No. 1055.
Mr. Straus to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Constantinople, December 5, 1887.
(Received December 20.)
No. 46.]Sir: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a note verbale, received from the Porte, requesting me
to instruct the consul-general to assist the competent authorities in
entering the house of a certain Handji, an American citizen, for the purpose
of enabling them to seize certain
[Page 1548]
copies of a book on Mormonism, published without authorization. Under the
provisions of paragraph No. 181 of the Personal Instructions, I felt
empowered to render the assistance asked for, as will be seen from my
dispatch to the consul-general, a copy of which I inclose. I likewise
inclose a copy of Mr. Pringle’s reply, in which he informs me that the
pamphlets have all been surrendered to the Turkish authorities.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 46.]
The ministry of foreign
affairs to the legation of the United
States.
Sublime
Porte,
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs,
October 29,
1887.
Note Verbale.—At the request of the department
of public instruction the ministry of foreign affairs begs the legation,
of the United States of America to kindly invite its consulate-general
to lend its assistance to the competent authorities for the seizure of a
work on Mormonism, published by Mr Handji, an American citizen, in a
printing office opened without authority at Coulé–Capoussi, the copies
of which have been deposited in the abode of the editor, situated at
Coum-Capou, in the vicinity of the Armenian patriarchate.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 46.]
Mr. Straus to Mr.
Pringle.
United
States Legation,
Constantinople, October 31,
1887.
No. 22.]Sir: I herewith inclose a copy of a note verbale (October 29, 1887) received from the
Sublime Porte, wherein, as you will observe, I am asked to invite you to
aid the competent authorities so that they may enter the domicile of a
certain Handji, an alleged American citizen, for the purpose of seizing
a publication propagating Mormonism, and which was printed without
authority.
I deem it my duty, in the interest of good order and morality and under
the instructions issued by the State Department to its ministers abroad
in respect to the polygamy of Mormonism, to authorize you to give your
assistance, by virtue of the powers in you vested, to enable the
competent authorities to enforce their laws in this matter, provided
always that the facts are as stated in said note
verbale.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 3 in No. 46.]
Mr. Pringle to Mr.
Straus.
Consulate-General of the United States,
Constantinople, November 30, 1887.
No. 59.]Sir: With reference to your No. 22, of October
31, 1887, inclosing copy of a note verbale from
the Sublime Porte, I beg to inform you that I also received a letter
from the minister of public instruction in which he repeated his request
that I should lend my assistance to aid in seizing a pamphlet on
Mormonism, published by an alleged American citizen.
I replied that I would lend all the assistance in my power consistent
with my official duty. An inspector of public printing called upon me by
direction of the minister, and I found that his idea was that I should
arrest or seize the pamphlet. This I declined most peremptorily to do,
and told him I was only authorized to assist
[Page 1549]
or be present in the carrying out of the Ottoman
laws. I sent for the American, Mr. Hintze, who called upon me, and I
soon found that he was quite willing to surrender the obnoxious
pamphlets, as he denied all connection with the publishing of them. I
beg here to call your attention to the fact that the printing without
permission was the cause of the infringement of the law, and not the
subject-matter of the pamphlets.
I have since been informed that the pamphlets have all been surrendered
to the Turkish authorities, and I have heard nothing further of the
matter.
I have, etc.,
D. Lynch Pringle,
Consul-General.
P. S.—I beg to inclose copy of the pamphlet, printed without
permission.
