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  4. Document 6

No. 6.
Mr. Osborn to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

[Extract.]
Legation of the United States,
Buenos Ayres, October 16, 1884. (Received November 21.)
No. 438.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that on the 14th instant, by orders of President Roca, the minister of foreign affairs sent to Dr. Maltera, apostolic delegate, his passport, and fixed the period of twenty-four hours for his leaving the national territory.

Maltera received his passport at 3 p.m. on the 14th, and left Argentine territory at 3 p.m. on the 15th instant for Montevideo.

Dr. Maltera had been called upon by the minister of foreign affairs for explanations relating to his interferences with the laws and authorities of the country in an interview or conference with Miss Clara Armstrong, directress of the normal school of Cordova, which she had reported to the minister of worship. Maltera did not give the explanations.

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The press, save the church organs, approves of the prompt measures adopted by the President, and charges that Maltera has been the cause of all the disturbances which now agitate the country; and it appears quite probable that the press is correct, as the agitation over the school and church question began very soon after the arrival of Maltera.

The subject of the conference between Maltera and the directress of the school was that the normal school of Cordova had been anathematized because the Government had employed Protestant teachers to teach the sciences. The directress, an American and a Protestant, with other teachers, called on Maltera and asked him to remove the anathema. Maltera consented to do so on condition that the directress would obtain certain promises from the minister of worship.

To the letter asking these pledges of the minister was returned a sharp reprimand, informing Miss Armstrong that she was employed by the Government to teach the sciences; that she was to obey the instructions of the minister and not Dr. Maltera; that Dr. Maltera had no authority to interfere with the schools.

It is quite probable that the President sent in a message asking the present Congress to approve of a call for a convention to amend the constitution in order to relieve the state from the church.

I have, &c.,

THOS. O. OSBORN.