The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-01-31
THE SAMOAN QUESTION.
The Presidents Message aud Bismarcl
I'M III ~ HIM

Instructions.
The President has sent to Congress adj
ditional correspondence relative to Sa-
moan affairs accompanied by the follow.
ing message;
To the Congress: had the honor on the 10Th
inst to communicate to your honorable body
certain corr dependence and documents In rela-
ton to affairs in the Samoan Islands, and hav-
ing since received further dispatches from the
vce-consul at Apia and the commander Of the
United states naval vessel NiDsic, IN those
waters, lose no time in laying them before
you. | also transmit herewith the full text of
instructions from Prince Voa Bismarck to the
German Minister d. this Capital, which was
communicated on the afternoon of the Goth
inst.
This appears to be an application of prior
telegrapfic instruction on the same subject
communicated through the same channel, and
which, being set forth In the note Of the Secre
tary of State to Count Van Arco Valley, the
German Minister, of the 12tlf instant, was duly
laid before Congress in my last message in
relation TO Samoan affairs. II Is also proper
to inform you that on Monday, the 2Sth in
slant, the occasion OF the communication OF
the note of the Prince Chancellor, the Secre-
tary Of State was given to understand by,
the German Minister that a proposition from
his Government to that Of the United
States for conference on the Samoan sub
ject was on its way by mail, having left Ber-
lin on the Goth inst, so that its arrival here in
due course OF mail can be looked for In very
short time.
In reply to an INQUIRY from the Secretary Of
State whether the proposition referred to was
for renewal Of the joint conference between
the United States, Germany and Great Britain,
which was suspended In July, 1887, or for the
consideration of Samoan affairs alb moro. the
German Minister stated his inability to answer
until the proposition which left Berlin on the
10th instant should have been received /
shall hereafter communicate to the Congress
all Information before me In relation to the
Smoan status. GROVER CLEVELAND.
THE CORRESPONDENCE
The correspondence accompanying the
message opens with the communication
from Vice-Consul Blackjack at Apia,
Samoa, dated December 81. 1888. trans
hitting record of current events in Sa.
moa. The communication says:
THE political state of affairs, you will
notice, is gradually reaching a crisis, and
American lives and property are in the
greatest danger. Things have become
so serious that found Il necessary, in
conjunction with Captain Mullan of the
Nipsic, to send special messenger to
Auckland to cable the Department and
answer any questions that the Depart
ment might wish to ask. !"
The record of events consists of
daily diary relating to Samoan affairs.
In his report to Secretary Whitney,
dated December 20, Commander Mullan
of the Nipsic describes the fight which
! occurred on December IL between the
German soldiers and Mataafa' party and
the bombardment and burning of Saulii
| on December 10.
BIsMARCK's INSTRUCTIONS.
On January 10 Prince Bismarck in
structed Count Won Arco Valley, at this
city, after stating that detachment of
German sailors had been attacked by the
| Samoan natives under the leadership of
an American named Klein, that in con-
sequence Germany had been brought
into state of war with the assailants.
| He continues:
We shall carry on the contest which has
| been forced upon us by Mataafa and his fol-
lowers with the utmost consideration for Eng
lish 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 prop
erty. AS they on their part, are at war with
| Tamasese, our interference will necessarily
assume the character OF assistance to Tama-
| sese.
In the endeavor for the just punishment of
| murderous crime we hope for the co opera
ton Of the treaty powers in Samoa in friend
| ship with us, and we ask the Government Of
the United States to be good enough to fur
| nish the consuls and the commanders of its
| ships Of war In Samoa with suitable instruc-
tons. Our armed forces there are instructed
| to avoid aud to prevent all injury to neutral
commerce. and property, and to adopt meas
1 ures of reprisal and destruction only against
| the followers OF the party which initiated the
contest against our troops by murderous
attack.
THE DABATE IN THE SENATE.
The Senate debated Samoan matters
for some time yesterday in considera-
ton of the amendment to the Consular
and Diplomatic bill appropriating $780,
600 to enable the President to protect
American interests in Samoa.
Mr.. Reagan said:
do not want to zee this country engaged in
! war with Germany or with any other govern
ment. / trust 1t will never be my misfortune
to witness again the calamities of war; but,
| sir, there Is something worse than the calami-
| ties of war, and that is the sacrifice of the
honor of great nation. The sacrifice of the
rights Of Its citizens, the humiliation of its of
ficers In the face OF an arrogant power, is
worse than war; and would not submit to 1t.
/ would give the President power to determine
1
lions md correspondence between the govern
ments, and the power to assert oui rights In
such way that there could be no mistake
about what his meaning and his powers are.
When we do this We may expect to main
tain our rights. II we do this we may secure
the restoration of the status quo of Samoa, as
suggested by the Senator from Oregon. We
may secure the autonomy and the independ-
ence OF Samoa; we may secure the rights of
American citizens, and in securing them
would be careful to do nothing that would in
terfere with the rights of the German Govern
ment or the rights Of single citizen of the
English Government or any other | simply
mean that would insist upon the rights of
the Government Of the United States aud Of
citizens Of the United States being protected
according to the treaty stipulations and the
understandings between these governments,
and trust thatw shall have the consent Of
the Senate to amendment of this provision for
this p urpose.