Office of the Historian

No. 384.
Mr. Schuyler to Mr. Fish.

Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, August 21, 1872. (Received September 12.)
No. 10.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 149, addressed to Mr. Curtin, instructing him to represent to the Russian government the sympathy which is entertained by the Government of the United States for the persecuted Hebrews in Roumania. It appears that some two months ago similar representations were made here by the English and Italian governments.

It was proposed, I understand, by the English government that the powers which signed the convention of Paris of 1858 unite in a joint note addressed to the Prince of Roumania, expressing their grief at the persecutions of the Hebrews which had taken place in that country, [Page 494] and their opinion that they were an infraction of Article 46 of the convention of Paris of 1858, and requesting him to put a stop to such illegal acts.

The Russian government, however, was of opinion that such a course would be unwise, because it might render precarious the situation of Prince Charles, which was already difficult, and might eventually lead to opening the eastern question, which all the great powers were equally desirous to avoid.

The German government naturally took the same view, and it was proposed by Russia that each power individually should, through its diplomatic agent at Bucharest, ask the Roumanian government what guarantee it proposed to give for the proper and legal treatment of the Hebrews in the future. The exchange of views stopped there, and, so far as I can ascertain, nothing more has taken place. In this state of things I deemed it hardly probable that the Russian government would be willing to take any active steps in the matter, but still thought it best to seeek an interview with Mr. de Westmann, and present him your views. I was finally able to see him to-day. In our conversation I stated briefly the reasons which had led the Government of the United States to make a representation on this subject, and that, without wishing to urge any particular course of action on the imperial government, the President was desirous of impressing it with the sympathy felt in the United States for these unfortunate persecuted Hebrews. I then presented Mr. de Westmann with the note of which I inclose a copy. He read it over carefully, pausing from time to time to make remarks. He said first, that according to the information received by the imperial government there had been no persecution of the Hebrews in Roumania; that there was indeed a strong enmity between the Christians and the Israelites, but that in the quarrels which had taken place both parties were equally to blame, enlarging somewhat on the topic upon which I told him that my Government had received different information. Further on he remarked that it did not seem to the imperial government that what had occurred in Roumania was any infraction of the convention of Paris, and that there was nothing in that instrument which would give the Hebrews a right to ask the interference of the signatory powers; that the Russian, like the American, Government had made it a rule not to interfere in the public affairs of other countries. I then explained to Mr. de Westmann that the convention of 1858 was not the basis of the present representation; that it was the character and notoriety of the outrages which had excited great indignation in America which induced the Government of the United States to address themselves to the imperial government, and that they did this in the belief that the imperial government had certain rights under treaties, of advice and persuasion with the Roumanian government, which possibly they, might feel disposed to use. After some other conversation Mr. de Westmann said he would regard any communication as in the nature of an exchange of ideas between the two governments, and would accordingly report it to His Majesty the Emperor in his next weekly report.

I am, &c,

EUGENE SCHUYLER,
Chargé d’Affaires ad int.
[Page 495]

Mr. Schuyler to Mr. Westmunn.

Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, August 8–20, 1872.

The undersigned, chargé d’affaires of the United States of America, has the honor to inform his excellency, Mr. de Westmann, privy councilor, acting minister of foreign affairs, &c, that he has received the instruction of the President to call the attention of the imperial government to the condition of the Hebrews in Roumania.

The persecutions which the Hebrews in the principalities have undergone and are undergoing are so notorious that this grievance assumes as it were a cosmopolitan character, in the redress of which all countries, governments, and creeds are alike interested. The Government of the United States was not a party to the convention of Paris of 1858, of which the acts complained of by the Hebrews seem clearly an infraction, and, as a rule, scrupulously abstains from interfering in the public affairs of other countries, yet the persecution of a people for their race or religion cannot fail to evoke for them the sympathies of the American people.

The Government of the United States thinks that if the imperial government were informed of the sympathy felt in America for the persecuted and outraged Hebrews of the principalities, the imperial government might feel encouraged in the efforts they are making to redress the grievances complained of.

If the imperial government should be able, either alone or in conjunction with the other European governments which signed the convention of Paris, to alleviate the condition of the Roumanian Hebrews, they would be assured of the lively gratitude and sympathy of the Government and people of the United States.

The undersigned takes this occasion to renew to his excellency the assurances of his high esteem and profound consideration.

I am, &c.,

EUGENE SCHUYLER.