No. 11.
Mr. Francis
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Vienna, September 24, 1884.
(Received October 11.)
No. 8.]
Sir: Referring to your No. 2, of the date of August
7, I have the honor to report that on the 15th instant I called upon Count
Szogyényi, chief of section at the ministry of foreign affairs, and drew his
attention to the matter treated of in the above instruction, namely, the
reported action of the Austrian authorities to repress the proselytizing
efforts of Mormon emissaries to obtain recruits in this country with a view
to their emigration to the United States. My predecessor, Mr. Taft, who
received from the Department similar instructions in your [Page 12] No. 89, dated July 28, had already taken action
in compliance therewith, as set forth in his No. 155 to Mr. Frelinghuysen,
dated August 12.
In my interview with Count Szogyényi I remarked that, if convenient, I would
be glad to have furnished me a written authoritative statement on the
subject, pointing out the measures that had been adopted by His Majesty’s
Government for the repression of Mormon proselytizing and recruiting in His
Majesty’s Empire for the purpose of securing accessions by emigration to the
polygamous sect in the United States, and any action that may have been
taken by the Austrian authorities in pursuance of these measures. Count
Szogyényi replied that he would cheerfully furnish the desired statement,
which was delivered to me on the 19th instant.
I herewith inclose copy of his excellency’s note containing it, with
translation of the same. I also inclose copy of my reply to this note,
wherein I have endeavored to carry out your instruction to promptly
recognize the act of the Austrian Government, if steps had been taken by it
to prevent the recruiting of Mormons in this country for emigration to the
United States, as a measure in the interest of peace and morality.
I have, &c.,
Count Szogyényi to
Mr. Francis.
[Translation.]
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Vienna, September 18,
1884.
In reply to an inquiry by the Hon. Alphonso Taft, dated August 12,
whether an account published by some American papers concerning measures
taken by the Austrian authorities against proselytizing for the Mormons
was founded on facts, the imperial-royal ministry of foreign affairs
begs to communicate the following to the envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, Mr. J. M.
Francis:
On the receipt of a note by Mr. Kasson, then envoy of the United States
of America, dated September 3, 1879, the ministry of the interior, after
consul ting the imperial-royal ministry for worship and instruction,
directed the attention of all the heads of the provincial governments to
the sending of Mormon agents to the different states of Europe, and
called upon these authorities to keep a watchful eye upon them and to
issue such orders to their subordinates as would suppress all possible
recruiting for the Mormons by all lawful means.
In accordance with this order, the police at Prague arrested, in March of
the present year, a Mormon agent named Thomas Biesinger, from Lehi, Utah
Territory, in North America, because he had persuaded people to join the
Mormons during his stay at Prague.
On Biesinger’s arrest, March 31, a number of Mormon books, pamphlets, and
periodicals were found on him, as well as a diary written in English,
which contained memoranda concerning his mission and its successes since
he left Lehi, in October, 1883.
There was also found on him, and seized, a document showing Biesinger to
have been appointed as chief agent of the Mormons for Austria.
On Biesinger’s trial, he was sentenced by the provincial court at Prague,
on May 5, 1884, to one month’s imprisonment and a fine of five florins,
for encouragement of a religious creed not sanctioned by the state.
The arrest and imprisonment of Thomas Biesinger, having at the time been
commented upon by the newspapers, has probably given rise to a cable
telegram to a New York newspaper touching the measures recently adopted
by the imperial-royal authorities for the suppression of proselytizing
for the Mormons.
The Imperial-Royal Government will not fail in future to watch all
similar attempts to enlist recruits for the ranks of the Mormons, which
constitute furthermore an infringement of the laws of the country, in
that it is an organized method of inducing people to emigrate.
The undersigned avails, &c.,
[Page 12]
Mr. Francis to
Count Szogyényi.
Legation of the United States,
Vienna, September 22,
1884.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note, No. 21203, of the
date of September 18, 1884, in reply to an inquiry by the Hon. Alphonso
Taft, in a note dated August 12, whether an account published by some
American papers concerning measures taken by the Austrian authorities
against proselytizing for the Mormons were founded on facts.
Your excellency’s lucid statement of the measures adopted by the
Government of His Imperial-Royal Apostolic Majesty to suppress all
possible recruiting for the Mormons by all lawful means, together with
the detailed account of the action taken in March last by the
authorities of Prague in the arrest and punishment of the chief agent of
the Mormons for Austria, one Thomas Biesinger, from Lehi, Utah
Territory, United States of America, affords evidence of the commendable
and efficient efforts of His Majesty’s Government in behalf of the
interests of peace and morality.
In this sense I am instructed by my Government to recognize the action
referred to of His Majesty’s Government, and to express its sincere
gratification that such praiseworthy action has been taken.
I avail, &c.,
