No. 573.
Mr. Wallace to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Constantinople, October 3, 1883.
(Received October 22.)
No. 283.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit to the Department
a copy and translation of the reply of his highness the minister of foreign
affairs to my communication, dated August 21, 1883, containing demands
against the Sublime Porte in the affair of Dr. Pflaum.
It appears the questions presented are now under reference to the minister of
justice, from which I infer that the Porte appreciates the violation of
Article IV of the treaty of 1830.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure in No.
283.—Translation.]
Aarifi Pasha to Mr.
Wallace.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Sublime Porte, September 30,
1883.
Mr. Envoy: I had the honor to receive the note
your excellency was good enough to write me on the 21st of last August,
relative to the affair of Dr. Pflaum.
While examining anew some of the circumstances of this
much-to-be-regretted incident, your excellency adds that you consider
that the points upon which my above-mentioned note does not give an
explicit answer are admitted and established as proven. Your excellency
will excuse me if I do not concur in the opinion which you have been
pleased to express on this subject. As stated in my above said note, the
explanations which I transmitted to the United States legation were
based on infor mation furnished the Sublime Porte by the authorities of
the vilayet of Smyrna, and which, according to them, comprised all the circumstances of the case. Therefore the
silence on the part of my department on the other points enumerated by
your excellency, far from acknowledging their admissibility, gives, on
the contrary, to understand that these points are the object of all our
reserve.
Concerning the subject which forms the basis of the question, I have
decided to submit the case to the appreciation of the imperial ministry
of justice, and so soon as I shall have received an answer I will
communicate it to your excellency.
Accept, &c.,
