The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-02-09
+ OFFICIAL MINUTES.
The Protocols of the Confer
ence on Samoan Affairs.
NIB. BAYARD'S JUST ACTIONS.
Germany's Persistent Efforts to Gain
Control oftbe Samoan Islands
Bismarek's LetesA.

WASHINGTON, February S.-The pro-
toco,s Tor official minutes) OF the con-
ference on Samoan affairs held in this
city in 1887, together with additional
correspondence on the subject, were
laid before Congress this afternoon, in a
letter transmitted by President CIevs-
land, who says the governments of
Germany and Great Britain have con-
sented to their publication. The first
enclosure is a telegram from Minister
Pendleton to the Secretary, dated Ber-
lin, February LIST, in which the state
mont made to Secretary Bayard by
Count Arco Valley, announcing that
the German government rebuked its
officers for the declaration of martial
law against foreigners had been antici-
pated, which statement he (Pendleton)
had been instructed to make by the
German government. On February
1st Secretary BAyard wrote to Count
Arco Valley, German minister at Wash
ington, acknowledging the receipt of
this advice and saying ii was in advance
of the verbal note the Count had read
him that morning. The memorandum
of instructions from Prince Bismarck
to the German minister at Wash
ington, read oy the latter to the Score
tary of State, February Sth, is as fol-
lows:
TIE PRESENT SITUATION
in Samoa regarding the interests of the
three treaty powers renders it neces
sary to renew the attempt to bring the
features of those islands to an under
standing. The position of the three
treaty powers in the civilized world
makes it their duty to stop the bloody
combat, accompanied b. the bar barous
customs of ta,ss not too numerous
tribes, for whose welfare, according to
the Judgment of the civilized world. it
is the duty of the treaty powers to
provide.
Prince Bismarck, in consequence,
considers it the duty of the participant
ing governments to put an end, by an
agreement of the treaty powers. to the
troubles which have originated in
Samoa, by the restitut ton of peace
among the Samoans themselves and so
make an end of the future bloodshed
and horrors of civil war, conducted
with barbarous cruelty among the
natives. The best remedy sesms to be
a resumption of the consultation which
took place in 1887, at Washington. Ac-
cording to the equal rights of the
treaty powers, it seems the proper place
for the negotiations should change in
regular turn. l am directed to invite
the government of the United States
to
CONFERENCE REGARDING SAMOA
to take placs in Berlin, and similar
invitation has been sent to the British
government. l am directed to declare
that any supposition that Germany
would not feel satisfied with the neu-
trail portion in the Samoan Islands is
upfounded, as we have already de-
clered in our last conference, that it is
neither the intention to put in ques-
ton the independence of the Island
group nor the equal rights OF the treaty
powers. We simply desire to create a
condition which offers a permanent
security for bringing to an end the
bloodshed and decapitation, and which
grants permanent safety to the com
mercial interests of the three treaty
powers in Samoa.
On February 9Th, the Secretary of
State sent q communication to Count
Arco Vaily, stating that the president
shares in the desire expressed by the
Chancellor to bring the blessings of
peace and order to the remote and
feeble community of the civilized pso-
pie inhabiting the Island of Samoa, are
clearly recognizing the dnty of the
powerful nations of Ohristendom to
deal with these people in a spirit of
MAGNANIM1TY AND BENEvoLEECE.
"On behalf of the United States gov
ernmOnt," continues the Secretary,
"the President instructs me to express
his acceptance of the proposal by the
government of Germany TO resume the
consultation suspended on July 265h, |
1887, such consultation to be renewed.
as it was undertaken, for the purpose |
of establishing an orderly, stable gov
eminent in the Samoan Islands on q |
basis of their recognized independence |
and the equal rights of the three |
treaty powers. The sooner this confer
ence can be resumed the better, and in |
view OF the late depiorable scenes of |
hloodshed which have been exhibited |
upon Samoan soil, entailing the deeply |
regretabls loEs to Germany, it appears
GSBCnb1hL bA0b q b40Oo U6 1OILu-
with proclaimed, and further armed
action should be arrested. As the as
surance of Primes Bismarck is that the |
pacifcation of the Samoan group and |
the &C lpation of neutral position are |
his only objects, it is suggested, in
furtherance of the desired result of the |
conference that instructions
TosUspEND BELIeEREET ACTION,
and await the action ofsuch conference,
should at once be teleg=aphed to their
respective officers in Samoa by the
three treaty-making powers. To con-
tinue to prosecute a war of destruction
and reprisal, even upon admitted provo
cation, would surely not be consistent |
with the objects of any of the three
powers. 1t is hoped, therefore, that
orders of the nature indicated will be
forwarded to Samoa without delay. |
The announcement of conference be-
tween the treaty powers, it is con-
6dently expected, will at once cause a |