Mr. Terrell to Mr. Olney.

No. 652.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the grand vizier has renewed emphatic orders for bringing the man Guedjian to this city. I feel confident that he will be delivered to me with orders for him to leave Turkey. I inclose extract from a letter from Consular Agent Poche regarding the action of the governor, and also a copy of my note of the 23d to the foreign office suggesting the removal from office of the governor, unless the Ottoman Government was prepared to assume responsibility for his conduct.

The grand vizier had personally assured me of his renewed order to bring Guedjian to this city, and of him I had verbally demanded the removal of the governor, whose conduct has become obnoxious to Americans.

I have, etc.,

A. W. Terrell.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 652.]

Mr. Poche to Mr. Terrell.

Mr. Minister: Yesterday I had the honor to address your excellency the following telegram:

Having demanded inspection passport, permission interview Guedjian, in conformity with telegram of 24th, vali informs me grand vizier telegraphs he has given instructions by letter, which has not yet arrived.

In explanation of this dispatch I should say to your excellency that the reason for the vali, Hassan Pasha, refraining from answering me in writing, and his telling me that the telegraphic order of the grand vizier refers to instructions sent by letter, is only to gain time while he puts himself in communication with the grand vizier in order to induce him to reconsider his decision, as this is really a reprimand for his refusal to accede to my first demands, and constitutes a satisfaction to our Government, ever jealous of the rights of its citizens, a thing the vali wishes to avoid at any cost. He also desires to prevent the prisoner from reporting what took place during their interviews. Yesterday 16 of the 23 Armenian prisioners who had not shared in the amnesty were set free, as their terms had expired.

The Government continues to mass troops at Suedieh, and seems to fear that grave events will take place in that region. The situation is once more troubled; fanaticism excites and safety seems compromised.

Of the 2,000 recruits who were collected at Alexandretta to be embarked several hundred mutinied and escaped to the mountains, [Page 1311] where they fought among themselves and several were wounded. Troops have left here in great haste for Alexandretta to restore order.

* * * * * *

F. Poche.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 652.]

Terrell to Said Pasha.

No. 91.]

Sir: I have the honor to call your excellency’s attention to the unwarranted violation of treaty rights in the case of Melcoun Guedjian, an American citizen, who has been for some months confined at Aleppo. Guedjian was tried by a Turkish tribunal and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment on a charge of sedition, but the American consular agent at Aleppo was not informed of his arrest nor of the charges against him. When he accidentally learned of the man’s imprisonment, and tried to see him in order to investigate whether he was still entitled to American protection, they informed him that he could not be permitted even to see Guedjian. Although subsequently His Highness Saïd Pasha, grand vizier, at my request and in my presence dispatched orders to the vali, instructing him to allow the consular agent an opportunity of conversing with Guedjian and examining into his claim of American protection, the vali still refused and asserted that he would take the responsibility for his action upon himself. As such action is contrary to the assurances given me at the Sublime Porte, I would suggest that unless the Ottoman Government is willing to assume the responsibility for such illegal action the conduct of its disobedient official should be disavowed, and I therefore demand of your excellency the removal from office of the vali of Aleppo.

Be pleased, excellency, to observe that the responsibility for this illegal action must rest either with the Ottoman Government or with its faithless official.

In connection with this case, I beg leave to call your excellency’s attention to my notes No. 83, of September 21; No. 84, of September 23, and No. 86, of September 28, 1895.

Receive, etc.,

A. W. Terrell.