Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-09


tions, the Government of the United
States has behaved towards the weak but
friendly nation in shameful manner, and
has set at naught the claims of gratitude
and the obligations of solemn compacts,
that nation must be righted and our error
frankly confessed. 1t is now blazoned
abroad by news agencies as something de-
cidedly new that our Government was
passive while one of the treaty powers
seized upon and deported the Executive of
the Samoan Kingdom with five of his
Chiefs, and put pretender upon the
throne to serve German purposes. Yet, as
stated already, these facts were known two
years ago, and this journal has repeatedly
published them, eliciting only the reply
that the matter was of no consequence and
the Administration was acting strictly
within the lines Of its contract, and under
obligations to which national honor was
pledged.
In this connection the pathetic letter
of King Malietoa, which he addressed to
our Consul when the German Admiral
commanded the King to deliver himself
prisoner upon the flagship for deportation'
deserves reproduction. 1t is singing re-
Duke of which our people should have full
knowledge:
to you as am now in great distress. When
the Chief Tamasese and others first commenced
the present troubles, it was my wish to punish
them and put an end to the rebellion that they
had raised. Acting, however, on the advice
and under the assurances of the then British
and American Consuls, RETAINED from doing
SO l was repeatedly told by the representatives
of the British and American Governments that
they would afford me and my Government
sistance and protection if l abstained from do
ing anything that might cause war amongst the
Samoan people, Relying upon these promises
did not put down the rebellion. Now find
that war has been made upon me by the EN-
peror of Germany, and Tamasese has been pro-
claimed King Of Samoa. The German forces
and the adherents of Tamasese threaten to
make war on all Samoans who do not acknowl-
edge Tamasese as King. am Innocent Of any
wrongful act, and hereby protest against the
action of Germany but as the German nation
is strong and l am weak, / yield to their power
10 prevent my people being slaughtered. lshall
deliver myself up to the German forces to-mor-
Tow W pT6NeDt DlOOusueQ anu Out VI IONe W my
country. desire to remind you of the prom
ises repeatedly made by your Government, and
trust that you will so far redeem them as to
cause the lives and liberties of my chiefs and
people to be respected. l wish to inform you
that fear the Germans will compel men-as
they are now forcing my people-to sign papers
ackno" Lodging Iamasese as King and II sign
such papers it will be under compulsion, and to
avoid war being made on my people.
MAIIEToA, King of Samoa.
The distinct charge is made by Mr..
Sewall that the State Department of our
Government has been acting precisely as
Bismarck wished it to do for the promo
ton of German schemes, and that the in
structions sent to him Consul Sewall) to
restrain Malietoa and advise him not to
do battle with the rebel Tamasese because
the American Government would prove
true to its pledge to preserve Samoan in
dependence, were in fact sent to the Consul
at the instance of the German and Eng
fish Governments. The former power
was continuous and persistent in its asser-
tions and replies that it did not care who
was King of Samoa, but, while thus pla-
eating Mr.. Bayard, it continued, with full
knowledge of the United States Govern
ment, toad Tamasese, to furnish him with
munitions of war and to annoy and perse-
cute the adherents Of the deported King,
now represented in the field of war by his
nephew, Mataafa. These are grave allie
cations, and their preferment cannot be
put aside. The American people will in
sist upon the Department of State reply
ing 10 them in detail and the vindication
of national honor by proof that they are
untrue; or, if that cannot be done, by
compelling Germany to restore the status
that existed before the seizure of the per-
son of the King and the declaration of
war
Secretary Bayard has consented to the
renewal of the Samoan conference, but
agrees that the conference may be held in
Berlin. This is simply playing into Ger
man hands. Witnesses that Samoa and
the United States may wish to bring be-
fore the Commissioners cannot be taken to
Berlin. In the atmosphere of the Ger
man capital the conference cannot iscape
the social influence of the surroundings
nor wholly resist the pressure that will be
brought to bear upon it. If this conces-
sion, therefore, is not a complete knuck-
ling down t. Germany by the United
States, it looks very much like it.
The conference can better be held in a
country not related to the question, or
upon the ground, in the city of Apia, than
IN Berlin or in Washington, and with the
advantage of giving both native parties to
the Samoan difficulty a hearing, if it
should be held advisable to consider their
testimony as to who shall be finally recog-
nized as the rlghtful ruler of the islands
The people of the United States look for
ward to change in the headship of the
State Department with an interest and ex-
pectation Of more than usual significance,
and Indicative of their judgment as TO
what should be our policy in the Samoan
affair.