Mr. Emmet to Mr. Bayard.
Constantinople, July 23, 1885. (Received August 10.)
Sir: I have the honor to report that during an interview had with the minister of foreign affairs, on the 20th inst., the particulars of dispatch No. 293 were fully discussed, with the following result:
His excellency presupposes that at the time Mr. J. J. Arakelyan left his native town, Arabkir, some of his relatives entered into bonds, thereby enabling him to absent himself from home, and hence the exaction of taxes and labor on his behalf since his departure.
If Mr. Arakelyan will take the trouble to file a petition with the Turkish minister in America, setting forth the facts of his case, his reason for becoming naturalized, and exhibiting the proofs of his naturalization, the minister will forward a communication to the authorities of his former home, and have his name stricken from the records, thus relieving his parents from the burden of further taxation or labor on his account. As to the restitution of moneys already disbursed, or remuneration for labor performed, his excellency said there would be no hope for recovery. In his own words “We will forgive him for the future, and he must forgive the Turkish Government for the past.”
The system of bonding would-be absentees is quite a general practice in Turkey, and will undoubtedly be found the origin of the above case.
I am, &c.,
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.