No. 443.
Mr. Heap
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Constantinople, July 18, 1884.
(Received August 2.)
No. 414.]Sir: I have the honor to inclose copies of a note
from the Earl of Dufferin dated the 14th instant, with its inclosures, and
of my reply to the same; also a copy of a letter from the Rev. Mr. Herrick,
a missionary residing here, concerning the difficulties and obstructions
thrown in the way of the American missionaries in Armenia by the local
authorities in the smaller towns and villages to prevent the sale of their
books.
This is a frequent cause of complaint on the part of the missionaries, not
only in the smaller towns in the interior, as stated in this correspondence,
but also in the larger cities, not excepting Constantinople. This opposition
to the sale of these books comes in part from the Armenians, particularly
the clergy, who have considerable influence in Asia Minor, and who look upon
them as the cause of the conversion of many of their people to
Protestantism, and in part from the Turks themselves who believe that it is
owing to the teachings of the missionaries through their publications that
so many young Armenians emigrate to America, and after obtaining
naturalization return here and claim the protection of the United States.
The Turkish Government is beginning to refuse recognition of the foreign
naturalization of their subjects who have left their country without
permission. This is the case with nearly all the
[Page 570]
Armenians who go to the United States. Hence they have
frequent trouble with the authorities on their return.
Colonel Everett, Her Majesty’s consul at Erzeroum, takes a sensible view of
the question, and the missionaries would do wisely in following his
advice.
It is extremely difficult, in the present disposition at the Porte towards
our missionaries in Armenia, to induce the minister of foreign affairs to
send categorical and energetic orders to the governors and sub-governors in
the provinces to respect and protect their rights—orders that are meant to
be obeyed. There is a strong occult Armenian influence at the Porte which
renders it difficult to effect a satisfactory settlement of any question in
which an Armenian is involved.
As we have no consular representative in those distant and extensive regions,
throughout which so many Americans are scattered, I was glad to avail myself
of Lord Dufferin’s very courteous offer to instruct the British consuls
there to look after their interests.
I am, &c.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 414.]
Lord Dufferin to
Mr. Heap.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you
herewith a dispatch which I have received from Her Majesty’s consul at
Erzeroum inclosing a copy of a communication addressed to him by the
Rev. Robert Chambers, an American missionary stationed at that
place.
This communication, as you will perceive, sets forth the restraints which
are being placed on the Erzeroum American mission by the local
authorities, and suggests that it might be conducive to their better
treatment if certified copies of the firman granted to the Protestant
subjects of the Sublime Porte by Sultan Medjid, accompanied by atrict
orders to maintain its provisions, were sent by the Erzeroum government
to the various local authorities of that vilayet.
I have also the honor to inclose a further dispatch from Colonel Everett
reporting the seizure of some of Mr. Chambers’ books and the action
taken by him in consequence.
I should be much obliged if you would inform me whether you are disposed
to take any steps in this matter, and I need hardly state that I shall
be most happy to assist you as far as it lies in my power to do so.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 414.]
Mr. Heap to Lord
Dufferin.
Legation of the United States,
Therapia, July 18,
1884.
My Lord: I have been expecting a letter from
the Bible House, which has delayed my acknowledging the note your
excellency did me the honor to write me on the 14th instant, inclosing
copies of two letters from Colonel Everett, concerning the restrictions
which are placed by the authorities in Asia Minor on the sale of books
by American missionaries.
I beg to thank your lordship for your kind offer to assist me as far as
lies in your power. Your lordship having already instructed Colonel
Everett, and, through him, Her Majesty’s other consular officers in Asia
Minor, to give protection and assistance to Americans in that part of
the Empire, I venture to suggest that it might be conducive to much
additional advantage if the Porte were officially informed that British
consuls are instructed to extend their protection to Americans whenever
they are found residing beyond the jurisdiction of their own consular
authorities. If this suggestion meets with your approval I shall write
to the Porte to the effect that American citizens are authorized to
apply to Her Majesty’s consuls for protection and assistance.
[Page 571]
I have been asked by the missionaries to make this suggestion, and your
uniform kindness to our citizens encourages me to comply with their
request.
I shall also ask the Porte to send the orders to the volis that Colonel
Everett speaks of, and hope that they will have the effect he
anticipates.
I remain, &c.,
[Inclosure 3 in No. 414.]
Mr. Herrick to Mr.
Heap.
Dear Sir: I find in my latest note from Rev.
Dr. Barnum, of Harpoot, the following:
“Colonel Everett has told Mr. Chambers, of Erzeroum, that American
subjects have been placed under British protection, but the Porte and
the volis have not been informed of it, and that the American legation
should give the necessary information.”
Would it suit your view of the case to officially inform Dr. Barnum and
other American citizens remote from American consuls, that they are to
apply to British consuls, and also to request the Turkish Goverment to
so notify the volis?
Yours, &c.,
[Inclosure 4 in No. 414.]
