No. 327.
Mr. Maynard to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople
,
June 26, 1877.
(Received August 20.)
No. 162.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your
dispatch No. 126, dated May 28, 1877, transmitting a copy of
correspondence between the Department of State and the president of the
board of delegates of American Israelites. It was announced by telegraph
weeks ago that such a dispatch had been sent, one of the very few items
of intelligence communicated by that channel. The telegram from the
Department disapproving of the course of Mr. De Haas, being of
subsequent date, I assume should be construed with the dispatch. I at
once prepared an instruction to the consulate-general at Constantinople,
of which a copy is inclosed.
The number of Israelites in Turkey is variously estimated. In European
Turkey it may be set down at 75,000; in Asiatic Turkey at a few thousand
more, making an aggregate, probably, of 155,000. This estimate does not
include Egypt and the African possessions, nor the tributary provinces
of Roumania and Servia. In the former of these provinces the Israelites
are reckoned at about 250,000; in the latter at less than 2,000. In the
whole Ottoman Empire they must number nearly or quite 500,000.
During my term of official service a single instance only of maltreatment
suffered by this faith has been brought to the notice of the legation.
That was the case of the Rabbi Sneersohn, an American Israelite,
grievously outraged by his co religionists at Tiberias, in November,
1874. The history of it will be found in my note to Sir Henry Elliot,
Her British Majesty’s ambassador, and in a verbal note from the legation
to the imperial ministry of foreign affairs. To both notes satisfactory
answers were returned, and I transmitted them, with an instruction, to
the United States consul at Beirut. Meanwhile the rabbi, wearied and
impoverished by the delay, seems to have abandoned all hope of redress,
and to have gone, I believe, to Prance; possibly he returned to America.
Nothing further has been done in his case; indeed, in his absence,
nothing could be done.
My attention was drawn to the situation of the Israelites in the
provinces by receiving, in January last, a copy of a memorial addressed
to the conference, then in session at Constantinople, by a body of
Hebrew delegates assembled in convention at Paris. I inclose a copy of
the letter transmitting it. The memorial itself appears to have been
sent to Washington, and is no doubt on file in the Department of State.
I took occasion to present the matter, unofficially, to members of the
conference, the inconclusive result of whose labors is known.
I have referred to the telegram from the Department of State,
disapproving the course of Mr. De Haas. A dispatch from him has been
shown me, explaining that the protection extended by him and disapproved
of by the Department was given to certain Israelites in and around
Jerusalem who had been protected by the Russian consulate, and who, at
some time, had lived themselves or their ancestors in Russia, but who at
present have no national allegiance, being, as he expresses it, a
scattered remnant of God’s ancient people.
This recapitulation embraces all the occasions I have had to consider the
situation of the Israelites in Turkey until I received your dispatch No.
126.
[Page 594]
The communication addressed to the Department of State by Mr. Isaacs,
president, refers mainly to the persecuted Hebrews of Roumania. No doubt
the persecutions have been greater there than elsewhere in the empire;
and this for a variety of reasons. Among others, they are as numerous in
this province, I have shown, as in all the rest of the Ottoman
dominions. A trace of their persecution appears in the correspondence of
the legation. (Mr. Morris’s dispatches, Nos. 363 and 364, of May, and
370 of July, 1870.) Recently Her British Majesty’s Government presented
to the House of Commons, in pursuance of their address, a correspondence
respecting the condition and treatment of the Jews in Roumania and
Servia. It forms a blue-book, so called, of some 360 pages, containing
644 papers, beginning in March, 1867, and concluding in April last, thus
covering a period of ten years, and is the fullest as well as the most
authentic narrative on that subject I have seen.
In ordinary times the authority of the Ottoman Government in Roumania is
very slight indeed. At the date of Mr. Isaacs’s correspondence with the
Department of State the province was in the military possession of
Russia, and it has so remained until now, to the entire exclusion of the
Sublime Porte. The United States consular agent at Bucharest, himself an
Israelite, as I am informed, and our only consular officer in the two
provinces of Roumania and Servia, enjoys a superior reputation, indeed,
and, by comparison, it would be advisable, in my opinion, to give him
consular rank.
