Mr. Morris to Mr. Seward.
Sir: In despatch No. 128 I had the honor to communicate to the department a note from his highness Aali Pacha, relative to certain books issued by the American missionaries, and the sale and circulation of which had been arrested in Syria.
Notwithstanding the terms of the note of the minister of foreign affairs, I deemed it my duty to request the removal of all restrictions on their circulation. I was induced to take this step from a personal knowledge of the contents of the books in question, and of the fact that they were not obnoxious to the objections urged against them. I was also desirous of proving to his highness that the American missionaries in this as in all other instances scrupulously observed the laws of the empire. For this reason, in a personal interview with him, I reviewed the subject-matter of these books, and requested him to subject them to a careful examination, as the honor and good faith of the missionaries in relation to the Turkish government had been called in question by the interdict that had been laid on their circulation. He seemed to be convinced that their true character had been misrepresented, and he promised to give them a candid and impartial investigation.
From time to time the subject has been further discussed, and I am now happy to be able to state that my statements have been found correct, and the accusations against the missionaries perfectly groundless. The books have been at last acknowledged to be, what they really are, manuals of religious instruction merely, and permission has been given for their free sale and circulation throughout the empire.
I beg leave to add that the Turkish government is morbidly sensitive on questions of religious controversy, and that it requires great delicacy in the treatment of all matters connected with sectarian propagandism. My action in this and similar instances has been guided by what I conceive to be sound policy and justice, and I am pleased to know that it has been uniformly successful.
I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.