Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 4, 1883
No. 561.
Mr. Wallace to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Constantinople, July 26, 1883. (Received August 18.)
Sir: I have the honor to transmit for your information a copy of a note addressed to the minister of foreign affairs, presenting the circumstances of an unpleasant affair in connection with an American mission, established at Shockmazman, a village over in the province of Adana. Copies of pertinent official dispatches are also inclosed, numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. I shall await the explanation demanded of the conduct of the governor with interest. That the missionaries will be returned to their school there is little doubt.
I am, &c.,
Mr. Wallace to Aarifi Pasha.
Constantinople, July 26, 1883.
Highness: I regret the necessity which makes it my duty to again invoke the authority of the Sublime Porte in behalf of some American citizens at the village of Shockmazman in the vilayet of his excellency Abedine Pasha.
Recently some improvements were being made in the school building of the American mission at that place, when the villagers arose, put a stop to the work, and with threats of death if they continued it, drove off the missionaries in charge. The latter are not yet free to return to the village. I do not indulge in comment about the affair, since I know the simple mention of it will suffice with your highness.
There is a complication, however, connected with the incident, to which your highness’ attention is most earnestly prayed. Mr. Robeson, United States consul at Beirut, under date of April 6 last, addressed a note to his excellency the governor-general of Adana, in whose vilayet the village of Shockmazman is situated, describing the circumstances mentioned, requesting investigation and puni-shment of those engaged in the offense, and asking protection in behalf of the missionaries. The communication received no attention from his excellency the governor-general, who did not even acknowledge its receipt. On the 25th of May following, Consul Robeson addressed a second note to the governor-general upon the subject, desiring to know what steps the latter had been pleased to take in redress of the wrongs complained of. To this second note there was no answer from his excellency.
In both the notes alluded to Consul Robeson informed the governor-general by written communication that the case had been reported to the kaimakam of Payas by the United States consular agent at Alexandretta, with request that he exert-his authority to protect the American missionaries. That official, like his superior, the governor-general, took no steps to that end, nor did he reply to the note of the consular agent.
I have the honor, in view of the above, to ask your highness to be good enough to give such orders as may be sufficient to permit the missionaries to return to Shockmazman, continue the improvements begun by them on their school-house, and enjoy the protection which is their legal right.
I have also to ask your highness an explanation of the very extraordinary official conduct of his excellency the governor-general of Adana, in failing to give due attention to the two notes addressed to him as above mentioned by Consul Robeson. Having copies of both the notes before me, I am sure your highness would pronounce them unexceptionable in tone and address. A like explanation is requested respecting the similar failure on the part of the kaimakam of Payas. I confess freely to surprise at hearing of such discourtesy on the part of his exce lency Abedine Pasha, and deem it so contrary to his general character, that I feel quite confident it will be discovered to be the result of some unfortunate mistake.
I avail, &c.,
Mr. Heap to Mr. Wallace.
Constantinople, July 25, 1883.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a communication from Mr. Robeson? United States consul at Beirut, dated July 10, and of its two inclosures.
These are the papers referred to in my letter to you of the 23d instant, informing you of the outrage committed by the villagers of Shockmazman, vilayet of Adana, on American citizens by violently stopping improvements on a school-house belonging to them, and driving away and threatening them with death if they continue the work on the building.
Mr. Robeson also complains justly of the marked discourtesy of the governor-general of Adana in failing to reply to his two official communications on this subject, addressed to him on the 6th of April and 25th of May last. The example of his superior seems to have been followed in this respect by the kaimakam of Payas, who has made no answer to the written communication on the matter made to him by the United States consular agent at Alexandretta.
I am, &c.,
Consul-General.
Mr. Robeson to Mr. Heap.
Beirut, July 10, 1883.
Sir: I beg to inclose herewith copies of letters addressed by me to his excellency Abedine Pasha, governor-general of Adana, Central Turkey, regarding an outrage reported to have been committed by the population of the village of Shockmazman, in the vilayet of Adana, on the persons in charge of the American mission school at that place.
I regret to say that his excellency has not paid the least attention to my letters of April 6 and May 25 referring to that case.
I therefore respectfully but earnestly beg that you will kindly ask the Porte why my official letters are treated with such discourtesy by the governor-general of Adana.
* * * * * *
I am, &c.,
Mr. Robeson to Abedine Pasha.
Beirut, April 6, 1883.
Excellency: I have received a telegram from the United States consular agent at Alexandretta informing me that the improvement of the mission building under the American mission station at Schockmazman has been stopped by the population of that place and that the missionaries in charge have been driven away and threatened with death if they continued the work necessary to finish the mission school building.
If the facts are true as stated, the outrage committed by the people of Schockmazman on the American missionaries is of a grave character.
I respectfully but earnestly request your excellency to cause the matter to be investigated and see that the parties who committed the outrage are arrested and punished and that your excellency will give the missionaries proper protection, as well as to permit them to return home in peace to continue their work.
[Page 873]I have to complain that the case was officially reported to the kaimakam of Payas, who, I am informed, took no steps to protect the American missionaries, nor even did he reply to the communication addressed to him. I will thank your excellency to inform me of the true situation and what steps you have deemed proper to take in the matter.
I improve, &c.,
Consul.
Mr. Robeson to Abedine Pasha.
Beirut, May 25, 1883.
Excellency: On the 6th of April last I had the honor to address you a letter to the effect that the population of the Schockmazman village had stopped the improvement of the school building undertaken by the American mission at that place, and that the missionaries in charge have been driven away and threatened with death by the people of the said village if they continued the work. I also complained to your excellency that the case was officially reported to the kaimakam of Payas, who took no steps whatever to protect the American missionaries. Further, I requested your excellency to inform me what measures you have deemed proper to take in the matter.
Now fifty days have already passed and no reply has been as yet received from your excellency.
Desiring to know the result of the steps taken by your excellency in the case referred to, which if left to pass unnoticed will have most serious consequences, I request you to be pleased to inform me at your earliest convenience what has been done in the matter to protect the American interests and punish the guilty parties concerning this outrage.
I avail, &c.,
Consul.