If, as is understood here, the King of Bailunda is a tributary dependent of
Portugal, it is possible that he may already have been disciplined by His
Majesty’s authorities in the premises, but should you learn that
[Page 633]
this correctional jurisdiction
extends to the King of Bailunda, and he has not yet been visited by
Portuguese justice, you will, while invoking protection for our citizens
under international obligations, and their restoration to the scenes from
which they have been driven, as well as full restitution on account of the
losses and injuries they have sustained, express the desire of this
Government that any punitive laws of Portugal pertinent to the case may be
carried out against the offenders, to the end of establishing the rights of
American citizens peacefully residing in territory under Portuguese
control.
The Department has been personally informed by His Majesty’s minister here
that he has addressed his Government on behalf of our citizens referred to,
with an urgent representation of the facts so far as known to him.
It would seem by the inclosed letter that the governor of Benguela has taken
action which deserves the thanks of this Government, and I have to ask that,
in case this be confirmed, you will solicit the conveyance to that official
of such assurances touching the satisfaction of this Department on being
apprised of his favorable action as you may find proper.
[Inclosure in No. 9.]
Mr. Smith to Mr.
Frelinghuysen.
1 Somerset Street, Boston,
October 17, 1884.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
reception of your esteemed favor of the 23d ultimo, and also that of
Acting Secretary Hunter of the 7th instant. And I desire to thank you
most heartily in behalf of the great missionary board, in whose name I
am charged to conduct this correspondence, for the very prompt and very
satisfactory response you have made to the desires expressed in my
former communication. I am now in condition to give you full details of
the expulsion there referred to and to make one or two further
requests.
The five missionaries of this board, who, with their families were
stationed in Western Africa, at Bihé and Bailunda, 200 miles inland from
Benguela, and who have been driven down to the coast, were all American
citizens, and bore with them passports from this Government. All of
these passports had been seen and approved by the Portuguese governor of
Benguela, so that the mission was under the official recognition and
virtual protection of the Portuguese authorities. Two of the
missionaries had, in addition, the guias of the
governor, and thus were fully recognized as wards of the Portuguese
Government. In their violent expulsion, accompanied as it was with the
loss of all their personal possessions as well as of all the property of
the mission, the honor of this nation is directly concerned, by reason
of the grave damage and loss which our fellow-citizens have sustained,
and an insult has been thrown upon the local Portuguese authorities.
The story of the expulsion can be told in few words. The mission had two
stations in two adjoining kingdoms, Bihé and Bailunda. The native kings
had always shown themselves friendly and extended their patronage to
their “whites,” as they called these Americans; and the native
population was pleased to have these men dwelling among them. A
Portuguese trader had for some time been jealous lest in some way these
men should interfere with his business. This last spring his jealousy
broke out into open opposition, and he seems to have set himself
deliberately to effect their expulsion or destruction. He went to these
native kings and plied them with gifts, with promises, with countless
falsehoods against our men. He failed completely in Bihé, but at length
succeeded in turning the King of Bailunda, who is much the more powerful
of the two, to his own purpose. The decisive accusation was that these
men were criminals, fugitives from justice in their own country, and
that he (this trader) had been sent by the governor of Benguela to
arrest them and bring them back to their own land. The King’s mind was
thus completely won away, and he ordered
[Page 634]
the missionaries to leave his country immediately
and take of their goods only what they could carry.
One member of the mission with great difficulty obtained an interview
with the King, but was not suffered to make explanations, and was
ordered to leave the camp instantly. In one respect this King showed
great honor and manliness, namely, in refusing to take the lives of the
missionaries, to which the trader was constantly urging him. July 4, the
missionaries packed up the few goods they could carry, and in the midst
of the devastation of their homes and the plundering of their goods,
began a long and painful flight of 200 miles to the coast, during which
they were often brought to great extremities, and out of which they came
with the loss of all they had, but happily without the loss of any
life.
They at once placed themselves under the protection of the Portuguese
governor of Benguela, and made full representation to him of all the
facts in the case, and obtained from him permission to reside in
Benguela and a promise that he would secure for them redress of wrongs
and restitution of their property. He said he had already sent for this
trader to give an account of himself, and that he would compel the King
of Bailunda to restore everything he had plundered. Two of the
missionaries have come home to confer with the missionary board; the
other three, with their families, are at Benguela awaiting the course of
events.
It is obviously of great importance that the pledges of the governor of
Benguela be faithfully and promptly carried out, and that this King who
has so ruthlessly plundered our fellow-citizens without the least
provocation on their part, should suffer for his misdeed, and give
satisfactory pledges for the future, and thus be made to feel that it is
not wise or safe to treat American citizens, under Portuguese
protection, in this injurious and high-handed way. There is danger that
the Portuguese authorities will not act with the energy and purpose
which the case requires; and as citizens of the United States, and as
officers of this missionary board, we do respectfully solicit your
efficient aid in impressing the duty of the case upon the Government at
Lisbon and so upon the governor at Benguela. If this King of Bailunda
does not suffer in some way for this misdeed it will not be wise or safe
for our missionaries to return to his country, or indeed to any country
within hearing of that land. And our American citizens engaged in
missionary work in other parts of Africa will be exposed to new and
greater perils.
We have all needful promises on the part of the Portuguese authorities,
if they are only fulfilled with proper promptitude and energy. And we
rely very much upon your official aid to make the court at Lisbon
realize to what degree the honor and good name of Portugal are at stake
how gravely the friendly relations between herself and this Government
are affected, and how intimately this question connects itself with the
wider question of commercial and political supremacy on the West African
coast. The nations of Christendom will surely demand that the authority
which claims recognition on the coast show itself disposed and able to
hold in check lawless violence and plunder like this which I have
recited. But the facts are before you, and their bearing is indicated,
and I do not need to argue the case at greater length.
Assured that this appeal on behalf of American citizens, made in the name
of this great missionary board, whose membership extends to almost every
State in the Union, and calling for action which is in perfect harmony
with national interests as well as with the sentiments of humanity, will
enlist your personal sympathy and your official intervention in all due
forms and degrees,
I am, &c.,
JUDSON SMITH,
Secretary,
&c.
