The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-24
ADVICES FROM SAMOA
INCIDENTS OF THE RECENT TROUBLE
BETWEEN THE CONSULS.
Mr.. OsbOrne's Response to Cheers for
Standing by the British Official
Rival PrOcIamatiOns.

VANCOUVER, B. c., Feb. 2S.-The steam
er Miowera arrived to-day from Sydney,
Wellington. Suava, Fiji and Honolulu. Mail
advices from Samoa via Sydney show that
after the scene in the Apia courthouse, when
the British and American consuls showed
they were stronger than Germany, three
cheers were given for the United States
consul for standing by British Consul Maxse.
In response Consul Osborne said that it was
his duty to stand by the chief justice and
his decision in the king case and he would
do SO. 1t was true that he had no man-of-
war in Apia harbor to call to his assistance,
but there were plenty of United States men
of-war in the background, and don't you
forget it," he added.
At Apia the interval of waiting for in
structions from Europe is being filled up by
a war of proclamations issued by the Ger
man consul and DIR. Raffel on one side, and
by the British consul, the American consul,
and Captain Sturdy, of H. M. S. Porpoise on
the other. Captain Sturdy issued a proclama-
ton stating that if Chief Justice Chambers
was not allowed to hold court the Porpoise
would fire on the town and in view of the
possibilities, British and American subjects
were therefore requested to take shelter on
board the Porpoise if they so desired. The
German consul then issued the following:
According to official notice received from
H. B. NJ. Consul Makes, it may be expected
that Apia will be shelled by H. M. S. Por-
poise at 1880 p. m. to-day" This was signed
by Rose, imperial German consul general
The next proclamation was from the
United States consul general, addressed to
American citizens in Samoa. 1t read: "Liv-
ing many thousand miles away from our
native land the opportunity rarely comes
when we can serve our country and r~e-
serve its honor. The Berlin treaty is Just
as much a law of the United States as if
1t had been passed by Congress. We helped
TO make it. Our President signed it. Our
Senate ratified 1t. One of the most i'm
portant features Of that treaty is the Su-
preme Court Of Samoa, established by our
government, together with other treaty
of property you own and every right that
you enjoy in Samoa is protected by that
court. The title to the home in which you
live is signed by the chief justice of that
court. Except for his signature to your
deed and the seal of that court stamped
upon It you would have no more right to
your land than strangers. Look at your
deed and you will see that it is not only
signed by the chief justice, but by one Of
court and to the chief justice should be the
same to every American as If the insult
ington and to the chief justice of the United
States. There is no nation on earth that
would dare insult the Supreme Court of the
United States. Every man in America
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the
gulf to the lakes would fly to arms if such
a thing was done. Think calmly and act
like patriots. Stand by your flag
German Consul Rose then issued Il procla-
nation refusing to recognize Chief Justice
Chambers and saying that the provincial
government was entitled to fulfill all func-
tons of the government. He would, there
fore, decline to recognize any acts of Cham
bers as legal or valid. British Consul Maxse
and United States Consul Osborne issued a
joint reply, saying that Chambers was the
chief justice, and any one else assuming to
act did so in violation of the Berlin treaty.
They claimed that the provincial govern
ment was intended to be only temporary.
Any acts pertaining to the chief justiceship
performed by anybody other than Chamber
would be revolutionary and void.