That instruction directed Mr. Richmond to use all proper good offices in the
direction of furthering the legitimate efforts, of certain American
missionaries under the immediate control of the local Mozambique Government,
but with a due regard to the established faith in that quarter.
Mr. Richmond’s No. 18 of the 16th February reported action, and his letter on
the subject to Mr. Smith was forwarded to that gentleman.
You will please continue the good offices of the legation in the sense of the
instruction of January 27 last, if necessary.
[Inclosure in No. 4.]
Mr. Smith to Mr.
Bayard.
1 Somerset Street,
Boston,
Mass., May 7,
1885.
Dear Sir: The American Board has three
missionaries stationed on Inhambane Bay, on the east coast of Africa.
All of these gentlemen are American citizens and bear with them the
passports of our Government. They are within the limits of the
Portuguese jurisdiction on that coast, and have received permission of
the authorities at Mozambique to take up a tract of 2,500 acres wherever
they may choose to locate. This permission is accompanied with a
positive restriction, forbidding them to engage in religious teaching or
preaching beyond the limits of the above concession. Our missionaries
find that this restriction interferes directly and seriously with their
work, and they earnestly desire to have it withdrawn. Their work is
wholly religious and educational, and they are forbidden by the terms of
the commission they receive from us to engage in trade of any kind or to
interfere in any way with the politics or government of the nations
where they are stationed, and I am not aware of any instance in which
any one in our service has overstepped these limits.
Some months since I had the honor to communicate with the authorities at
Lisbon, through the Department of State, on this subject, and I have
received word from Mr. Richmond, United States minister at Lisbon at the
time, to the effect that the Portuguese Government were in communication
with the governor-general of Mozambique, and that I should soon learn
what disposition had been made of the matter.
As no further communication has reached me, and as the restrictions still
bear heavily upon our men and their work, I desire to learn what further
information may be in the hands of the Department of State as to the
determination of the court at Lisbon in the case. I beg leave to suggest
the great value I should place upon any re-enforcement of the request
with which you are pleased to accompany the inquiry. The thing asked for
is so just and proper in itself, is so much in harmony with the courtesy
our missionaries in other countries are wont to receive, and, above all,
is so precisely in keeping with the provisions of the Berlin conference
to which the great powers, Portugal included, have subscribed, that it
would seem only reasonable to expect that a favorable answer to our
request would soon be returned.
I know how heartily your judgment will support the request, and I trust
that your official representations will soon secure the desired
result.
Hoping for an early response according to your convenience, I am,
&c.,
Rev. JUDSON SMITH, D. D.,
Foreign Secretary American Board of Commissioners
for Foreign Missions.
