CORRESPONDENCE.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 56, 26 October 1878, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

Wo aro always willing to give insertion to letter* of explanation or intcre-t, but wo wish it to bo distinctly understood that wo do not endorse the opinions expressed, or language used, by onr corresjMunionts. Oar ideas of passing oveuts vs ill bo found in our local or editorial columns. to Tin; editor or run s.vmd.v times. Sin, — I have road your reply, in last week's issue, to my letter of the 11th instant, and I am astonished to see how wrongly you have boon informed ; you cannot possibly have made proper enquiries or you would no doubt have found that nothing was contemplated which could possibly be in opposition to the rights and duties of any Consul. The question simply was to consult with the Taiimm and Faipule with regard to the liquor traffic; to give them advice and the support of the Foreign Consuls in carrying out respective laws or regulations. It would be waste of time to write and argue against all those strange fancies andferroncous statements contained in your last week’s paper, it would certainly he desirable to have a strong Samoan (iovermnent, but that is no reason why the present tlovernment should not get that assistance from the Consuls which the wantg in order to giveat least; better protection and more security to foreigners and their property. I do not see why we should put our hopes only on such changes which may easily lead to war and bloodshed. Yours, &c. } SUUM CI'IQI'E. Apia, tilth Oct., 1 NTs.

TO THE KDITUU.OK III!: SAMOV TIMIX Sir, —Consistency is a jewel. [n voav editorial of June i.V.ii you ..;. been found neccssnr- upon one previous occasions to petition tin' Foreign Consuls to issue n regulation prohibiting tlic supply of intoxicating Injurs t > t i ■ natives and why should not a similar step be taken now, before further damage is done '" And again, " Prevention is better than cure, therefore wo urge upon the foreign residents to unite in this matter ami petition 111>• Consuls to put some restrictions upon the supply of intoxicants to natives." In connection with the above read the following in your ■■-lit..i-I;i.I la>t week: "The British Consul was not appointed to make laws, but to set- that they are n ipee'ed when they ale made, and anything lieyond this, we feel certain, would 'not lie approved by his Cinvern-ni'-i'.t." Now, behold the contrast between your June ami October opinions, and tell us whet In r the latter are an advance upon the former, or vice vrr-1 hi the former you call upoii the residents lure to petition the Consuls to make laws, ■ in the latter you say they have no business to do so. 0 tempora ! I) mures: Ve, again. In your issue of June l.'itli your " Vox Populi " correspondent say.-, ■ " Wore the German and English < 'onsuls limited to one idea, all hope for Same;: . would fade entirely away. Our onlv I trust is in them * " '* that they '. will take some determined steps to stay i * * * the selling of rum to the natives." "If the I'. S. Consul [.Mr. : Griffin] will siill persist inccnscientiousl carrying out the instructions of his Government by doing nothing, let him bo conscientious still, and act without-him." 1 wonder if the same writer would now give the same advice to the German and j American Consuls, and tell them to igr norc the existence of the British Consul 1 for "adherence to the strict line of his duty," oris thu drift of public opinion entirely controlled by the fact whether it , is the American or English Consul who impedes the enactment of wholesomo laws for the government of the inhabitants of Apia:- , Your sharp-sighted correspondent - See 'Em Quiok," who speaks of " I " and . "wo" with Hint nonchalance which makes it doubtful whether bespeaks for himself or others, insinuates that he . discovered "at the last moment a cut and dried set of laws for the guidance of the - Taiimia and Faipul- themselves * * • tacked ou to this liquor business, nnd n ■ nice little tea party for three, with a cer- • tain gentleman for their secretary in- ■ tended to run tho machine" Now, with- • out knowing who the writer of the fore- . going may be, and not wishing to call ' hard names, the present writer ventures to deny the above statement as falso in 1 every particular, and to challenge proof • to the c tiaiy. What was the nature ' of the laws prepared, and who the pro- • nosed Moratory I the public desire en--1 liglitcnnieiit on (his subject. "If this , matter had been carried out honestly and in good faith," says .Mr. " .See 'Em Quick," i "it would certainly have mot the cordial i approval of all the white residents here, but unfortunately for its success, and for ■ the peace and quietness of this place, ambitious schemes came to tho front and ' nipped it in tho hud.' " .This is a grave • charge, and, without, proof, an impertinent insult to both the German and American Consuls. But are not Mr. "See 'Km Quick's" remarks rather too nut-growth of an over-excited imagination at. a late hour of the night, when he was holding that hand of " threo kings" than of the existence of any such project a, bo was pondering ? Perhaps you will pardon mo, Mi-. Editor, for taking so much space, hut 1 confess that it did sound lather harshly on my can to linil nn alleged American ■ •ili.-i'ti in ii Riwl i of the Samoa Times" making nrli an able di f< ncc of aa Englishman nl the c.tjwu.-iu of tho reprvBcntstive of hi wii • iiintrv, I iaj 10l Johnny Bull tuki ~:• ■ i' him ■ If. »,u,;,

le i> abundantly able to do; but, if as>umcd Americans must defend him, let it ml Ik* by insulting their own Government and count iy men. li is a plossun.* to know that so many able writers, including yourself, have such exalted ideas of the excellencies of the Acting British t 'onsul. But 1 submit to the public judgment whether it is fair to be little the representatives of two of tin* greatest nations on earth while deifying your own. It strikes me as being in very bad taste. “ Fiat Justitia " also goes a long way out of his way, while defending bis own countryman, to assert in his impertinent assumption of superiority. * Let the other t onsuls do the like, and I ooutidently say I the liquor tiailie will soon Ik* stamped out.' After this sage deliverance, I have I only to say that if Mr. Swanston mad.* any such discovery ns that attributed to | him at the last moment, he owes it to the I public to state the fact, or disavow it that j liis colleagues may not be left under the insinuations of their assailants. . I am. Arc., Fau: I*lav. October 24th, I STS.