The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-08
SEWALL SEEMS S0URED.
SECRETARY BAYARD'S COURSE Sc
VERELY CRITICISED.


Thr Consul Generals Expression OF
Opinion Follows a Notification That
His Resignation Would Be Accepted
The Secretary of State Repre-
sented as Bending to Prince Bis
marck.
WASHINGTON, Feb. This morning
Harold NJ. Sewall, consul general to the
Samoan islands, received notification from
the state department. that bis resignation
would be acceptable on the ground that his
views were not in harmony with those of
the administration.
When the President told Mr.. Sewall on
Saturday last that he did not propose to
send him back to Samoa, he thought Mr..
| Sewall would take the hint and resign. Mr..
Sewal waited a few days to see what the
| state department, which had ordered him
| to remain here, would order him to do. To-
| day he received the formal request for his
| resignation. The reasons actuating the
| President and Secretary Bsyard are found,
| first, in the complaints made against Mr..
Sewall by Prince Bismarck and, second, in
| Mr.. Sewalls course before the Senate COM
mittee on foreign relations in opposition to
| the administration policy.
sEwALL TALKS.
An Associated Press reporter called this
afternoon upon Mr.. Sewall, and asked for
| statement of the reasons given by the
state departments in its request that he
| should tender his resignation as consul gen
eral to Samoa. Mr.. Sewall in reply said
| "The reason given in the letter asking my
| resignation is a disagreement in my ex-
| pressed views with the views entertained
| by the state department in regard to
| aff Pal T N
the testimony l have give before the Sen
ate committee on foreign relations, and
which has not yet been published.
| NO DIsAPPROVAL EXPRESSED.
"No disapproval of my conduct in Sa-
| moa as consul general has ever been ex-
| pressed by the state department so far as
| know, and, indeed, it will appear from q
| communication sent to congress in regard
to the situation of affairs in Samoa that
| the department wrote me commencing my
| course IN the trying and delicate position,
as it was styled, in which was placed dur
ing the deposition of Malietoa at the time
| of the conference of the powers.
DENIED EXTENDED LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
"Only two months ago, when l requested
| that my leave of absence be extended, the
| request was denied, for the reason, as stated,
that the situation of affairs in Samoa rem
| dered my presence there advisable, suggest
ing, no doubt, even then, my fitness for the
| place. As is well known, | was on my way
to my post when summoned to Washington
before the foreign relations committee.
THE ORDER TO REMAIN
''Last Thursday was discharged by the
committee, and affairs in Samoa being in
a most critical condition, l Immediately
made arrangements to return to Samoa
No intimation was given me that should
not be allowed to do so until within few
hours of my intended departure, when was
| notified to remain here.
HIS IDEA OF THE OBJECT
1.-THE purpose was obvious. Ny services
were needed Immediately, if at all. An.
other steamer would not sail until March
and it was the evident intention to detain
me until after the incoming of the nexi
administration, upon which, as is known,
have not the slightest claim to political
recognition"
HIS TESTIMONY IN COMMITTEE.
Referring to his testimony before the
Senate committee, Mr.. Sewall said: II wa
un er oath to tell all knew Of Samoan
affairs, and to withhold nothing. The
views / expressed the situation and the
remedy necessary were given at the request
of tine committee. 1t was not for me tC
consider whether those views agreed with
Secretary Bayard's or not do not know,
of all Americans who have given the mat
ter any thought, the state department ex-
cepted; for which cannot speak"
HIS VIEWS.
"What are those vlewsp
81 believe" said Mr.. Sewall, with delib
Grafton, "that the deposition of Malietos
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 conferences. The purpose of Germany
is to secure control of Samoa in defiance OF
the solemn and repeated assurances it has
gwen to our government. Furthermore,
believe that Lord Salisbury Is party tc
this scheme, and that the movement against
Samoa is only a precursor Of an Anglo
German attempt to secure supremacy in the
Hawaiian Islands"
ADMIRAL KIMBERLY's LACK OF ORDERS
Mr.. Sewan expressed the opinion that
sending Admiral Kimberly to Samoan
waters will accomplish nothing. because he
has 10 orders beyond what had previously
been given to Commanders Leary and
Mullen, who could do nothing but protest.
AS to what he thought should be done, Mr..
Sewall said: 81 believe with Secretary
Whitney that a definite policy should be
adopted in Samoa To Sc our ships there
with only their present instructions simply
TO subject luelT tUlCbTb ana Ulbl u uuulllld-
tion, or as Secretary Whitney (usiug q
a polite term out Of respect, suppose, to
Secretary Bayard), terms it, irritating
conditio IS from which their self respect
makes them revolt"
ALWAYS OBEYED INSTRUCTIONS.
Mr.. Sewall said that whatever his per-
soral opinion of the attit Ide of s cretary
Bayard in Samoan affairs might be, he mad,
during his enti @ term Of service Loyalty
and implicitly followed the secretary
instruc IONS, outstanding that they
placed him in a false and humiliatiug posi-
ton. Said he: "As a representa- i've Of the
governme t TO wh ch our citizens looked
or protection, ] was forced to see indgni
ties infc ed upon them, their property
seized, and their trade destroyed. ! had nc
power Whatever to give them redress"
MARTIAL SAW PREVIOUSLY DECLARED
Mr.. Sewall said that the Germans had
declared martial law in Samoa previous 10
the recent occasion, having done so without
notice 10 tue Americans, when war was de-
clared against Malietoa, and at that time
gross insults were offered 10 Anne ica S.
"Were my regret" said Mr.. Sc vail, "at
the loss of our prestige in the Pacific by our
submission To German aggression in Samoa,
the measure Of my humiliating experience
there, could await patiently tie publica-
tion OF my testimony and certain results OF
an aroused and intelligent public opinion.
Rut such is not the case