Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-13
THE RECALL OF sEWALL,
TT PRODUCES a MOST FATORABLE
IMPRESSION IN GERMANY.

The Papers There Urge That the English
Consul also be Recalled, and that New
Ones be Appointed-But Nothing Said
About the German Consul-An Inter-
view with Sewall-Bad state of Affairs
in Samoa.
BERLIN, February S.-The recall of Ameril
can Consult General Sewall has produced
a strong impression here. The papers urge
| the necessity OF the recall of the English
consul, also, alleging that he contributed
largely to the trouble. The three powers
might then be represented by other trust
worthy agents who would assist in bring
about a friendly settlement.
AN R WITH sEwALL.
WASHINGTON, February 8.-The Assoc
ciated Press reporter called, yesterday
afternoon, upon Sewall and asked Tor a
statement OF reasons given by the state
department in it's request that he should
tender his resignation as Consul General at
Samoa. Mr.. Sewell in reply sad:
1.-THE reason given in the letter asking my
resignation is a disagreement OF my ex-
pressed views with the views entertained
by the state department in regard to
Samoan affairs. This refers, I suppose. to
the testimony / have given before the SEN
ate committee on foreign relations, and
which lave not yet been published. No
d~isapproval OF my conduct in Samoa as
Consul General, has been expressed by the
state department so far as / know.
Last Thursday l was discharged by the
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most critical condition, | Immediately
made arrangements to return there. No
iintimation was given that I should not be
| allowed to do SO until within a few hours
| before by departure, when | was
NOTIFIED TO REMAIN HERE.
The purpose was obvious. Ny services
were needed INN ediately if at all. Another
| steamer would not sail until March, and it
was the evident intention to cetain me
| until after tile incoming of the next ad.
m~inistration, upon which. as Is known, l
| have not the slightest claim to recognition.
NO." continued Sewall. II did not there
| upon tender my resignation. l have done
nothing wrong. l had too much respect
for Bays ard to assume that I had offended
| by my testimony before the committee. |
| Besides | was under oath to tell all l knew
OF Samoan affairs, aud to withhold moth |
| ing. The views / expressed on the situation
| and the remedy necessary were given at the
request of the committee. 1t was not for
| me to consider whether those views agreed
| with Bayard's or not. l do know, however,
| that my views coincided with those OF all
Americans who ave given the matter any
thought, the state department excepted,
for which l cannot speak"
what are those views, Mr.. Sewall?" |
II believe" said Sewall, with delibera-
ton, that the disposition OF Malietoa was
determined upon before the conference of
the three powers began, and that it was
| the German intention to carry out the
policy it had decided upon, regardless OF
that conference. |
1.-THE PURPOsE OF GERMANY
is to secure control of Samoa in defiance of
the solemn and repeated assurances it has
given our government. Furthermore, II
believe that Lord Salisbury is a party to
this scheme, and that the movement against
Samoa is only a precursor Of an Anglo |
German atter pit to secure supremacy in the
Hawaiian islands," |
"What, in your opinion, will be the effect |
OF dispatching American ships of war to |
protect our interests in Samoan" |
81 concur with Mr.. Bates, our late COM
missioner to Samoa, in his published
| opinion, tuab huLuiEal hlU1DeElS can accom- |
plish nothing under his instructions from
the state department. Bayard expects
Admiral Kimberly to succeed in doing by
protest what he has been trying, without
success, to do for a year. Does Bayard
suppose the protest will turn Germany
from the course she has been steadily pur-
suing? | believe, with Secretary Whitney.
that a definite policy should be adopted in
Samoa. To send our ships there, with only
| fhain EnnSnnf frof - ,-1- ~ l
subject their officers to humiliation; or, as
Secretary Whitney (using the polite term
out OF respect, L suppose, to Bayard,)
terms irritating conditions from which
their self-respect makes them revolt. But
Secretary Bayard cannot punish Secretary !,
Whitney or Mr.. Bates; l am the weakest
and am therefore
SINGLED OUT FOB THE SACRIFICE"
Sewall said that whatever his personal
opinion of the attitude of Bayard in Sa-
moan affairs might be, he had, during his
entire term OF service, layally and i'm.
piicitly followed the Secretary's instruc-
tions, notwithstanding they PLACED him in
false and humiliating position.
In reply to an inquiry as to whether Ger
man aggression has been going on for a
long time, Sewall said the recent news from
Samoa which had so aroused this country,
was only the repetition of what had
happened before. Why" said he, "a
great stir has been made by the announce
ment that martial law had been declared
by Germany in Apia; but this is not the
inst time the general counsel has de
clared martial law in force, and ~sentries
stationed. even before the Americans had
been deprived OF their rights to a Joint
vote in the government of the town, had
been commanded TO shoot until dead men |
not answering the challenge, and a notice
giving warning Of this was posted in Ger
man script. The ouly American banner
was torn down bv Germans and trampled
on.
when war was declared against Malie-
1oa Apia was occupied without notice to
Americans. A leading American merchant.
standing on his own land, was knocked
down by a German sailor. who, gu his re-
turn to his sloop, was imprisoned for not
having bayoneted the man. l, myself, was
stopped on the highway of Apia, even be-
fore war bad been declared, and the officer
whose command had taken possession OF
that part OF town, threatened l would be
shot If proceeded. German ~sentries were
posted |,
ROUND Ny CONSULATE AT nigh
at was for t~tstifyin to these facts that
my resignation was asked for. 1t is not
natural that l should differ with Mr.. Bay
ard IN a policy, il such it can be called,
which permits these things to be done? But
Immediately On the arrival of German ships j
with the new German consul, DR.. kuapp. I
we find them siding with Tamasese. and
with recipatating a conflict for which
the Samoan will h. forced 10 pay
heavily.
Realizing the unfortunate predicament
OF our own people aud bitterly conscious {
OF our obligations 10 Samoa, l sought to
get from Bayard instructions that would |
enable me to assert our proper position:
but all the Instructions l received was a i
copy of an apologize note to the German |
consular, an account of an alleged neSs- |
interview. and fresh assurances from IL
Germany"
Regarding the action of he State Del
par'meat accepting Bismarck's PROPOSE
ton for n Conference at Rer in. Mr.. Sewali
said h coucurs sith every one who has
studied the Question, ia: the y
RESTORATION oF tbs srArU ouo Is
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