Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-02-06
Touching Matters at Issue Between Ger
many and America at Samoa-COpies of
Correspondence.

WASHINGTON, February 1.-The Presi-
dents message to Congress to-day was
merely one of the formal transmittal of en-
closures. They were as follows:-
MR.. BAYARD TO THE PRESIDENT.
Gas the question of German action and
American rights in Samoa is under con-
sideration by Congress beg leave to trans
nit herewith, with a view to their being
laid before Congress, copies of correspond
ence touching the affairs in Samoa which
has taken place since January Both, the
date of your last message to Congress on
the subject. This consists of telegram to
this department from Mr. Blackjack, Vice
Consul of the United States at Apia, dated
January 31st, and the paraphrase of my
telepraphic instruction of the same date to
our Minister at Berlin, of which copy
was also sent to the Charge d. Affaires at
London; and nay note of the same date to
Count Arco Valley. To day l was waited
upon by the German Minister at this capt.
tai, who read me note from his Govern
ment, which Transcribed from his dicta-
tion and now enclose a copy of its text
The enclosed telegram from Blackjack
reads Auckland, January 31st.-The
German Consul declares Germany at war
with Samoa under martial law A para
phrase of the note to Minister Pendleton is
as follows 'Mr. Bayard instructs the Min
lister of the United States at Berlin to in
form the German Government that the ad-
vices from Apia state that the German Con-
sui had declared Germany to be at war
with Mataafa and Samoa to be under mar
tial law. Mr.. Bayard informs Minister
Pendleton that the German Minister at this
capital, under instructions from Bismarck,
had already acquainted this Government of
the declaration of war BY Germany against
Mstaafa, and had accompanied the notifi-
cation with the statement that Germany
would of course abide by the agreements
with America and England touching Samoa,
aud preserve under all circumstances the
rights of this Government established by a
treaty. But, in view of the advices from
Apia, Mr.. BayaTd ipstructs Mr.. Pendleton
| to say that this Government assumed that
the German officials in Samoa would be in
structed carefully 10 refrain from inter
ference with American citizens and prop
erty there, since no declaration of martial
law could extend the German jurisdiction
so as to include the control of the Ameri-
cans in Samoa Such pretension could not
be recognized or conceded By this Govern
ment."
The remainder of the CORRESPONDENCE DIS
transmitted by the President reads as fol-
lows -
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, January 31st.
MIR. BAYARD TO COUNT ARcO VALLEY.
Informs him. of the receipt of telegram
from Blackjack, and says not knowing
what construction might be given to his
authority by the German Consul at Samoa
lin said proclamation of martial law
n onr a
cate to our Minister at Berlin, informing
him OF the precise language of the telegram
from Blackjack, and stating that the decla-
ration of the state of war by the German
empire against Mataafa and his party in
Samoa had been previously communicated
through you, and that Bismarck in his in
structions to you also stated that the Ger
man Government would of course abide by
the agreement with America and England
with respect to Samoa and pay due regard
in all instructions to the rights of those
powers as established by the treaty. Our
Minister at Berlin was therefore instructed
to make it known at the German Foreign
Office that the United States assumes that
the German ,fficials in Samoa would be in
structed scrupulously to abstain from all
Interference with American citizens and
their property in Samoa, and that no in
crease or expansion of German jurisdiction
over the American citizens or their property
would be caused by the German declaration
of martial law, nor would such Jurisdiction
be recognized or conceded by the United
States.
COUNT ARCo VALLEY TO MR.. BAYARD UNDER
INSTRUCTIONS FROM PRINCE CHAM
CELLOR.
February LIST As state of war was
declared against Mataafa, the commander
of the German squadron issued procama-
ton by which foreigners established in
Samoa were submitted to martial law. The
-