Mr. Terrell to Mr. Olney.
Constantinople, November 18, 1895. (Received Dec. 7.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that in answer to my note of this date to the minister for foreign affairs (a copy of which is inclosed) assurance has been given by him, and also by the Grand Vizier, that orders had issued whenever demanded by me for the protection of American missionaries throughout Asiatic Turkey.
My Porte notebook shows that written demands have been made for special protection seven times in the last nine months, and in each instance the note was delivered in person and the demand made for general orders to all chief civil and military officers. The first demand was in my note, No. 53, of March 12, 1895.
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On the very day when the scheme of reforms was officially proclaimed here I went in person to the Porte and demanded immediate general orders for the security of Americans throughout the Empire. This was October 21. The special occasion for my visit there was to deliver my note, No. 90, of October 21, demanding special protection for American ladies at Hendek.
Before that time, namely, on the 3d of October last, I sent to the Porte my note, No. 87, demanding telegraphic orders to the provinces requiring a continuance of respect and protection for all Americans. A copy of this note was inclosed in my No. 635, of October 3.
You were informed by my No. 651, of October 24, that if tranquillity were restored it would be temporary only, that permanent security here was impossible, and that there could be no peaceful solution of the Armenian question. These fears were not felt by other diplomats here, and I have no knowledge that any of them made precautionary demands for protection before massacres began.
This day a reliable and permanent Turkish guard has been promised me by the grand vizier for every American missionary in Asiatic Turkey.
Your Department has been informed that my apprehensions that the [Page 1343] terrible ordeal through which our missionaries are now passing was approaching had prevented me from availing myself of a leave of absence.
If since my arrival at this post orders have ever issued requiring me to demand efficient protection for American missionaries throughout the Empire, they are not remembered. It must be presumed that such orders to me were never deemed necessary.
In view of the foregoing, you can appreciate my regret, when reading for some days past the statements in the New York press that I had neglected to protect missionaries, that my recent efforts to secure their protection were inspired alone by orders from you, and in failing to observe any authorized contradiction of such charges.
I have, etc.,