Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1889 — THE SAMOAN QUESTION. [ARTICLE]

THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

The President Submits Recent Correspondei.ee Congress. ! The President Friday gent the folioWr ing message to Congress: t Ah supplementary to my previous messages on the su eject, I have now the ifbnor to transmit a report from the | Secretary of State relating to affairs in Samoa. M r. Bayard to the president: As the question of German actipn and American rights in Samoa ia under consideration by the Congress, I beg leave to transmit herewith, with a . view to their being laid before the Congress, copies of correspondence touching affairs in Samoa, which has taken place since Jan. 3'ij the date,of your last message to Congress on the subject. Th's consists of a telegram to this department from Mr. Biacklock, vice consul of the United States at Apia, dated Jan. 31, and a paraphrase of my t- legraphic instruction on the same date to our minister at Berlin, of which a copy was also sent to the charge d’affairs at London and mv note of the same date to Count Arco Valley. To-day I was waited udou by the German minister at this capital, who read me a note from his government, which I translatad from his dictation and now inclose a copy of its text. The inclosed telegram from Mr. Biacklock reads: n “German consul declares Germany at war with Samoa under martial law.” The paraDhra-e of the note to Minister Pendleton iB as follows. “Mr. Bayard instructs the minister of the United States at Berlin to inform the German government that advices from Apia state that the German consul bad declared Germany to be at war with Mataafa, and Samoa to be under martial law. Mr. Bayard informs Minister Pendleton that the German minister at this capital, under instructions from Prince Bismarck, had already acquainted this government of the declaration of war by Germany against Mataafa and had accompanied the notification with the statement that Germany would of eourse-, abide by the agreements with America and Eqeland touching Samoa, and preserve, under all circumstances, the rights of this government established by treaty. But. in view of the advices from Apia, Mr. Bayard instructs Mr. Pendleton toj?ay that this government assumed that the German offic als in Samoa would be instructed carefully to refraiD from interference with Ameri(an citizens and property there, since no declaration of martial law could extend German jurisdiction bo as to include control of Americans in Samoa. Such a prehension could not be recognized or conceded by this government.” The remainder of the correspondence as transmiited by the President, reads as follows: Mr. Bayard to Count Arco Valiev—lnforms him of the receipt of a telegram from Mr. Biacklock and says: “Not knowing what construction might be given to his authority by the German consul at Samoa in said proclamation of martial law, I deemed it expedient at once to communicate to our minister at Berlin, informing him of the precise language of the telegram from Biacklock, and stating that the declaration of a state of war by the German empire against Mataafa and his party iu Samoa had been previously communicated through you, and that Prince B'smarck in his instructions to you also stated that the Germari government would, of course, abide by the agreement with America Rnd England with respect to Samoa, and pav due regard in ali instructions to the rights of those powers established by treaty. Our minister at Beriin was therefore instructed to make it known at the German foreign office that the United States assumes that Gernpan officials in Samoa would be instructed scrupulously to abstain from all interference with American citizens and their property in Samoa, and ibat no increase or expansion of the German jurisdiction over American citizens or their property would be caused by the German declaration of martial law, nor would suen jurisdiction be recognized or conceded by the United States.” Counr Arco Valley to Mr. Bayard, under instructions from the .prince chancellor, Feb. 1: “As a Btate of war was declared againt Mataafa, the commander of the German squadron issued a proclamation by which the foreigners established in Samoa were subject to martial law. International law would, to a certain extent, not prevent such a ineasure, but as Prince Bismarck is of opinion that opr military authority has gone too far in this instance. the military commander has received telegraph orders to withdraw the Start of the proclamation concerning oreigners. In negotiating with Mataafa our coushl at Samoa has asked that the administration of the islands of Samoa might be temporarily banded over to him, which demand, not being in conformity to our previous promise regarding the neutrality and independence of Samoa, Mr. Knappe has be n ordered by telegram to withdraw immediately his command.”