TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 38, 22 June 1878, Page 2

TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.

FRIENDSHIP AND COMMERCE. The following treaty and proclamation we reprint from .111 official document, for public information:— Concluded January 17, 1878, Ratification advised by Senate, with amendments, January :>O, ls7a. Ratified by President February 11, 1375. Ratified by the Samoau Envoy February 11, 1878. Ratifications exchanged at Washington February 11, 1878. Proclaimed February 13, 1878. Whereas a Treaty of friendship and commerce between the United States and the Government of the Samoan Islands was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at the city of Washington on the seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventyeight ; which Treaty, after having been amended and ratified by the contracting parties, is word for word as follows. Tne Government if the United States of America and the Government of the Samoan Islands, being desirous of concluding a treaty of friendship and commerce, the President of the United States has for this purpose conferred full powers upon William M. Evarts, Secretary of State ; and the Government of the Samoan Islands has conferred like powers upon MK. Le Mamea, its Envoy Extraordinary to the United States. And the said Plenipotentiaries having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in duoform.baveagrced upon the following Article I. Thero shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Samoan Islands. Article 11.

Naval vessels of the United States shall have the privilege of eutering and using the port of Pagopago, and establishing therein and on the shores thereof a station for coal and other naval supplies for their naval and commercial marine, and the Samoan Government will hereafter neithor exercise nor authorize auy jurisdiction within said port adverse to such rights of the United States or restrictive thereof. The same vessels shall also have tho privilege of entering other ports of the Samoan Islands. The citizens of the United States shall likewise have free liberty to enter the same ports with their ships and cargoes of whatsoever kind, and to sell the same to any of the inhabitants of those Islands, whether natives or foreigners, or to barter them for the products of the Islands. All such traffic in whatever articles of trade or barter shall bo free, except, that the trade in fire-arms and munitions of war in the Islands shall be subject to regulations by that Government. Article 111. No import or export duty shall be charged on the cargoes of the vessels of the United State entering or clearing from the ports of the Samoan Islands, and no other than a tonnage duty of one half of one cent, por ton actual measurement shall he charged on the entrance of such vessels. Article IV All disputas between citizens of the United States in the Samoan Islands, whether relating to civil matters or to offences or crimas, shall be heard and determined by the Consul of the United States at Apia, Samoa, under such regulations and limitations as the United States may provide ; and all disputes between citizens of tho United States and the people of those Islands shall bo heard by that Consul in conjunction with such officer of the Samoan Government as may bo designated for that purpose. Crimes and offences in cases where citizens of tho United States may bo convicted shall bo punished according to tho laws of their country ; and incases where the people of the Samoan Islands may be convicted, they shall bo puuished pureurant to Samoan laws and by tho authorities of that country. ASTICLK V. If, unhappily, any differences should havo arisen, or shall hereafter arise, between the Samoa n Government in umity with tho United States, the Government of tho latter will employ its good oliioos for tho purpose of ad justing these differ-

ences upon a satisfactory and solid founds.- . tion. Article VI. The Government of Samoa agreea to I allow to the Government and cituens of 1 : the United States free and equal partioi-1 pation in any privileges that may have been or may'hereafter be granted to the Government, ojtiaons, or subjects of any 1 other nation. Article VII. The present treaty shall remain in force for ten years from its date. If' neither party shall have given to the other six mouths previous notice of its in- \ tention then to terminate the same, it shall further remain in force until the end of twelve months after either party shull have given notice to the othor of such intention. Article VIII. The present treaty shall bo ratified and ' the ratifications exchanged as soon as possible. In faith whereof tho Plenipotentiaries have signed and sealed this treaty at Washington, the seventeenth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight. William Maxwell Evarts. [Seal] ! MK. Lk Mamea. [Seal] And whereas the said Treaty, as amended, hits been duly ratified on both parts, and the respective ratifications of the same were exchanged in the city of Washington on the eleventh day of Feb- , runry, one thousand eight hundred and 1 Seventy-tight: j Now, therefore, be it known, that I, I Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States of America, have caused tho Treaty to be made public, to the end that the same, and every clause and artielo thereof, may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof. i. ) In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be a'-Hxed. Done at the city of Washington this thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight, and of tho Independence of the United States the one hundred and second. [Seal] R. B. Hates. By tho President: Wm. M. Evarts, Secretary of State.