The Government here desires, as you will see, that you will consent that the
issuance of the iradé and firman for the Marsovan school may be delayed for
“two or three months,” on account of the “unsettled condition of affairs
among the Armenians” in Asia Minor, and (its belief) that the extraordinary
privileges secured under an iradé, if granted now, would encourage the
malcontents. This plea is evidently based on the belief that the college has
been a nursery for secret revolutionary schemes, an opinion strengthened by
the number of professors and students of that school who have been
convicted.
Unless instructed to the contrary I will, on the 19th of October, formally
but respectfully, request the prompt fulfillment of the terms on which the
Marsovan trouble was settled. The reasons given for asking time should
appeal strongly (I thought) to a friendly power, especially as the right to
demand a performance of the promise to my predecessor was conceded as being
matter of right under the terms of the settlement.
I have preferred to embody in an inclosure the conversations at the Porte,
both on account of their importance and to avoid unnecessary detail in this
dispatch.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 40.]
Memorandum of interview with the grand vizier of
Turkey.
[Extract.]
On Saturday, August 19, I called on the grand vizier, and, on account of
the importance of the matter in hand, took with me my secretary of
legation, who speaks French well. I informed his highness that his
officials at Marsovan would not permit a conveyance of the land on which
the burned building stood, unless a pledge was given that it would not
be used for school or church purposes; that I had patiently waited until
now for the iradé for the entire Marsovan
college, and had come to call his attention to it.
He began, in response, an explanation of the terms of the agreement
between the United States and Turkey, evidently intended to impress me
with the idea that the
[Page 671]
iradé was merely promised, but not as part of a
settlement. To this I answered promptly: “Your Highness, governments
contract only through official agencies. My Government, represented by
my predecessor, and your Government, represented by his excellency Said
Pasha, minister of foreign affairs, settled the question of indemnity
for burning an American schoolhouse, which my predecessor claimed had
been burned under direction of one of your officers, who had been a
robber. My predecessor informed my Government of the terms of that
settlement, which were that £500, Turkish money, should be paid by
Turkey, and an iradé for Marsovan college should
issue. The money has been paid, but the permit to rebuild, which was
also agreed to, has not issued, and we have not heard your intentions
regarding the iradé. When can I expect it?”
He answered, “It will be issued.” I asked him “When?” adding, that he
must admit that my Government had been patient, and now unless the
desired paper issued within a week I would telegraph home for
instructions. He quickly replied:
“I hope your excellency will not do that, for I will telegraph to our
Minister Mavroyeni Bey, at Washington, to solicit from your Government a
delay of two or three months. Armenian conspiracies are still
threatening Turkey; live conspirators were recently arrested at
Marsovan, and to issue an Iradé for the Marsovan
school now would, in the opinion of the Sultan, have the effect to
encourage a seditious spirit among the people.”
With apparent reluctance I answered, “Your highness gives a reason for
delay that I had not expected. The missionary teacher is not a
revolutionist, but if you think that delay is necessary for quiet among
the Armenians, I will wait two months, unless instructed by my
Government to ask prompt compliance with the terms of the
settlement.”
I then informed him that I had addressed a note to Said Pasha regarding
the onerous conditions exacted in a conveyance of the land, and inquired
if his attention had been called to it. For an answer he referred me to
Said Pasha.
I then said: “I avail myself of this occasion to express my gratification
at the promptness with which assurances are given here at the Porte for
the redress of grievances, but it is evident that American teachers in
the interior are subjected to more annoyances from subordinate officers
than ever before.” To this he answered, “Perhaps that is so, but the
Government is having more trouble than usual.”
I said to him, “your highness, it can not be possible that missionary
teachers trouble you? They are not the men to excite revolutions. They
come to Turkey with their wives and little children and settle in wild,
remote villages; no arms or soldiers to guard them; they go about
teaching, singing, and praying, and those who report against them lie to
you. The American missionary is the only Christian now annoyed by your
officers. The Gregorian Armenians, the Catholic Greeks, the Catholic
Armenians, the Greek Church, the Roman Catholics, and the Jews, all have
their spiritual chiefs here at your capital. Why are they able to preach
and teach unmolested, while the American missionary alone is impeded in
his employment?
Your highness, these American teachers, with their wives and children,
are scattered over Asia Minor, and are there protected by treaty
stipulations. You must see the injustice of permitting them to be
annoyed on account of mere suspicion. I must insist that they be
permitted to enjoy in security all the privileges that have ever been
accorded them. Complaints have been made of privileges denied. I wish to
have every one redressed.”
To this he answered, “Well, your excellency, present them and I will do
all I can to satisfy you.”
Remembering Mr. Thompson’s prediction that serious troubles were in store
for our citizens in Asia Minor on account of the Armenians, I said, “I
know that your Armenians go to my country to be naturalized, because we
have no treaty which suspends their relation to our country as its
citizens on their return here, as would be the case under an act of
Parliament, if they were naturalized in England. I have no authority to
speak, but can say that I would communicate to my Government any desire
you may have for new treaty stipulations on the subject.” To this he
answered that he would consider it in cabinet council and inform me. He
added. “When the Armenians who are naturalized in the United States
return here after this, they will not be permitted to remain in the
country.” To this I made no response, since Turkey has refused since
1869 to recognize the right of its subjects to expatriate themselves,
except after permission given, and much future difficulty will be
avoided if the naturalized Armenian remains away from here. In this
connection I requested a suspension of his announced policy in favor of
a young Armenian who was at the legation on that day, and who wished to
rejoin his wife, some 700 miles in the interior. On my assuring him that
I believed he was a good man who had avoided their revolutionary
societies in New York, he consented and telegraphed the permit.
The interview, while serious, terminated with assurances of a desire to
do all he could to remedy the grievances complained of by American
teachers.
