the: PI.ANT WORIvD 141 



Extracts from the Note-Book of a Nat- 

 uralist on the Island of Guam.— XIX.* 



By William E. Safford. 



Monday, Jamiary 1, 1900. — Received many visits from my Chamorro 

 friends and a New Year's greeting from the Japanese merchant Iwasawa, 

 neatly written in English. This day the Governor issued the following 

 proclamation abolishing the system of peonage which we found existing 

 on this island : 



Proclamation ! 

 ' ' To the Inhabitants of Guam : 



' ' In issuing this decree the Government desires and earnestly invokes 

 Divine blessing and guidance in its official action and in the daily pur- 

 suits and occupations of the citizens of Guam. 



"By the cession of the Isle of Guam to the United States of America, 

 all of the authority, power and responsibilities of sovereignty were trans- 

 ferred to this Government, and in transforming and organizing the new 

 political power the surest and speediest route to success, prosperity and 

 happiness for the inhabitants of this island is by benevolent assimilation 

 to the fundamental principles that constitute the basis of Free American 

 Government. 



HonCvSt labor with just compensation, dignified by faithful considera- 

 tion of the mutual interests and welfare of all persons concerned, should 

 insure prosperity to this community; whereas, the existing labor-degrad- 

 ing system of human bondage and unjust, indefinite servitude or Peonage, 

 permitted during the late Spanish control in this island, is, in fact, a sys- 

 tem of Slavery, and as such, is subversive of good government, is an 

 obstacle to progressive civilization, a menace to popular liberty, and a 

 violation of the sacred privileges guaranteed by the Constitution of the 

 United States. 



"Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me by his 

 Excellency, the President of the United States, I, Richard P. I^eary, 

 Captain United States Navy, Governor of the Isle of Guam, do hereby 

 announce and publicly proclaim absolute prohibition and total abolition 

 of Human Slavery or Peonage in the Isle of Guam on and after the 

 Twenty-second day of February, A. D. 1900, and all persons are hereby 

 commanded to comply with the requirements of this proclamation. 



"/« witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and have caused 

 the seal of the United States Naval Station, Isle of Guam, to be afiixed. 



"Done at Agana, Isle of Guam, this First day of January, in the 

 year of our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred, and of the Independ- 

 ence of the United States of America, the One Hundred and Twenty- 

 fourth. "Richard P. I^eary, U. S. N., 

 [ SEAL . ] " Governor. ' ' 



* Continued from the May issue. Beguu in September, 1902. 



