The course pursued was to sound the minister of public instruction privately,
through Mr. Gargiulo, and ascertain his views and disposition. Much to” my
astonishment, he informed the dragoman that he had never sent an order of
the kind claimed to have been received from his department by the censor at
Erzeroom. You will find the claim of the censor fully described in the
inclosure herewith transmitted. This negation of his excellency the minister
was confirmed by his secretary.
Thus enlightened, I called upon the minister in person, and at his suggestion
agreed to send him an unofficial note explanatory of the several points
requiring settlement between the legation and his department. Conformably to
the understanding I drafted a communication covering the points, and will
send it to him to-day.
I think the probability of effecting an arrangement in the manner disclosed
will justify me in withholding a formal note to the Sublime Porte through
the minister of foreign affairs in accordance with the views and
instructions contained in your dispatch No. 251. In case I fail in the
negotiation with the minister of public instruction, my next step will be to
carry the matter to the Sublime Porte; then I will base my demand upon the
ground you point out, viz, of an international arrangement.
[Inclosure in No. 468.]
Mr. Wallace to
Moustapha Pasha.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople
,
January 27,
1885.
My Dear Excellency: Referring to the
conversation I had with your excellency the day of my recent call, I beg
to ask your attention in an unofficial way to the following
circumstances:
From reports received at this legation, which I consider reliable,
Dervich Effendi, the censor at Erzeroom, speaking to the Protestant head
of the community there, read an order, which he said had been received
from Constantinople, to the effect that the books of the American Bible
House in the latter city could only be sold in cities and towns in shops
rented for the purpose. The effendi gave warning at the same time that
any one found transgressing the order would be imprisoned. Subsequently
the same effendi repeated the communication to the Protestant Askabad,
and added that the order from Constantinople was stricter than ever
before, and that the books of the said American house must pass
censorship there (at Erzeroom) and be stamped there.
Permit me to remark that I think Dervich Effendi is mistaken about the
purport of the order, for when I recall the repeated instances of your
liberality in the matter of the books of the American Bible House, it is
incredible that such a rule should have been issued by your excellency’s
direction or with your excellency’s knowledge.
The argument in the matter is very simple. The books in question are but
the stock in trade of the house, exactly as dry goods and hardware are
stock in trade.
The right to sell them is a treaty right, and the mode of selling them is
fairly in the discretion of the dealers, who are at liberty to rent
shops and sell them over the counters or to hawk them about in the
streets and highways, or both. If the books were dangerous property,
like gunpowder or petroleum, the case would be different; the Government
would then be at liberty to subject them to proper regulations devised
for the safety of the public. I cannot permit myself to think for a
moment that your excellency would take a step, the effect of which must
be to place the Scriptures and Holy Bible, so sacred in the estimation
of so many of His Imperial Majesty’s Christian subjects, in the category
of dangerous property. Such action would shock the whole Christian
world.
As to the secondary censorship, claimed by the effendi for Erzeroom, of
books which have been examined and formally permitted by the board of
censors of your excellency’s department, it would appear to be an
inconsistency, and, if carried out, must inevitably lead to censorial
conflicts, and reclamations against the Imperial Government for
damages.
I beg your excellency to suffer me to lay another matter pertinent to the
subject before you. I am informed that an order has gone forth from the
board of censors connected with the department of public instruction
that for the future no permits for the sale of books by the American
Bible House will be granted except the words “for Protestants only” be
put upon the title-page.
If such an order has been issued, your excellency will not fail to see
that the condition is outside of the arrangement effected last year
between the delegates representing, one the department of public
instruction, another the Bible House, and a third this legation, the
object being to put an end to the constantly recurring difficulties [Page 834] in connection with the
business of the said Bible House. Moreover, the restriction would be
invidious, exceedingly hurtful to the business of the house, and
untenable in any view the subject will admit of.
So confident am I that your excellency will look at these matters as I
do, that I venture the straightforward requests that the censor at
Erzeroom may be corrected in his construction of the order sent him, and
the Bible House be returned to its privileges of sale under the
arrangement mentioned; also, that the words “for Protestants only” may
not be required to be put upon the title-page of books of the said
house.
I am, &c.,
