Mr. Seward to Mr. McMath.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your late despatches up to No. 15 of the 5th ultimo, including your private communication of the same date.
Before the receipt of your latest communications on the subject of the hostility which has recently been manifested towards the Jewish population of Morocco, the attention of the department had been called to it by the board of delegates of American Israelites at New York. A copy of their letter, dated the 25th of November, and of my reply, dated the 3d instant, is herewith enclosed. I send also a transcript of a letter relating to the same subject, dated the 1st instant, addressed to the Assistant Secretary of State by the secretary of the board of delegates.
If the facts represented to you by the governing committee of the Hebrew congregation at Tangier, and derived by you from other sources, should be confirmed by subsequent investigation of the painful occurrence which took place at Saffi, you are authorized to exert all proper influence to prevent a repetition of the barbarous cruelties to which Israelites in the Moorish empire have, on account of their religion, been subjected. Such a course, which is dictated by common humanity, will, no doubt, be pursued by the representatives of all the Christian powers at Tangier, and their united efforts will, it is believed, effectually check the proceedings complained of.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Jesse H. M’Math, &c., &c., &c., Tangier.