Mr. Tripp to Mr.
Hay.
Apia,
Samoa, May 19,
1899.
No. 2.]
Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith
letters received from Malietoa Tanumafili and also from Mataafa,
together with our replies.
We have arranged to receive Malietoa Tanumafili this afternoon and
Mataafa to-morrow morning on board the Badger,
together with their head chiefs and talking men. We shall hear what each
party has to say, advise them fully of our powers, and inform them that
they must disband, return to their homes, and await the further action
of the commission.
* * * * * * *
All is now quiet and the status quo is expected to be maintained until
the definite action of the commission.
I am getting off this dispatch hurriedly just as the mail is closing, and
beg, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mataafa to the Commission.
The
Provisional Government of Samoa,
Malie, May
12, 1899.
Your Excellencies: We offer your
excellencies our great respect and our thanks.
We offer you in this letter our welcome, with the heart full of joy
at our now meeting.
[Page 618]
We are the provisional government, established by the three consular
representatives of the three great signatory powers.
- (1)
- We express to you our great joy and thanks that you come to
Samoa on so high a mission. Thanks for your coming, and we know
certainly that you will do what is just with goodness and love
to our country. We hope greatly in your good will and help to
those who are known to have the authority of the Tanua and Pule
in this our own country according to Samoan customs.
- Thanks for your safe journey over the great sea with its
contrary winds and great distance.
- (2)
- We know for certain that you greatly desire the happiness and
peace of Samoa. Therefore we now appeal to you as follows, if it
is according to the desire of your excellencies: To disperse the
army at Mulinuu, and take away all the arms that were
distributed to them by the whites. Then we promise to quickly
dismiss our soldiers.
- (3)
- We appeal to you with respect, if it is according to your
desire: To allow us, is possible, to go to Apia to interview our
lawyers, who shall arrive in Apia next week. We promise you now
that we ourselves will advise the peace of Samoa.
In our sincerity we sign our hand below.
We are your beloved friends,
Mataafa and the 13 chiefs of Tanua and Pule
[Inclosure 2.]
The Commission to
Mataafa.
Sir: Your letter of the 12th has been
received. The great powers have learned with regret that the Samoan
people have been unable to agree upon a king; and they have been
shocked at the atrocities which have followed this disagreement. The
three powers are agreed that peace should be established, the war
ended, and all Samoans return peaceably to their homes.
They have sent us to take over the government of these islands now,
and to prepare for Samoa a strong and stable government for the
future.
We shall be glad to receive you and to speak with you further about
these and other matters, and we therefore invite you to call on us
on board our vessel, the Badger.
We desire you to inform us when you will come to Apia in order that
we may make arrangements for your safe journey.
We are, sir, yours faithfully,
[Signed by each commissioner.]
[Inclosure 3.]
Mataafa to the Commission.
Your Excellencies: We have received your
letter of the 15th instant.
We thank you that we have been informed of your power to protect and
do away with the difficulties which have grown in Samoa and to put
right the rule for this country and to establish a good and strong
government.
I agree to your excellencies with great respect.
I shall come to Apia with four high Faipules and the secretary, we
will meet you on board of your ship (Badger).
On Saturday (May 20) we will be here.
We hope to your protection that we will be safe on our way to here
and on the return.
We are your true friends,
Mataafa and the 13 Chiefs of Tanua and Pule.
[Inclosure 4.]
Mataafa to the Commission.
Your Excellencies: Kindly excuse us. We ask
the following permission with respect: Could you meet us with some
boats, offering us your protection that our
[Page 619]
journey to Apia may be safe, because we do not
wish any trouble to arise again between ourselves and Samoans who
are in Mulinuu.
We shall leave Malie at 7 o’clock in the morning and desire to arrive
on board the Badger at 9 or 10 o’clock.
We are, with respect, your sincere friends,
Mataafa and the 13 Chiefs of Tanua and Pule.
[Inclosure 5.]
The Commission to
Mataafa.
Sir: We have received your letters of the
17th and 18th of this month, in which you inform us that you will
call on us with four high chiefs and a secretary on Saturday next on
board our ship the Badger.
We shall be pleased to receive you at 9 o’clock in the morning. Three
men of war boats of the three powers, each bearing its flag, will
arrive at Malie at 7 o’clock to escort you to our ship and bring you
back.
We are, sir, yours faithfully,
[Signed by each commissioner.]
[Inclosure 6.]
Malietoa to the
commission.
Government House, Mulinuu, May 15,
1899.
Your Excellencies,
greeting:
We, the king and government of Samoa, are greatly rejoiced that you,
the three high chiefs representing the great powers who framed the
treaty of friendship at Berlin in 1889; that treaty has been the
foundation of all administration of Samoa for many years; the rule
also of Samoa is under that treaty.
We trust sincerely and hope that your sojourn in Samoa will be
pleasant and successful. Anything we can do on behalf of the
government of Samoa we will do in order that all the desires of you
and your great Governments shall be accomplished; we will perform
all things righteously. We trusted in days past in the treaty of
friendship; we still obey all provisions of that treaty. Our desire
is that we continue to act as in the past. We will obey all things
the great powers shall determine.
We hope that the protection of the great powers will remain over this
country.
Let all matters which are prepared for Samoa according to the great
powers be successful.
With the utmost respect toward your Government we are very thankful
on account of the friendship with Samoa.
By the full desire of the Government of Samoa the hand of His Majesty
the King of Samoa is subscribed now, and the great seal of the King
is affixed to it.
[
seal.]
Malietoa Tanumafili.
[Inclosure 7.]
The Commission to
Malietoa.
Sir: We were glad to receive your letter of
the 15th instant, and we take note with great satisfaction of your
declaration that you and your government will obey in all things the
desires of the three powers and of the commission.
The powers have learned with regret that the Samoan people have been
unable to agree upon a king, and they have been shocked at the
atrocities which have followed this disagreement. The three powers
are agreed that peace should be established, the war ended, and all
Samoans return peaceably to their homes.
They have sent us to take over the government of these islands now,
and to prepare for Samoa a strong and stable government for the
future.
Having only newly arrived we wish to acquaint ourselves with the
condition of these islands before taking any action, and we hereby
desire you to inform your
[Page 620]
people of this, to enjoin them to keep quiet and refrain from all
hostilities pending the decisions of the commission.
In a very short time it is our intention to request you to confer
with us as to the measures best adopted for ending war and assuring
the tranquillity of Samoa.
We are, sir, yours faithfully,
[Signed by each commissioner.]