Justice to the Turks requires me to say they have treated the Jews much
better than have some of the western powers of Europe. When banished
from Spain, for instance, they found an asylum in Turkey, where their
descendants remain to this day, distinguished from the others of the
same faith by the use of the Spanish tongue. An impression prevails that
under Turkish rule the treatment of the Jews is better than that of the
Christians. They are recognized as an independent religious community,
with the privilege of possessing their own ecclesiastical rule, and
their chief rabbi (chacham-bashi) possesses, in
consequence of his functions, great influence.
Yesterday, during my weekly call upon the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I
introduced the subject. His excellency protested that where the Turkish
rule obtained the Israelites had always enjoyed every privilege and
immunity accorded by the laws to Ottoman subjects. His language in this
sense was very emphatic. For their treatment in the provinces the
Sublime Porte could not justly be held responsible. Yet, even then, in
the late treaty with Servia, they had exacted from her a promise of
justice to these much-injured people.
If any grievances are reported, or otherwise come to my knowledge, I
shall interpose for relief.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 with No.
162.]
Mr. Maynard to
D. Stamatiades.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople
,
June 23, 1877.
No. 166.]
Sir: A recent dispatch from the Department
of State transmits a copy of a correspondence between the Department
and the president of the board of delegates of American Israelites,
respecting the reported situation of the Hebrews in the Turkish
provinces, especially those now the theater of war, and directs me
to give such instructions to our consular representatives the
provinces as will be, in my judgment, in view of the peculiar
exigencies of the situation at present, best adapted to secure to
our Israelites the desired protection. A telegram of subsequent date
from the State [Page 595] Department
disapproves of the course of one of our consuls in giving protection
to certain Jews in the vicinity of his consulate.
In conformity with these directions, will you please instruct all the
consular officers of your jurisdiction to observe carefully the
condition of the Hebrews within their consular districts, and any
instances of persecution or other maltreatment to report without
delay to the legation, calling the attention to them unofficially of
the governors or other Ottoman authorities. At the same time they
will not take them under the charge of their consulates, or extend
to them the protection due only to American citizens.
I am, &c.,
- HORACE MAYNARD.
-
D. Stamatiades,
Esq.,
Vice-Consul General,
Constantinople.
[Inclosure 2 with No.
162.]
Mr. Maynard to
Sir Henry Elliot.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople
,
January 25, 1876.
Sir: The case of the Rabbi Sneersohn has
been brought again to my attention by his arrival in this city. The
following appear to be the facts:
- 1.
- He is an American citizen. Of this there is indubitable
proof. He also bears credentials, recognized by me as
genuine, from persons well known by me and highly
respectable and influential.
- 2.
- About one year ago, in Tiberias, he was set upon by
lawless persons, robbed of a considerable amount, and
subjected to great bodily ill-usage.
- 3.
- He applied for redress to Her British Majesty’s consul at
Beirut, who, after investigation, did not deem it his duty
to interfere, but gave him and the United States consul to
understand that the offenders were not British protegés, and would not be protected
by the British Government. Possibly he may have been
misunderstood.
- 4.
- He then, with the assistance of the United States consul,
proceeded against the offenders before the Ottoman local
tribunal, by which several arrests were made; but, pending
investigation, the prisoners were rescued by their friends,
and the authorities set at defiance.
- 5.
- Appeal was then made, on behalf of the rescued parties, to
Her British Majesty’s consul at Beirut, and the matter
referred to the British embassy in Constantinople,
complaining that the United States consul had been guilty of
gross, perhaps wanton, misconduct toward British protegés.
- 6.
- This led to a correspondence between your excellency and
the United States legation, but has reached no definite
results, and which, inasmuch as the consul whose action was
drawn in question has been superseded by his own government,
and no principle especially involved, ceases to be
important.
- 7.
- Meanwhile the aggrieved party remains without
redress.
Now, in view of the foregoing, and for the attainment of justice due
to all alike, I would suggest that such instructions be given to Her
British Majesty’s consul at Beirut as to secure to Mr. Sneersohn
adequate redress, by his own official action, if he shall find the
wrong-doers to be persons under British protection, or, if not, by
leaving them to the action of the Ottoman tribunals. If they are
British protegés, let them be dealt with by
British law; if Ottoman subjects, by Ottoman law. They should not
escape British justice as Turkish subjects, and Turkish justice
under British protection.
I embrace the occasion to express, &c.
His Excellency the Right Hon. Sir Henry
Elliot,
Her British Majesty’s
Ambassador.
[Inclosure 3 with No.
162.]
The United States
Legation to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople
,
January 25, 1876.
