Department
of State,
Washington, May 6,
1890.
No. 82.]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 82.]
Mr. Smith to Mr.
Blaine.
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions,
Congregational
House, 1 Somerset
Street,
Boston,
May 2, 1890.
Sir: A communication recently received from
Constantinople gives me information of the interference which the
Turkish Government is making with the book department of our missionary
work in the Turkish Empire. These interferences are of such a sort, and
are so persistently followed up, as to imply a ready disposition, if not
a fixed purpose, to annoy our laborers and hamper our work, contrary to
the spirit, if not also to the letter, of the treaty regulations under
which our missionary work in the Turkish Empire has long been carried
on.
[Page 764]
The books which are prepared at Constantinople for the varied uses of the
mission in different parts of the Empire are detained at the various
custom-houses distributed throughout the Empire upon the most frivolous
pretext, and apparently at the mere discretion of local officials, the
Central Government seeming to ignore the irregularity or to wink at it.
Books that have received the required authorization of the Turkish
Government are thus detained from their proper destination, and the
legitimate work of the missionary boards and the Bible society in the
Empire is thus seriously interfered with and defeated. I am informed
that the whole situation has been fully laid before Mr. Hirsch, the
United States minister at Constantinople, and that he has communicated
the same to the Department of State at Washington. I may therefore
assume that the facts are substantially before you, and I write, not so
much to detail them and set forth their character as to make them the
occasion of a special appeal to our Government to give the matter
thorough consideration, and within the proper limits to instruct Mr.
Hirsch to see that all the rights which belong to American citizens in
the Empire are fully respected by the Turkish Government and all its
officials, and are effectually secured.
We understand very well that our Government can not directly undertake
the furtherance of the missionary work which we are carrying on in
Turkey as such. We only desire that American citizens who are engaged in
this work, and to whom definite rights and privileges have been assured
by treaty stipulation, shall not be wantonly deprived of these rights by
the unlawful and unauthorized action of officials in the Turkish Empire.
The time has come when our Government may well take a tone of dignity
and firmness in dealing with the Turkish Government in this matter, and
make known too clearly to be mistaken its purpose to insist upon and to
secure to its citizens within the limits of the Turkish Empire all the
rights which have been enjoyed by the most favored nation, and which
have been included in the treaty stipulations in the past. Such a tone
will certainly command respect and will in due time secure the end
desired, and we are fully assured that your personal judgment will
heartily fall in with your official expressions upon the subject.
With great respect, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 82.]
Mr. Wharton to Mr.
Smith.
Department of State,
Washington, May 6,
1890.
Sir: Your letter of the 2d instant is received.
The dispatches of Mr. Hirsch have assured the Department that he is
making all proper efforts to remove the obstacles placed in the way of
the legitimate book trade of American citizens in Turkey, and his
efforts will continue to receive approval. A copy of your letter will be
sent to him.
I am, etc.,
William F. Wharton,
Assistant Secretary.
