The record-union., 1892-02-19
SAMOAN AFFAIRS.
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE
POLITICAL SITUATION.
Mataafa's Followers, Finding That
None of the Powers Would Back
Them, Ask for Peace.
correspondence Associated Press.1

APIA (Samoa), Feb. 4.-Some important
changes have taken place in the political
situation here, and Mataafas followers
have at last found out that those who
have been advising them that at least one
Of the Powers-America-w back
them in their difficulties with King Mali
etoa We're misleading them, and the
natives have consequently been around
to the ruling villages of Malietoa asking
for conferences. Malietoa has consented
70 allow big meeting to be held at Safa-
tulafai Of MOnonO and all Sayaii, on be-
ing assured that the meeting was for the
purpose of breaking up the Malie camp.
There appears to be no doubt that the
action of the King in taking these mat
ters into his own hands has had much to
90 with the MonOno peoples sudden de-
sire to resume friendly relations with the
Government.
The King had sent out orders to have
all women, children and stragglers con-
nected with Motaaia's adherents sent to
their camp at Malie, and followed this up
by dlSpatchlng forces to sec that this
order was carried out. This was hard
ship to the Mataafa party, as they were
In need OF food tor their own numbers
without women and children to provide
FOR. There is no doubt Mataafa has re-
ceived information from his friends that
there is no hope that the United States
will assist him.
The news that the three treaty Powers
had refused to accept President Pilsach's
resignation was received with some dis
satisfaction both among the whites and
the natives, but the expectation prevails
that with a reconsideration of the treaty
in June change may come and the
Office may be abolished. The President
has made one innovation in that he an
nounced TO the Municipal Council that
he proposed to keep the minutes of their
meetings himself, as he stated that the
local paper did not report them cor
rectly
Chief Justice Cedercrantz still refuses
to pay duty on his imports. He has
framed number Of laws for use of ma
tive magistrates, but they come too late,
as IN the present state of the country
there is no way Of reforming them.
There have been no cases in his court
lately.
A large meeting of rate-payers was
held here February I'd to elect COM
mittee to draw up a list of suggestions
for alterations in the Berlin treaty as to
Samoan affairs, and to be forwarded to
the three treaty powers when the term of
the treaty expires. One of the chief sug-
gestions is the abolishing of the Presi-
dents office.
gone to Pago-Pago for three weeks, and
the Buzzard, German warshIp, leaves
on the 9Th for New Zealand. 1t is ex-
pected that in May there viii be men-of-
war here from the three treaty Powers
American papers have reached here
containing accounts of the attack on some
sailors of the Iroquois made by & man
named Seaman and number of natives.
The actual occurrence was an argument
IN saloon between Scanlan and some
sailors, in which one of the latter broke q
bottle over Scanlan's head and stabbed
him in the breast with the broken glass.
making four or five wounds. also break
ing one of Scanlan's fingers. row fol-
lowed, and the sailors were beaten off by
Stanlan's friends, one of the gigs crew
having his nose broken with a picket.
Seaman is United States Marshal to the
Consul-General. The Captain of the Iro-
quois made no complaint of the ill-treat-
ment of any of his men.
IL is reported that Robert Louis Steven
son, the novelist, intends leaving Samoa
to reside in future at Tahiti.