(Verbal note.)
the affair of the rabbi sneersohn,
at tiberias.
The legation of the United States of America invites the attention of
the imperia ministry of foreign affairs to the affair of the Rabbi
Hyram Z. Sneersohn, an American citizen.
The facts, as reported to the legation, are briefly these: On the
28th of November, [Page 596] 1874,
the said Rabbi Sneersohn was set upon by certain Jews at Tiberias
and robbed of a considerable amount, and most shamefully maltreated
by being imprisoned, stoned, stripped naked, and in this condition
ridden through the streets of Tiberias, insomuch that he barely
escaped with his life to Jerusalem, where he was confined in
hospital, by reason of his said treatment, about two months.
After his recovery he applied for redress to the United States consul
at Beirut, who went in person to Tiberias and laid the matter before
the caimacam and medjliss. They took jurisdiction of the case and
proceeded to have the offenders arrested. This was on the 27th of
May, 1875. One of the chief men arrested pretended to be under
British protection, and asked permission to go to his house for
papers to establish his claim. This was granted him, and he availed
himself of the opportunity to mount a horse and escape.
The friends of the arrested parties, men and women, assembled to the
number of several hundred, overawed the caimacam and medjliss, broke
open the prison, and released the prisoners. The caimacam not having
sufficient force to rearrest the parties, the matter has remained
until this time without further action. The injured party recovered
his passport and naturalization-papers, but not the money of which
he was robbed, nor have the offenders been punished, most of whom,
and it is believed all, are unquestionably Ottoman subjects.
The legation of the United States of America hopes that the
government of the Sublime Porte will make such orders that the
caimacam and medjliss of Tiberias will proceed at once to rearrest
the said offenders, so unlawfully rescued, to the end that justice
may be executed upon them and reparation made to their victim.
[Inclosure 4 with No.
162.]
Mr. Maynard to
Mr. Edgar.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople
,
March 4, 1876.
No. 65.]
Sir: The rabbi, H. Z. Sneersohn, whose ill
treatment has, first and last, been the occasion of a rather
voluminous correspondence, has visited this city in person and
invoked my intervention in his behalf.
I addressed a note to Her British Majesty’s ambassador, a copy of
which I inclose, also a copy of his reply.
I further addressed a note to His Excellency the minister of foreign
affairs, of which I send you a copy. This has resulted in a
vizierial order, which will be inclosed with a translation, and a
translation of my note into the Turkish language.
The inclosures are for your information, the Turkish documents to be
used.
You are instructed to take early and efficient steps toward bringing
to justice all parties who have maltreated and robbed the Rabbi
Sneersohn, as well those claiming British protection as the
professed Ottoman subjects, the former in the British tribunal, the
latter before the Ottoman magistrates.
I am, &c.,
- HORACE MAYNARD.
-
John T. Edgar, Esq.,
United States Consul,
Beirut.
[Inclosure 5 with No.
162.]
Mr. Seligman to
Mr. Maynard.
Sir: I beg to send you a memorial, a copy
of which, duly signed, has been sent to our government at
Washington. This memorial has passed unanimously a body of delegates
assembled in convention in this city, representing nearly every
nation of Europe and also the United States.
Notwithstanding that the treaty of Paris guaranteed to all creeds and
sects full religious, civil, and political liberty, the Governments
of Roumania and Servia have oppressed and tyrannized their Jewish
inhabitants, and passed laws making the condition of these poor Jews
almost intolerable. You are, no doubt, aware of the terrible
persecutions perpetrated upon this people in Roumania.
To prevent a repetition of these inhuman and barbarous practices in
any of the provinces of Turkey now forming the subject of discussion
at the Constantinople conference, this memorial was drawn up and
presented to various governments.
So far the Governments of France, England, and Germany have responded
favorably, and have instructed their delegates or ambassadors
accordingly.
[Page 597]
Our government will receive this memorial too late to give you any
instructions in time. I therefore took the liberty of forwarding you
a copy of it.
I am fully aware that our government represented by you could do no
more than to bring its moral influence to bear in favor of true
liberty.
From your political record and my personal knowledge of you, I feel
convinced that you will do all you can consistently to favor the
object of this memorial, and I beg you to use your influence toward
the accomplishment of it. The mode and manner, time, &c., of
aiding us I leave entirely to you.
I beg you to receive my thanks in advance, and to assure you that I
will appreciate any services you may render us.
I have, &.,
