Mr. Newberry to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Madrid, November 26, 1890.
(Received December 8.)
No. 205.]
Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your No.
141 and No. 145, with inclosures, referring to the trouble at Ponape between
the natives and the Spanish officials. I have the honor to inclose copies of
my official correspondence with the Duke of Tetuan on the subject, and on
receipt of reply will at once transmit it to the Department.
I have, etc.,
H. R. Newberry.
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
[Page 441]
[Inclosure No. 1 in No.
205.]
Mr. Newberry to the
Duke of Tetuan.
Legation of the United States,
Madrid, November 25,
1890.
Excellency: I have the honor to inclose
herewith a copy of a letter addressed to the Department of State at
Washington from the secretary of the American Board of Foreign Missions,
calling attention to the disturbed condition of affairs at Ponape, and
points out the efforts of their missionaries to preserve the peace and
improve the relations between the natives and the Spanish garrison. Our
newly-appointed consul at that place has received instructions to use
his best efforts to promote good will, and to further peaceful relations
of the American missionaries and the natives toward the Spanish
authorities. It is to be hoped that your excellency’s Government will
give their cordial support to our consul to that end, as both he and the
missionary organization will have the interest of law and order very
much at heart.
I avail, etc.,
[Inclosure No. 2 in No.
205.]
Mr. Newberry to the
Duke of Tetuan.
Legation of the United States,
Madrid, November 26,
1890.
Excellency: I have the honor to state that I am
in receipt of further dispatches from the Honorable the Secretary of
State at Washington relating to the late trouble at Ponape, and I desire
to request your excellency to give your most serious consideration to
the subject at hand, as it is a matter of great importance to my
Government. When the Spanish Government took possession of said island
of Ponape as a constituent part of the Spanish dominions assurances were
given that the American mission property, granted in due form, and held
for many years as the property of the American Mission School, be duly
respected. But said property has been entered upon, seized, and occupied
by the Spanish officials without any compensation for the same, although
in pursuance of remonstrances from the United States Government the
Spanish Government has agreed to pay $5,000 for damages incurred, not
one cent of which has yet been paid. This was for property seized and
damaged at Kenan, on said island of Ponape. And now, again, under the
protection and permission of the Spanish officials, Catholic priests
seize upon property belonging to American residents, and against their
protests erect their church within twelve feet, more or less, of the
American mission chapel.
I inclose a copy of a letter from Mrs. Cole, giving an account of this
unlawful seizure and the trouble which it caused. On behalf of my
Government I earnestly protest against the invasion of property, and
rights of the Americans at Ponape, and would suggest that your
excellency’s Government carry out the agreement made for damages
incurred at Kenan, and that in the present instances orders will be
issued to the officials of the island to remove all trespassers from the
property rightfully belonging to Americans. I beg to again urge upon
your excellency the necessity for a prompt adjustment of the difficulty,
relying upon the desire of Her Catholic Majesty’s ministers to see
justice and fair play given on all occasions.
I avail myself, etc.,
