No. 381.
Mr. Birney
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
The
Hague, October 30, 1879. (Received
November 11.)
No. 132.]
Sir: Referring to your No. 114 and to my No. 125,
both relating to the migration of inhabitants of the Netherlands to the
United States with the avowed purpose of joining the Mormon community at
Salt Lake, in the Territory of Utah, I have the honor to inform you that I
have this day received a second letter from His Excellency Baron Van Lynden
van Sandenburg, the minister of foreign affairs, upon this subject. He
kindly informs me of the result of inquiries he had caused to be made
through certain of the officials of the country. He states that in 1878,
from the port of Rotterdam, the immigrants of this character were 119 from
Switzerland, accompanied by 17 from the Netherlands; that during the months
of May and June of the present year there were 103 Swiss, but no Dutchmen;
that no such immigrants during the same period have left the ports of
Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Flushing, or of Harlingen.
His excellency assures me that the commissioners at Rotterdam have undertaken
to do all in their power to discourage the migration of Mormons to Utah, by
pointing out to them the severe penalties prescribed by the laws of the
United States against polygamy. He gives me these facts as to what has been
done since I first brought this topic before him, with the belief that the
Government of the United States will be fully convinced that the Government
of His Majesty the King is sincerely desirous of concurring in the object
proposed.
I annex hereto a copy of the letter of the minister of foreign affairs,
herein referred to, together with a translation of the same.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 2, in No.
132.—Translation.]
Baron Van Lynden Van
Sandenburg to Mr. Birney.
The
Hague, October 29,
1879.
Mr. Minister: In referring to my communication
of 26th of September last, No. 23, I have the honor to inform you that
the result of the information I have been able to obtain through the
mediation of the minister of water interests, commerce, and of industry,
and of the commission authorized on the part of Rotterdam to watch the
passage and transport of emigrants, is that only exceptionally do
Netherlanders join companies of emigrants destined, for the Territory of
Utah. Such companies, as it appears, are composed chiefly of Swiss
subjects. For example, in the month of June, 1878, seventeen inhabitants
of the Netherlands went in company with 119 Swiss from Rotterdam to
Liverpool in order to embark there for Utah, and the 103 Swiss who,
during the months of May and June of the present year, passed through
Rotterdam en route for the same destination were not accompanied by any
of the Netherlanders.
According to the reports addressed to my colleague by the resident
commissioners at Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Flushing, and at Harlingen, no
emigrant has taken passage from either of these ports having for their
destination the State (Territory) of Utah. I am able to add that the
Rotterdam commissioner has undertaken to do all in his power, whenever
the case occurs, to call attention to the severe penalties affixed by
the laws of the United States of America to the practice of
polygamy.
Flattering myself, Mr. Minister, that by informing you of what has been
done the Government of the King will have been able to convince you of
its sincere desire to concur in the aim proposed by your government, I
seize, Mr. Minister, this occasion to renew to you the assurance of my
high consideration.
VAN LYNDEN VAN SANDENBURG.
