No. 284.
Mr. Marsh
to Mr. Evarts.
Rome, October 3, 1877. (Received October 23.)
Sir: In obedience to your instruction No. 591, of September 12, I have had an interview with the minister of foreign affairs, in regard to the case of Largomarsino, an American naturalized citizen who is required to serve in the Italian army in compliance with the laws of Italy. Mr. Melegari was not familiar with the case, though Mr. Wurts had found the secretary-general and other officers of the ministry already fully informed as to the facts, and altogether indisposed to grant any relief to the applicant. I stated the facts as fully as I could to Mr. Melegari and asked that in a friendly spirit of indulgence in what must be admitted to be a very hard case, and of comity to the United States, he would take measures for the release of the conscript. Mr. Melegari would make no concession as to the construction and effect of the international and local laws on the subject, and observed that all the authorities of the country, from the highest to the lowest, were strongly opposed to any relaxation of the provisions of the laws regulating the military service. Similar questions, he said, were frequently occurring between Italy and other countries where conscription was not practiced, but that his government had found a strict adherence to their own laws indispensable. I appealed to such considerations as I thought likely to influence the minister, including those suggested by you, and dwelt on the special features of the case, and the peculiar character of the institutions of the United States, a country with a very mixed population, the interests and rights of all classes of which claimed equal protection from our government.
Mr. Melegari did not appear to me to be personally disinclined to consent to the release of Largomarsino, as an act of comity toward a friendly nation, but he promised nothing beyond a careful examination and consideration of the case. I suppose the question will be referred to the ministry of war for decision, and I think this ministry less likely to be favorably disposed than that of foreign affairs, but I do not despair of success in our application.
I have, &c.,