Fijian land rights, guaranteed by the Deed of Cession in 1874, were given constitutional protection, while Fijian chiefs were given an effective veto in all important matters affecting the status of Fijians and in changes to the constitution itself.
Officially, he was only commandant of the naval station then under construction, although the deed of cession of the territory acknowledged his theoretical authority to govern the people.
The deed of cession, signed on April 17, 1900, listed Manu'a as part of the United States' new territory, but without the signature of its representative.
Although the deed of cession recognized his authority and gave him the title of Acting Governor, as far as the United States government was concerned, he was officially responsible only for the naval station.
He partitioned the territory into three districts, along the historical divisions implicitly acknowledged in the deed of cession: the two governments on Tutuila and the third comprising the islands of Manu'a, which still did not regard themselves as part of the territory.
These documents might include, for example, a deed of commitment on forced displacement and HLP pillage (Personal Interview 2016).
For a NSAG, signing a deed of commitment is one step towards acknowledging (albeit limited) international responsibility for its actions.
A deed of association for "The Proprietors of The Press" was drafted, but surprisingly, the deed was not executed.
Of course, this isn't one of his deeds, it's a deed of an agency of the federal government.
By 1904 the eastern islands had all been ceded to the United States, although the U.S. Congress did not formally accept the deeds of cession until Feb. 20, 1929.
