secret judgment; and the
hour being now come, he unveiled his work of art to the municipal
councillors. On the strength of the Chief Justice's decision, to his
knowledge, and with the daily countenance of the President, they had for
twelve months received and expended the revenue from customs. They
learned now that this was wrong; they learned not only that they were to
receive no more, but that they must refund what they had already spent;
and the total sum amounting to about $25,000, and there being less than
$20,000 in the treasury, they learned that they were bankrupt. And with
the next breath the President reassured them; time was to be given to
these miserable debtors, and the King in his clemency would even advance
them from their own safe--now theirs no longer--a loan of $3,000 against
current expenses. If the municipal council of Apia be far from an ideal
body, at least it makes roads and builds bridges, at least it does
something to justify its existence and reconcile the ratepayer to the
rates. This was to cease: all the funds husbanded for this end were to
be transferred to the Government at Mulinuu, which has never done
anything to mention but pay salaries, and of which men have long ceased
to expect anything else but that it shall continue to pay salaries till
it die of inanition. Let us suppose this raid on the municipal treasury
to have been just and needful. It is plain, even if introduced in the
most conciliatory manner, it could never have been welcome. And, as it
was, the sting was in the manner--in the secrecy and the surprise, in
the dissimulation, the dissonant decisions, the appearance of collusion
between the officials, and the offer of a loan too small to help. Bitter
words were spoken at the council-table; the public joined with shouts;
it was openly proposed to overpower the President and seize the treasury
key. Baron von Pilsach possesses the redeeming rudimentary virtue of
courage. It required courage to come at all on such an errand to those
he had deceived; and amidst violent voices and menacing hands he
displayed a constancy worthy of a better cause. The council broke
tumultuously up; the inhabitants crowded to a public meeting; the
Consuls, acquainted with the alarming effervescency of feeling,
communicated their willingness to meet the municipal councillors and
arrange a compromise; and the inhabitants renewed by acclamation the
mandate of their representatives. The same night these sat