St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-02

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The president
to-day sent the following message to
congress:
Feb. l.-As supplementary to my previous
messages on the subject, / have now the
honor to transmit a report from the secre-
tary OF state relating to affairs III Samoa.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Mr.. Bavard to the President: AS the ques-
tion of German action and American rights
in Samoa is under consideration by the con-
gress beg leave to transmit herewith, with
q view to their being laid before congress-
copies of correspondence touching affairs IN
Samoa which have taken place since NO.
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
Jan. 81, and paraphrase OF my telegrapnlc
instruction of the same date to our minister
at Berlin, of which q copy was also sent TO
the charge d'affaires at London, and my note
of the same date to Count Arco-Valley. To
day / was waited upon by the German min
lister at this capital, who read me a note from
his government which transcribed from his
dlctation and now enclose copy of its text.
The enclosed telegram from Mr..
Blackjack reads:
Auckland, Jan. 31.-German consul de-.
clares Germany at war with Samoa; under
martial law.
The paraphrase of the note to Minis
ICl L l- tlo iOiiONp'
Mr. Bayard instructs the minister Of the
United States at Berlin to inform the German
government that advices from Apia State
that the German consul had declared Ger
many 10 be at war with Mataafa ana 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 decla. alton of war by
Germany against Mataafa, and had accom-
panied the notification with the statement
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 instructs
Mr.. Pendleton to say that this government
assumed that the German officials in Samoa
would be instructed carefully to refrain from
interference with American citizens and
property there, so that no declaration of mar
tial law could extend German jurisdiction SO
as to control Americans III Samoa. Such
pretension could not be recognized or con-
ceded by this government.
The remainder of the correspond
ence," as transmitted by the president,
reads as follows:
Department OF State, Jan. 31.-Mr. Bayard
to Count Arco Valley-Informs him of the
receipt of q telegram from MIR. Blackjack.
and says: Not knowing what construction
might be given to his authority by the Ger
man consul at Samoa in said proclamation
of martial law, | deemed it eXpedient at
- once to communicate to our minister at Ber-
lin, informg him of the precise language of
the telegram from Mr.. Blackjack, and stating
that the declaration of O state of war by the
German empire against Mataata and his
party in Samoa had been previously
communicated through you. and that
Prince Bismarck, in his instructions to
you. also stated that the German 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 established by treaty.
Our minister at Berlin was, therefore, ill.,
strucIed to make it known at the German
foreign Office that The United States assumes
that German officials in Samoa would be i'll
structed scrupulously to abstain from all in
reference with American citizens and their
property in Samoa. and that no increase or
expansion of German jurisdiction over
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 Areo Valley to Mr.. Bavard, under
instructions from the prince chancellor,
Feb. las a state of war was declared
against Mataafa, the commander of the Ger
man squadron issued proclamation by
which the foreigners established i'll Samoa
were subjected to martial law International
law would to a certain extent not prevent
such measure but as Prince Bismarck is
of opinion that our military authority has
gone too far in this instance, the military
commander has received telegraph orders TO
withdraw the part of the proclamation con-
cerning foreigners. In negotiating 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 promise regarding the neutral
fly and independence of Samoa, MIR. Knappe
has been ordered by telegraph to withdraw
Immediately his command.
TIME TO CALL A HALT.
The news of the recent action of the
German forces at Samoa has given rise
to quite cOmmOtiOn among members
of the house of representatives, and
much INDIGNATION is felt at the an
nouncement that the Germans intend
to search vessels arriving at Samoa.
Representative Thomas, of Illinois, who
is particularly active and influential
member of the committee on naval af-
fairs, has prepared the following reso-
luton, which will be presented to the
house at the first opportunity:
Whereas, From reports transmitted to con-
gress by the president of the United States.
and from current newspaper accounts the
rights of American citizens appear to have
been grossly invaded, and the commercial
interests of the United States jeopardized by
the acuon of the German government,
through its naval forces IN tne Samoan Is
lands; and
that steps have been taken looking to the
acquisition" OF the Samoan islands by the
German government, in violation of the
rights0 and integrity of a government with
which the government of the United States
holds treaty and commercial relations, and
in violation of the treaty rights of the United
States: therefore, be it
Resolved, By the senate and house of rep
resentatiYes of the United States in congress
assembled, That the president is hereby
authorized and directed to take such steps,
forcibly if deemed eXpedient, as are neces-
sary and proper to protect and maintain the
honor, dignity and interests of the flag and
government of the United States and its
citizens, wherever dispersed, against the acts
of the emperor of Germany or his forces.
Mr.. Thomas is of opinion that his
resolution is preferable to certain others
on the same subject already introduced,
for the reason that it proposes some
thing definite and clothes the president
with authority which he believes to be
wanting. He, as we'll as other members
of the naval committees, resent the as
sumption of the German government
of the right to search American YES
sells. They recall the fact that just
such an assumption by Great Britain
LED UP TO THE WAR OF 1912
(after which the doctrine of the right of
search was pretty thoroughly exploded
by the position of the United States gov
ernmenD, and that from the exercise of
a similar authority our own government
was forced to retreat in the case of the
steamer Trent, when one of our naval
vessels stopped the British vessel and