No. 621.
Mr. Evarts to Mr. Heap.
Washington, August 21, 1880.
Sir: Since the receipt of your telegram of the 1st instant, announcing the murder of Dr. Parsons and servant, near Ismid, on the 28th ultimo, nothing has been received from you giving more detailed particulars of his death. Your telegram, however, as the Department’s instruction No. 260 of the 5th instant stated, gave it to understand that you had acted promptly and decisively, as far as the circumstances of the affair would then justify, and it is not doubted that you will have followed up your representations to the Turkish authority, looking to the speedy and just punishment of those charged with so heinous an offense against the person of a citizen of this country.
From information which the Department has received since the recent murder, the Rev. Dr. Justin W. Parsons, D. D., was a missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, located in Boston, and one of the many missionaries of whom there are nearly one hundred scattered throughout that empire, sent under the auspices of that board, and at present engaged in their humane and Christian duties. In the existing state of lawlessness in those regions, peopled by semi barbarians, not only those Christian people who have gone forth upon their mission of charity, but as well travelers thither, are in constant danger of sharing a like fate with the late Dr. Parsons. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance, with a view to the protection of American citizens, that firm and decisive steps should be taken for the [Page 987] conviction and exemplary and immediate punishment of the murderers. In the lawless state of things prevailing in that country, only the severest methods are adequate, and, consequently, justifiable, in order to serve in any considerable degree the purpose for which they are intended.
In view of such circumstances as the Department has been able to gather from your telegram and subsequent correspondence with other persons in connection with the recent murder of Dr. Parsons, you are instructed to at once bring the subject again to the attention of the proper Turkish authority in such manner that it will understand that the Government of the United States demands the immediate and condign punishment of the murderers of this gentleman, and that this government also expects of Turkey that it will adopt and enforce such precautionary measures as may be required for the full security and protection of American citizens within its territory, and to prevent a recurrence of such murders in the future.
You will give the matter your earnest personal attention, permitting no opportunity to escape whereby the perpetrators of so atrocious a crime may be speedily, severely, and justly punished, should they not have been already promptly dealt with by the Turkish Government, and report the result of your proceedings to the Department.
I am, &c.,