St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-30
GERMANY's CONVENTIONS.
They Are Set Forth in Bismarck g
Letter to His Representation in
Washington.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-Of the va
rious documents transmitted by the
president to congress explaining the
course of the department of state in
the Samoan complications, the let
ter of Prince Bismarck to Baron
Yon Zedwitz, of the German legation
at Washington, in November. 1887, and
the reply of Secretary Bayard, through
Minister PendletOn. i'll January, 1855,
are perhaps the most interesting. as
presenting in q clear and interesting
way the respect he claims and sconten-
ti0nS of Germany and the United States.
In his letter to Baron Won ZedWitz,
Prince Bismarck says:
You have already Leen instructed On q
former occasion to draw the attention of the
secretary of state, Mr.. Bayard, TO the anti
German attitude observed by the American
consul general at Apia, Mr.. Sewall, during
our action against the Samoan king
perienee with the predecessors of Mr..
Sewall on all occasions whenever
we endeavored, in view of the unsettled
state of affairs on the Samoan islands. to OBJ
tain better guarantees for the protection of
the German subjects living there and their
commercial interests The reports of our
representatives in Apia of the last seven
years repeatedly contain the complaint that
their American colleagues show a tendency
to Interfere with our relations to the Samoan
government and Undue the latter with
DIsTRCsT OF GERMANY.
The endeavorS made by Germany in the
interest of the establishment of a lawful and
orderly condition of affairs on those islands
have without exception met with the oppo
sition of the American consular representa-
tiyes. At the outbreak of hoStilities
amongst the natives in 1851, when
the commander of his imperial majesty's
German consul at Apia. and in agreement
with the Samoan government as well as
the municipal administration, occupied
Apia in order to protect the foreign settle
ment, the American consul, DR.. Dawson,
protested against that measure. and caused
he was. connected by friendship,
to publish series of articles
containing injurious statements against
the German vice-consul and the comm ander
of His Imperial Majesty's ship Move. The
American consul, Canisius, has been pointed
out to us as the author of two letters which
Malietoa addressed to His Majesty, the en-
peror, under the 18th and 18th of May,
plants with regard to the imperial
representatives in Apia, the demand
of his recall and an insulting critique of
German military measures. The successor
of DR.. Canisius Mr.. Greenebaum, made OPP
position to the German representative in
everything, encouraging at the same
time Chief Malietoa in his provoking
attitude towards Germany. He ar
bitrarily announced in proclamation issued
on the 18th day of May. 1856 the American
protectorate over the Samoan islands, and
hoisted, as sign thereof, the American flag
over the Samoan flag proceeding which
was
DIsAvowED BY HIS GOVERNMENT.
The encroachments of the present reprep-
resentative of the United States in Apia have,
as you know, repeatedly given occasion to
me to complain OF his conduct to Mr.. Bayard
In view OF the friendly relations which have
continued undisturbed for more than cen
fury between Germany and the United States,
it is remarkable that on that remote realm
OF islands, where neither America nor
Germany has any political interests to de.
fend, we are exposed to the continued illwiH
of a series of American representatives.
There are no local commercial rivalries
which could explain such a fact; the Ameri-
can element has not aspired 10 considerable
commercial success on the Samoan islands.
The value Of imports in Apia, which have
gone through the hands of American mer-
chants amounts according to the last Stats
teal statements of 1855. to $4,000; that of