Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-02-07
THE SAMOAN TROUBLES.
WAR DECLARED M GERHIANY-KINa
NATAAFA no BE ATTACKED.

The Presidents Message TO Congress on
the subjcct-Bismarck Gives Germany,s
Side of the Questionable Senate Dis.
cusses the Situation.
Washington %. C.) speciall
An Auckland telegram states that Same,
advices say that the Germans have de-
clared war against King Mataafa and that
probably all the samoans will join against
the Germans.
President Cleveland sent to Congress
additional correspondence relative to Sa-
moan affairs, accompanied by the following
message:
To the Congress:
had the honor on the 18th inst. to communi.
cate to your honorable body certain correspond.
ence and documents in relation to affairs In the
Samoan Islands. and having since received fur.
Their dispatches from the Vice Consul at Ania
and the commander of the United States naval
vessel Nipsic in those waters. lose no time in
laying them m, before you; / also transmit here
Won Bismarck to the German Minister at this
capital, which was communicated on the after
noon Of the 2sth inst. This appears to be an
the same subject, communicated through the
same channel, and which, being set forth In the
Valley, the German Minister of the 18th inst.
was duly laid before Congress- with my last mes
sage in relation to Samoan affairs.
1t is also proper TO inform you that on Mon
day, the 2sth inst, the occasion of the commn
nication Of the note of the Prince Chancellor.
the Secretary Of State was given to understand
by the German Minister that a proposition from
his Government to that of the United States for
conference on the Samoan subject was on its
way by mail, having left Berlin on the Goth inst
80 hat its arrival here in due course of mail can
be looked for In a very short time. In reply to
the inquiry from the Secretary Of State whether
the proposition referred to was for renewal of
Germany and Great Britain, which was sus-
pended in July, 1887 or for the consideration of
Samoan affairs alb novo, the German Minister
stated his Inability to answer until the PROPOSE
ton which left Berlin on the 9th inst should
have been received.
I shall hereafter communicate to the Congress-
all information before me in relation to the
Samoan status. GROVER CLEVELAND.
The correspondence accompanying the
message gives an ampliied account Of
recent events in Samoa It opens with
Vice Consul Blacklock's account of the
maltreatment Of natives and the beating
of the marshal of the Consuls Office by
$50 drunken sailors from German man.
of-war on Dec. Is and is. On Dec. 20
and % the Consul arranged a meeting Of
the three Consuls at the German consul
ate, but nothing could be done, as the
German Consul said he had lost SO many
mon he must now take the matter in his
own hands and revenge their losses
On Jan. l, the Vice. Consul says, Capt.
Mullan, having written to the captain of
the German vessel which seized the
American boat the other day, received
reply to the effect that there was no flag
flying on the boat; this is not true, as the
boat was seen from this Office, also by
others in other parts of town, plainly fly
ing the American flag. This is the usual
way the Germans adopt for Strengthening
out the outrages they commit.
Capt Mullan, on the same date, writes:
am of the opinion that our Government
should have at this point more vessels, especial
ly at this time have caused to be posted in
the town of Apia notice-to wit, that the lives
Of all American citizens will find protection on
board this vessel under my command, and that
at the first intimation or outburst of hostiities
in Apia shall land my force for the protection
of their property.
The last letter is one from Prince Bis
marck to Count Won Arco Valley, detailing
the "unprovoked attack" of natives under
the leadership of the American, Klein,
upon German naval force (which had
landed at the requisition of the imperial
consul for the protection of German set
Elements which were endangered by the
conflicts between the native parties" The
letter continues:
In consequence of this we have been trans-
planted from the territory Of medatorial nego-
t1ations by which the imperial consul in Apia
was trying to reconcile the contending parties,
and for which he sought the cooperation OF his
English and American colleagues, into a state
of war with the assailants, to our regret. We
shall carry on the contest that has been forced
upon US by Mataafa and his followers with the
utmost consideration for English and American
interests. Our military measures have in view
only the punishment of Il 9 murders of German
soldiers and the protection of our countrymen and
their property. AS they on their part are at
war with Tamasese our interference will neces-
sarily assume the character of assistance to
Tamasese. In the endeavor for the just punish
ment of a murderous crime we hope for the CO.
operation OF the treaty powers in Samoa in
friendship with us, and we ask the Government
Of the United States to be good enough to fur
nish the consuls and the commanders OF its
ships of war in Samoa with suitable instruc-
tons. Our armed forces there are instructed to
avoid and to prevent all injury to neutral com.
merce and property, and to adopt measures OF
reprisal and destruction only against the fol-
lowers of the party, which initiated the contest
shall, of course, abide by the agree ments with
America and England with respect to Samoa,
and pay due regard, under all circumstances, to
the rights of those powers as established by
treaty.
The Samoan amendme. is to the Con-
sular bill were discussed in the Senate by
Messrs. Dolph and Reagan. Mr.. Dolph
said the question was one of local inter-
est 10 the. people of the Pacific coast, and
argued that the treaty of 1884 between
Germany and Samoa gave the German
Government powers which wore incom-
patible with the autonomy of the native
government and inconsistent it'll Ameri-
can treaty rights in the islands. If Con-
lgress were to interfere in the matter at
all, the President should be directed to
insist upon q restoration by the German
Government of the status quo at the time
of the Washington conference, and to no
tify the German Government that the
United States would not permit the
Samoan islands to pass under the control
of any foreign nation, and that their indie
pendent autonomy must be maintained.
He saw no good reason why, if necessary,
and if requested by the Samoan people,
an American protectorate should not be
established over them.
Mr.. Reagan declared that no American
citizen could read the correspondence
without feeling humiliation to see the
rights of the United States brutally over
ridden and trodden down by German sub
alterns while the German Prime Minister
was protesting friendship and desire to
maintain proper relations with the Gov
eminent of the United States. He
thought the proposed amendments were
too feeble to vindicate the rights of the
American people in the matter, and added:
II we believe that we have rights which have
been violated We should assert those ri ghts as
in favor of war. But the humiliation of great
nation In the face of an arrogant power is worse