The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-09-05
THE SPANISH INVASION OF
P0kkPE.
"a paper by Mrs, F. f. Rand, american
Missionary to Micronesia, read be-
fore the Hawaiian Mission Chill
dren's Society, Honolulu,
IL. L., Aug. 10. 1891
(Coucluaed.)

lst. For half century American
missionaries influence complete and
successful in Ponape. Voluntary
submission of natives to the mission
aries influence in religion and civil
ization, but complete independence
of any political authority, being
ruled only by their native kings and
chiefs.
End. The Spaniards feeling COM
PEELED after trouble with Germany to
assert sovereignty, and choosing to
establish themselves at Ponape as
the seat of Government, found that
the natives did not submit willingly
to their authority, nor to their state
religion. Obliged by law to lay the
blame somewhere, they accused the
American missionaries of influencing
the natives against Spain and her
religion.
3rd.-A bitterness began thus
three years ago, and continuing till
now, has been intensified by the late
rising of the rebel tribe in the island
and by the serious loss Of life among
the Spanish troops, probably forty
killed and sixty wounded at the
massacre of June last, and the as
sault at Qua in September. This
bitterness has now begun to be shown
in acts. which amount to persecu-
ton.
18th. The missionaries are accused
of melting natives to rebellion, and
the Governor says he has good evil
dence, depOsitlons, etc., of this, but
he has brought none to trial nor ar
rested them. They have right to
trial ; they have, however, been treat
ed as guilty. Their houses and
churches were burned at Qua, and
no attempt to shelter them or offer
them a home was made. No express
sion of official regret, no enquiry as
to extent of loss nor of reimburse
ment. Having Withdrawn to the
Xiii tribe, who are quiet and loyal to
SPAN, they are ordered to hold no
meetings whatever with the natives,
thus stopping their legitimate work.
No limit is given to this order, ex-
cept Gin answer to my direct enquiry
"When tranquility is restored to the
Island" which means many years
probably.
9th. Two missionaries asked per-
mission to leave the island, and the
Governor refused, thus constraining
their free action and treating them
as prisoners. | have evidence also
that prisoners have been threatened
with death by the Spanish authori-
ties, if they refused TO testify to the
missionaries guilt of melting rebel
lion. AS this fact, if established,
would render them liable to the
death punishment, their situation at
once became hazardous, for the
Spaniards have already shown them
selves ready to accept any lie, if it
tells against the missionaries.
9th. | regard their position at
present as lacking in dignity and
in some respects degrading, they be-
ing treated quite as criminals, as yet
unsentenced. Without regard to
their high calling, which l deeply
respect, [ believe it unworthy the
dignity of a citizen of the United
States to remain in such position.
| have therefore recommended them
to withdraw from the island and
await elsewhere the decision of these
questions between Spain and the
United States. This they accept,
and | have taken them TO kusaie.
9TH. They waive no rights or
claims in Withdrawing. They simply
retire for the moment from situa-
ton injurious to their mission work,
and unworthy of their dignity as
United States citizens, in full trust
that their country will see them
righted and returned to their work,
ancient duties and privileges.
Sth. Finally, the Spanish are cor.
rect in their impression that their
task of subiugating the island to
their rule and to their religion, is
made more difficult by the half cen
fury of teaching of American Pro-
testant missionaries, but in this they
are confronted by state of things,
not by action of any of the mis-
sionares present or past, and they
delude themselves when they imagine
that their difficulty is caused by
hostility of the American mission