Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-02-07
A MODIFICATION.

The German Proclamation Putting For
eigners Under Martial Law I'm samoa
Withdrawn.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2-The President
yesterday sent another Samoan message
to Congress.
The paraphrase Of a note to Minister
Pendleton is as follows: "Mr. Bayard
instrucss the Minister of the United States
at Berlin to inform the German Govern
ment that advices from Apia state that
the German Consul had declared Germany
to be at war with Mataafa and
Samoa to be under martial law.
Mr.. Bayard informs Minister Pendleton
that the German Minister at this
capital under instructions from Prince
Bismarck had already acquainted this
Government of the declaration Of war by
Germany against Mataafa and had ac-
companied the notification with the state
ment that Germany would of course abide
by the agreements with America and En-
gland touching Samoa and preserve under
all circumstances the rights of this Govern
ment established by treaty. But, in view
of the advices from Apia, Mr.. Bayard in
structs Mr.. Pendleton to say that this Gov
ernment assumed that the German officials
in Samoa would be instructed carefully to
refrain from interference with American
citizens and property there since no dec
laration of martial law could extend Ger
man jurisdiction so as to include control Of
Americans in Samoa Such a pretension
could not be recognized or conceded by
this Government"
Count Arco Valley to Mr.. Bayard under
instructions from the Prince Chancellor,
February 1: "As a state of war was de-
clared against Mataafa the commander Of
the German squadron issued a proclama-
ton by which the foreigners established
in Samoa were subject to martial law.
International law would to a certain ex-
tent not prevent such a measure, but as
Prince Bismarck is of opinion that our
military authority has gone too far in this
instance the military commander has re-
ceived telegraph orders to withdraw
the part of the proclamation con-
corning foreigners. In negotiating e
with Mataafa our Consul at Samoa has
asked that the administration of the
islands of Samoa might be temporarily
handed over to him, which demand not
being in conformity to our previous prom
Use regarding the neutrality and inde-
PchucHScOi Odilod, MI. hHdppo HAS uceu
ordered by telegram to withdraw immedi-
ately his command"
The papers relating to the harbor of
Pago-Pago, which Senator Sherman an
nounced in the Senate that he had
received from Secretary Bayard, are
of interest in view of the prominence
given at present to Samoan affairs.
A letter from Mr.. Coward to Assistant
Secretary Rives dated January 81, 1889.
says that the four persons signing the in
strument giving the United States the
port of Pago-Pago were appointed as
comm ssioners on behalf of the Samoan
authorities in view of the fact that they
were individual owners of property along
the shore of the harbor at Pago-Pago.
Continuing. the letter says: In my
opinion this instrument might be regarded
as transferring to the United States title
to the land. At the time was not author
lied or prepared to accept an absolute
title in fee simple not knowing how far
the United States Government desired to
proceed in the matter. For that reason
the phraseology employed was that used
in the treaty, leaving thereby the inter-
probation of the same to the Department.
Goat island was selected as the place for
raising the flag ccmmemorating this event
in consideration of the TACT that it COM
manded a view of the whole harbor with
the intention of not confining the United
States Government IN Is selection to any
particular part of the shore for use as q
coaling stat on during the period covered
by the language of the treaty, viz: ten
vears 0r mora -