government in the common interest to Join in
establishing order in Samoa, giving assurance
| OF careful respect for our treaty rights. The
United States government ia willing to cooper
ate In restoring order in Samoa, on the basis Of
| the full preservation of American treaty rights
and samoan autonomy as recognized and agreed
| to by Germany, Great Britain and the United
States, and has SO informed the German gov
| eminent.
You will at once proceed to Samoa and ex-
tend full protection and defense to American
citizens and property. You will consult with
| the American vice-consul, examine his archives
and otherwise inform yourself as to the
situation and all recent occurrences. Protest
against the subjugation and displacement of
native government of Samoa by Germany as
In violation of positive agreement and under
standing between treaty powers, but inform
the representatives of the German and British
governments OF your readiness to cooperate
In causing all treaty rights to- be respected
and in restoring peace and order on the
basis OF recognition Of Samoan rights
TO independence; endeavOr to prevent extreme
measures against the Samoans and to bring
about peaceful settlement. If such arrange
ment can be made upon that basis you will re-
port the same for approval, and you will inform
the government as soon as possible after your
arrival in Samoa of the condition of affairs and
the prospects of peaceful adjustment and
whether Germany was acting impartially be-
tween the opposing forces when the late con-
flict occurred.
(Signed) WHITNEY.
COUNT ARGOS STATEMENT.
On January IL Secretary Bayard addressed
communication to Count Arco, the German
minister to the United States, in reply to a
statement giving the German version of the
Samoan difficulty. The statement of Count
Arco is substantially as follows:
THE German forces were landed in Samoa
after the German commander had given notice
OF his intention to the commanders Of the Ameri-
can and British men-of-war-the reason for
landing being that some German plantations
were in danger. Upon landing the Germans
were attacked by the Samoan under the COM
mand OF Klein, an American citizen, and
OF war is therefore announced by
Germany, and as an American is al
legged to have been in command of the
attacking Samoan force, Count Arco is in
structed to make complaint to the United
States. The treaty rights of the United States
and all the rights Of the treaty powers shall be
respected under all circumstances. The Ger
man government begs the United States to Join
them IN an active way to restore calm and
quiet"
IN RESPONSE SECRETARY BAYARD SAYS
that he at once communicated to the count, on
becoming aware of the allegations that the
Samoan forces were led by an American named
Klein, that he had no knowledge whatever, nor
reason to believe, that Klein was a citizen of
the United States. Il was certain continues
the Secretary's letter, THAT he was not and
never had been in any way connected with
Its pubic service, nor acting under color or
pretense of its authority. The instructions
given to officials of this government at Samoa
have never deviated from those made public.
and which were well known to Germany and
Great Britain, to maintain neutrality in Samoan
affairs and confine their action to good offices
In the maintenance of peace and order in those
regions and securing protection for American
citizens and their interests"
PROTECTION OF AMERICAN CITIZENS
The Secretary says that before he received
the German instructions, orders had been given
by the President looking to the protection of
citizens of the United States and their prop
erty, and that it was with entire readiness that
he accepted the invitation of Germany that
the United States should '.join in an active
way to restore calm and quiet in those islands, :"
GERMANY's TREATY RIGHTS.
The Secretary further says: II received Also
with expressed satisfaction, your assurance of
the intentions of your government to maintain
and carefully respect the treaty rights of this
government under all circumstances, and this
as stated to you necessarily included respect
Tor the existence OF Samoan all-
tonomy and independence, which is the
basis of the three treaties made with the
United States, Germany and Great Britain, the
first-named being earliest in date. The proto-
co.'s OF the conference on samoan affairs, held
in this city in the summer of 1887. by the rep
resentatives of the United States, GERMANY
and Great Britain. will disclose that although
the conference did not produce an agreement
| as to a complete plan of government for that
community, nevertheless on certain points all
three governments conceded, and one of
these was the free election by the Samoans ac-
cording to their own will and custom. of king
1t would seem most opportune if such an
election could practically be held
and / feel assured that it would do much
toward ending the turbulent and bitter discon-
tent which has led to the shocking inter-
necine warfare among these islanders, and
finally involved them in deeply regretable
conflict with German forces, which is sincerely
deplored by the United States.
REAR ADMIRAL KIMBERLY's MISSION
"Rear Admiral Kimberly, commanding our
naval forces in the Pacific, has been ordered to
proceed in his flagship, the Trenton, to Apia.
and have great confidence in his wisdom and
benevolent discretion, as well as in that
of the naval commanders of the other national
vessels which have been sent by their respec-
tive governments to the Samoan waters to pro-
| mote a satisfactory arrangement, and take it
| for granted that the same spirit of comfy and
| perception of the equal rights of all three
treaty powers, which induced your government
| to invite the active cooperation of the United
| States in restoring law and order in Samoa will
cause instructions embodying the same prin-
ciples of friendly justice and considerate
| moderation in framing plan of settlement to
be sent to the German officers in command of
1 n