Mr. Everett to Lord
Dufferin.
My Lord: I have the honor to inclose herewith
the copy of a letter which I have received from the Rev. R. Chambers, an
American missionary stationed at this place.
In presenting it to me Mr. Chambers begged that I would bring his request
to the notice of your excellency, whose kind offices he solicits. At the
same time he is writing to his chiefs at Constantinople, requesting them
to call the attention of his excellency, the American minister, to the
grievous restraints which are being placed on the mission at the present
time by the local authorities.
These restraints, Mr. Chambers informs me, comprise the mutilation, and
in some cases, confiscation, of their books by the education department
here, although these books have already passed the censorship at
Constantinople, a prohibition to sell any of them except in the
principal towns, under the penalty of imprisonment, detention in jail of
their agents in the sub-provinces by the local governors, and
confiscation of the books found upon them, a growing tendency to ignore
the Protestants as a separate community, and in fact every sort of
annoyance that can be devised.
Mr. Chambers appears to have formed an opinion that some of these evils
might be lessened if it were more generally known in the sub-provinces
that a Protestant firman exists.
It is probable that in many of the cazas the sub-governors have no
knowledge of the existence of a Protestant firman, and that in many
others there is entire ignorance of its terms, but it is doubtful
whether there would be any amelioration of the condition of the
Protestants, even if the governors of the cazas mentioned by Mr.
Chambers were so provided, I base this opinion on the ground that the
rights of the Protestants are well known to the authorities by whom the
books are mutilated and confiscated, and from whom the instructions
proceed restricting their sale. An order from the Sublime Porte
reminding the authorities here of the rights acquired by the Protestants
through the firman and enjoining them to take care that in future this
community should be in no way molested, would be, perhaps, more
efficacious.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 5 in No. 414.]
Mr. Chambers to
Colonel Everett.
My Dear Sir: Great Britain has been the chief
instrument in the Divine hand for the establishment and maintenance of
the principles of religious liberty in this, as in many other countries.
The firman which secures the rights and liberties of the
[Page 572]
Protestant subjects of the Porte was
obtained from the Sultan Abdul Medjid by the good offices of the British
Government, which has never remitted its efforts for obtaining equal
rights for all classes of the subjects of this Empire.
I am very sorry to have to say that the provisions of the above-mentioned
firman are often ignored or imperfectly acknowledged in many of the
provinces of the Erzeroum vilayet, which state of things may, I think,
be accounted for, in part, on the supposition that the firman and its
provisions are generally unknown.
May I ask you kindly to consider whether it would not be conducive to
good results in many ways that certified copies of the firman,
accompanied also by strict injunctions from the Erzeroum government to
the various local governors and officials, be sent to the following
seats of local government, viz: Erziugen, Kemakh, Momakhotun, Kasaba
(Keghi), Khanous, Hassankalsh, Toprakkalsb, Kora, Kilissa, and Bayazid.
At the present time offenses against liberty of conscience are being
committed in Khanous and Keghi—offenses the possibility of the
occurrence of which emphasizes the need of some such steps as those
which I have above indicated.
Your kind attention to this request will confer another lasting favor
upon many of the subjects of this Empire.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 6 in No. 414.]
Mr. Everett to Lord
Dufferin.
My Lord: I had barely written my dispatch No.
28, of the 26th ultimo, before I received another communication from Mr.
Chambers, in which he stated that a number of books which had been
seized by the authorities at Khanous were detained by the censor here,
who refused to deliver them up unless the colporteur on whom they were
found signed a declaration to the effect that he would not again sell
any books except in the chief towns of the sub-provinces of the
vilayet.
Believing that I might be able to render Mr. Chambers some assistance in
this matter without going beyond my instructions, I directed Mr. Devey
to see the censor, and if he refused to give up the books to call on the
voli. The censor refusing, Mr. Devey called upon the voli, who at once
ordered the books to be returned. They were given back the next day.
During Mr. Devey’s interview with the voli his excellency pointed out
that he had received an order from Constantinople, applicable to all
communities, that in future no books of any kind were to be sold except
in the chief towns or villages of the sanjaks, cazas, and mahichs of the
vilayet.
No doubt this order is a certain restriction to the Protestants who have
always been in the habit of hawking their hooks about in the villages,
but, on the other hand, the Government may have good reason for
controlling the sale of books at the present time, and it certainly
could not be expected that the Protestants should he placed on a more
advantageous footing in this respect than the other Christian
communities.
For the present I have recommended Mr. Chambers to instruct his agents to
comply strictly with the existing orders, and I have also advised him to
court the examination of his books, and have them all stamped with the
seal of the vilayet, before being issued to the colporteur for sale, and
whether or no they may have passed the censorship at Constantinople.
By such measures, it appears to me, he will not only entirely avoid
collision with the authorities, but he will be likely to gain their
respect and confidence.
I am, &c.,
