Mr. Olney to Mr. Terrell.
Washington, March 6, 1896.
Sir: Your dispatch No. 757, of the 6th of January last, has had due consideration.
You therein report that a large proportion of the claims filed by the injured missionaries at Marash consists of claims for injury to native students, preachers, and teachers whose nationality is not stated.
In general principle of international law a Government can not be held accountable to a foreign Government for injuries suffered by its own citizens or subjects. The relation of native teachers to the administration of the American schools in Turkey has led this Department, on previous occasions, to instruct you that the operations of the schools are not to be wantonly interfered with by molestation of the native instruments they may legitimately employ in their teachings; and that interference with such native teachers on frivolous and vexatious grounds should call for remonstrance and prevention.
Should the destroyed property of native teachers not have been merely personal belongings, but actual and necessary adjuncts to the operation of the American schools in which they were employed, indemnity of that character and to that exent only might be properly asked. It is not, however, thought that any appreciable amount of claims can be due on this limited account, inasmuch as the usual appliances for the educational work conducted by our citizens would necessarily be the property of the missions which direct them.
As to the native scholars attending the school, the foregoing principle does not seem applicable.
I am, etc.,