THE AMERICAN CONSUL IN TROUBLE.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 1, 6 October 1877, Page 2

THE AMERICAN CONSUL IN TROUBLE.

Tiiehe has boon a great deal of excitement during the past month in this town, caused principally, by steps taken by the American Consul. In the first place, on Saturday, September Ist, he, (at the instance of Mr, 0. A. Wocds, who holds certain-, powen from Fijian, and other creditors,) took possession of the store of Messrs. G J. Smith, and (Jo. a recognised British firm, for a debt, alleged to bs owing by that firm to th f> " Sin Francisco Cracker Company," ejecting those who had charge of the promises, and placing others to guard the property. At about 11 o'clock the same night a number of restdonti won sworn in ns special constables, for the arrst of J. P. (j Martin, (a British subject, and we

believe a prisoner at large, awaiting tho arrival of a man-of-war for irtation), for having committed an n>, mlt upon the person of A Cinbrough, wiiilat ejecting him from the store ahovementionod, he at the time in charge. The social constables went to tho store of Messrs. G. J. Smith, an ! Co., and called up"n Mr. Martin in the 'nm« of the Queen, to surrender, Kit «•• did

n .t ,' ipond to their nail, the p?rson in charge of the special constables ordered tlirm to enter by force, and arrest Martin, which was accordingly done, and he was sout on board the schooner Canterbury, whore he was pui in irons for safe keeping until sen! tn Kyi by the Bhering. The parties who had been •leetod were also there, end in n> the ilo.pi-, wi re open* 1. the Imerican seals which hn I been placed up m them broken they eiitarod and ruto ik posses•inn. llihiii ontorintf, Mr II inling w is found Ivinu in i liammm i. win n In was •III" '"'l for 1., i ;. ~|, „„ u„, premi«es, and k-iil on hoard the schooner I'miU-rbury, h\ \l ~, Hunt and l'ou I l -< |li who had ra i | .11 -' v 1,.,,, ..;.,,,., | till l« iritf iivpi Mi Id ni left tl I and pi ■ wled ihorl di tsnw down 11 . road, when hj «... ~,.; |„ y\, M ii..ii,i ; i.„, when iii rtreauun is alleged i , havi i ik m ~',....

Hum Good evjmng Mr Ket„ Hetherington Stand off <*r I ' .shoot you, or any of you, and b* : ue J| I nude a rush for the store. I Hunt then called upon the n, - t(j arrest him, which, after some trouble, and we believe u consid- u | e amount of tall talk, Hetherington . filially sent on board the scho, aer | Canterbury. W (Mr. Hetherington states, that he ■„] j [ had a very short canc in his hand, 1( J I f therefore, could not have said wfcj, attributed to him.) On the 3rd of September, Mr. Ha:;:, was liberated by the British with a caution. An inquiry was i.pjt upon the conduct of Mr. which, after lasting two days, result..; :t | his being bound over to keep the and to appear at the British Com,, l(J , i : when called upon, in his own nisance of £IOO. In the meantiir,. i British Consul seeks advice from hi, L Gordon, the Governor of Fiji, ho ! act. in the case. The British Consul having askel American Consul to place his se 4 conjointly with the British seals the store, until it could be llscert^; ll^ .q , who had the most right to the and he having declined to do s-,. uj 8 British seals were placed upon qj premises. The original holders of the property for some time subsequently had the plug well guarded by armed men, and pieces of brass cannon. That part jf t i lo town now revels in the name of Ferry. On the evening of the 4th Septet;, an indignation meeting was held fur thu purpose of giving those persons, who felt so inclined, an opportunity of expressing their opinions upon the conduct of those who aided the American Consol m seizing the property before-mentioned, which some of them did pretty strmMv'.J Several resolutions were passed condemn-1 mg the acts of the American Const!. ; On the 19th September, the Amirie-m i Consul established his olliee iu the? house occupied up to that date ly Mr. l Oolmesnil. This house is leaatd bds Messrs. Q. J. Smith, and Co., from the s French Catholic Mission, but had boenJ l sub-let to Mr. Coliuesuil, and as soon nW he imd left the house the representatives' uf Messrs. G. J. Smith, and Co., servedthe American Consul with a notire not to hoist his flag upon tiie premises, and also requesting him to leave the house. This notice was not attended to, so, about, hj o’clock ou the following evenin ', v small body of men were g,t together, and General Hunt—ve suppose we must call him—waited upon the American Consul, and asked him, whether lit was inclined to evacuate carrying his h.nora. 1 1 -I.uM 1... „-Will '.nis forces against him. and comoel hia to resign, leaving his honors behind. Like a true and gallant soldier, the American Consul sat iu his chair, aud toil hia tormenter that he would not vaca-.a hia position until carried therefrom. Tao forces were called in.andaftera desperate struggle to keep his emotions fion. th „ gaze of cruel spectators, he was iftad chair and all into the middle oi the street. Thus ended another hlx-ilej battle in favor of General Hunt, and . : that place is now known as “ City Point.’’ By the bye, we forgot to mention that at the retaking of the store at Mauutu, otherwise Harper’s Ferry, one oi the seizing party had a bullet sent through his foot by one of his own jubilant comrades. We sincerely hope that this may be the last time that we shall have to report a similar affair. We think, that in the I whole of this farce, the American Consul j hj is been uiged on by' those who proteiw to be his friends, but who, in reaiiSc, are his greatest enemies. It seems a very great pity, that in a country’ tins wheie there is no proper form Government, the various Consuls do nH| pull together. It would be bettor flfll themselves, better for the people livinghuic, and better for the whole country at large. Ihe Consuls here do not work together, but so f ar „ our sh ort experience goes, quite the contrary. WhynsthLsi Is it because th, one’.. ’ jealous of the other? Is it because the one looks upon the country of the other with contempt, considering ’ his own superior ? Or is it because one considers himself of superior intellect, or better u > iu Consular duties, and therefore, needs . not the advice, assistance, or’even friend ■ bhip of the other ? If so, we strongly advice them to cast such causes on one side, and Ik? at least friends iu so far as th»* good of.the country, law, and oH»*r requires it.