The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-19
LLOYD osBoURNE ON SAMOA.
His Ignorance or misrepresentation of
Local Conditions Exposed.

his recent article In the Independent on " The
Other Side OF the Samoan Question" As some
time resident OF Samoa Mr.. Osbourne is en-
titled to hold and to express his opinions on
Samoa but it should be recalled that he left
Samoa two years before the present trouble
came to a head: therefore he IL in no sense
writing as an eyewitness Apart from the fact
OF his former residence there is no reason in
particular why any one should pay particular
attention to the opinions held BY Mr.. Osbourne.
1t Is true that for little more than six months
he had the title OF Vice Consul General Of the
United States. but it is n fact that his office
holding was confined to the title: he was never
in any sort Of touch with public business. and
never so much as looked at tho archives.
Therefore he cannot assume to write as an Of
fetal Of the United States. In fact the only
reason that will entitle his opinions to any con-
sideration is that he was brought into the fam
lily OF Robert Louis Stevenson. and that Qualif-
cation amounts to nothing.
The opinions which Mr.. Osbourne advances
are singularly grotesque In their manifest de-
sign to destroy the reputation of Chief Justice
Chambers. Dvested OF that which Is incom-
petent and inmaterial, and there is II large
part OF the article to which that characteriza-
ton properly applies. the whole argument is
seen to amount to no more than the statement
that Chief Justice Chambers and the London
Missionary Society have entered into a con-
spiracy to defraud Samoa OF its riGhtful king
purely for the sake Of preserving Protestant
succession.
Against the London Mission. apparently as a
corporate entity. for Mr. Osbourne does not
mention any missionaries Of this society by
name. the charges produced are these:
l. That being jealous of the work done by
the French Catholic Mission the London Mis-
sion has occupied itself ut various times in
political intrigue among tho Samoans.
,. That In a former rebellion OF Mataafa a
clergyman Of the London Mission proposed
that Mataafa should be enticed to the Amer
lean Consulate under promise of safe con-
duct and there turned over to his enemies.
This is apparently intended to show that the
London Mission is devoid Of all ordinary sense
OF honor.
3. That one OF the ministers OF the mission
was guilty Of marrying the late Malietoa Lau-
popa to the woman with whom he lived up
the time his former wife was living and undi-
the ss e detod Of respse 70 Sh%
both divine and human.
s to sb ssr soW s e De-
has reacted on the Chief Justice. it will be well
charges made by MIR. Osbourne. which. how
ever. he has failed to substantiate by Offering
First then. look into the statement that the
London Mission Ms Il afraid Of The encroaGh-
poes It is ha ths
population Of Samoa is about 50. 900. Mr. Os-
bourne selects the higher figure OF 10000 AT
the more commonly accepted estimate it Is flg-
ured that religious census would yield these
results
London Mission. 20. 900
Morm1ns '''''''''''''' 9'o no
been at work in the Samoan field very nearly
as long as the London Mission. and have
scarcely more than ope;third as many con-
as it well could be.
For this motive. which it has Just been indi-
Gated has no good basis. Mr.. Osbourne pro-
Sseds to develop the thesis that ths L9ndo9
States Government has published n little IL
hrary on Samoan affairs These volumes in
clude, the reports of Consuls and Commission
There Is nowhere any statement that the
Protestant missionaries have been peddlers
OF the London Mission was occupying the i'm
portant position of Native Attorney before the
Land Commission there was never sugges-
FST,hermore the ' recent mt Brtsh eeo onsu at
Alpia. now Sir Berry cusack -Smith,- was there
sibs opportunity Of informing himself. lie
disiksd the Mission people mos. heartily and
that he expressed himself uniformly as ind.
ing no evidence Whatsoever that the Lonion
Mission had anything to do with native poll
which may readily be established by reference
to Official publications., the spite'ul statement
Mr.. Oshourne next AYERS that he himself
knows OF a iii graceful plot to entrap Mataafa
Rndh hG n r %bo II h plot sG
at that time. i must certainly have been known
70 70 others such things never die in Apia;
very strange that in q very intimate connection
with, Samoan affairs this story was never heard
now by way Of Madeira TO los such a y Plan Ea Of
dishonor there must he two agents. 1t was
not enough for his anonymous London mis-:
could he made effective he must enlist
as a partner Of his diShonor the American rep
was Harold Marsh Sewall. Now, Mr.. Osbourne
Is probpbly, the only American who does not
Of clesrgymaann should propose such dishonor
to Mr. Sewal there would be prompt response
which would ring from one end to the other OF
osSourne has Included Mr.. sewa as well. Nh
involving the alleged biEamy of Laupepa Mr.:
osbourne has advanced no proof In support Of
a 1GSHsa' saen ss h%oH
and executive documents 1t is difficult to pre-
sent tangible proof q the ialsity Of ne charge
;dd east a,ios on hjs isssi1 a., vile; sisays
tno iuplhci, VI cludlIy
tonGen woman. TUT. who assumed for her
self the title of Masiofo or Queen. That Lau-
pepa ever married TUT is denied At any
rate Mr.. Osbourne. who makes the charge
against the mission. should have known
enough about the Samoan law Of matrimony
TO know that no clergyman. white or brown. IL
licensed in Samoa to marry anybody. that
white men and women are Invariably married
by their own Consuls. and that Samoans can
be married only by their district Judges. To
prove that the London Mission could not per-
form any sort OF marriage for Laupepa goes far
toward proof that It certainly performed no
bigamous one for him. Furthermore. this
Is pertinent fact which Mr.. Osbourno
neglects to mention. So far from hooking
the law Of that God whom they serve by Joining
tho King in higamy il is a fact that the mission
subjected Laupspa 70 ecclesiastical discipline
for his sin. even as Nathan stood before King
David. The London Mission forbade him to
come to the Lord = Supper while he was living
in sin. This ,continued for a considerable
period. until it had acquired dangerous weight
on the progress of native affairs. Then II be-
camo necessary for those who had the right to
deal with political affairs to hint to the mission
that il would be necessary for some relaxation
In the rigor Of the ecclesiastical sentence or
trouble would result, So it was that the King
attended the Foreign Church in Apia except
on Sacrament sundays. II then he went to the
native church at Mulinuu and the native
pastor saw At to admit his King to the com
hat n at rxrhif III No. ,iugi