Mr. Hale to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to report, that soon after the date of my last despatch a formal interview was arranged for the presentation of my credentials from the [Page 407] President of the United States to the Viceroy of Egypt, in the usual manner. The interview was postponed from time to time, on account of the great heat, the indisposition of the Viceroy, and the more serious illness of his minister, Cherif Pacha. Not less than four or five messages were sent to me, during this interval, to excuse the delay, but as the Viceroy had received me informally, immediately on my arrival in Egypt, there was no substantial reason for regretting it. The reception took place last week at Cairo.
The state ceremonial rigorously observed by this oriental court on such occasions, to do honor to the representatives of other countries accredited to it, has been faithfully described in the official communications of my predecessors; referring to these to avoid repetition, I content myself with remarking that nothing of the usages was omitted in the present instance which could testify the respect of the Egyptian government for our own, or express their cordial welcome to the representative of the United States. The consuls general of Persia, of Greece, and of Brazil were also received by the Viceroy the same week; precedence, however, was accorded to me. In presenting the letters of the President I made a brief address to the Viceroy in French, of the tenor prescribed by my instructions; to which the Viceroy replied, in the same language, reciprocating the President’s expressions of good will, and promising that nothing should be lacking on his part for the maintenance of the most friendly relations.
The same day Cherif Pacha, the minister of foreign affairs, called upon me at my hotel; and although such visits, being regarded as merely ceremonious, usually last but a few minutes, it may be remarked that in the present instance the minister remained nearly two hours, engaged in earnest conversation. He said that he would have much to say, by way of complaint, of the irregular proceedings of Mr. Dainese, but that the arrival of a new representative of our government inclined him to allow these grievances (which it is painful to say are personal as well as political) to be forgotten. Passing to a broader field after this generous consideration, he asked for the latest news from America—manifesting a very accurate information and an enlightened interest in our struggle to maintain the integrity of our Union. He recurred to the conversations which he used to have with my predecessor, Mr. Thayer, on the subject; and declared that the progress of events had not in the least shaken his confidence in the strength of our cause, and in our ultimate and perfect success, opinions which he expressed at the beginning of our war, and repeated to the late Viceroy, Said Pacha, in the presence of the Emperor of the French, in the year 1862.
Mr. George C. Taylor, appointed by the President to be consul at Cairo, having arrived in Egypt shortly before the official reception, I presented him to the Viceroy, immediately after my own reception, and, in accordance with the instruction No. 32, addressed to my predecessor, I applied to the government of his Highness for the necessary recognition to enable Mr. Taylor to enter upon his duties, which was immediately granted, and Mr. Taylor is now at Cairo in their discharge.
The members of the consular corps who happened to be in Cairo called upon me there, and the others since my return to Alexandria, and I have returned their visits. These courtesies have been exchanged with the most hearty good will. The consuls general accredited to the Viceroy now number seventeen, from the following countries, besides our own: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hanseatic Towns, Italy, Netherlands, Persia, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Norway.
The whole body of consuls general was convened at the ministry of foreign affairs to-day, at the instance of Cherif Pacha, to receive a project for the establishment of a municipality for the better government of the city of Alexandra. The imperative necessity of some such measure will be apparent when it is observed that Alexandria, most happily situated near the junction of three continents, is fast regaining the position it anciently occupied in the commerce [Page 408] of the Old World; its trade embraces nearly all countries; it is a city of about 150,000 inhabitants, of whom about 50,000 “enjoy the rights of nationality,” as it is called; that is to say, are excepted from the operation of the local laws, being subject to the jurisdiction of the seventeen consulates general. It is plain that no proper municipal government can be had with jurisdictions so diverse.
It must be recollected that one of the incidents of this system is the complete exemption from taxation of all the fifly thousand Franks, comprising the most wealthy of the inhabitants of the town. The government cannot with justice keep the streets drained, swept, paved and lighted, either at the expense of the poor rayahs, nor assess the cost upon the general revenues of the country It follows that the streets are always in a most filthy and dangerous condition; life and limb are insecure, and the advantages of civilization are lost among a numerous and wealthy community. The European residents are generally not only willing to be taxed for municipal purposes, but earnestly ask for the municipality. It is only desired that there shall be due safeguards to prevent oppression and to secure the proper application of the moneys raised.
In Constantinople, and it is believed also some of the large towns of China where the system of exterritoriality prevails, the adoption of a municipality of some kind has been found necessary, and has received the assent of the representatives of the Christian powers, including our own.
There was an entire accord among the consuls general present at the meeting to-day (which included representatives of all except Portugal and Brazil) in accepting the principle of the municipality, and a memorandum to this effect was signed by us all. With reference to the details of the plan, in which much difference of opinion exists, it was agreed that the consuls general should meet to compare opinions on the 1st of December.
The United States have here few permanent residents to be affected by the scheme, and the opinion of these I shall be careful to gather; the important interests of the missionaries will be protected by the exemption from taxation which it is proposed to allow to property used for religious purposes; while all American travellers will be benefited, without cost, by the public improvements which the plan, if successfully carried out, will give to the town.
You understand, of course, that nothing is proposed which will be inconsistent with the express terms of the famous “capitulations” or of existing treaties, and nothing which is inconsistent in principle with the system already adopted for Constantinople, with the assent of the Christian powers.
Great care in arranging the details of the plan will unquestionably be exercised by the representatives of powers, who have here numerous colonies of subjects, some of them counted by thousands; and I trust that it may be agreeable to the department to authorize me to acquiesce in behalf of the United States in the adoption of such plan, not inconsistent with the important limitations already expressed, as may appear satisfactory after consultation with our citizens here, and not objectionable to the representatives of powers having greater interests involved. In view of the distance of America, to ask a delay for communication at each step in the proceedings, when we have but few citizens here, would be distasteful to the Viceroy’s government, which takes a deep interest in the plan, and is anxious for its speedy adoption. Indeed, its forbearance in hearing objections is remarkable.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your instruction No. 3 in reference to the acknowledgment of a generous contribution in Egypt in aid of the widows and orphans of the defenders of the Union, and to report that I expressed the thanks of the government by a letter addressed directly to the committee of the donors.
The term of service of Captain G. Frank Stevens, appointed provisionally vice-consul at Cairo, was honorably ended upon the arrival of Mr. Taylor.
[Page 409]For vice-consul at Alexandria I have appointed Mr. Y. Barthow, one of the most respectable, as he is one of the oldest Frank residents of Egypt; he may truly be said to be the oldest American here, for he was born on the soil, of American parentage, (his father was a native of New Jersey,) under the United States flag. He has for a long time been in the actual discharge of the duties of vice-consul, but, as it appears, his name has not heretofore been formally communicated to the department. I deem it proper now to make the nomination, and respectfully request for it the approval of the government.
I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c.