Mr. Smith to Mr. Blaine.
St. Petersburg, March 12, 1891. (Received March 28.)
Sir: I have the honor to report that I yesterday waited upon the minister of foreign affairs, Mr. de Giers, with a copy of your instruction No. 78, relating to the edicts and policy of Russia concerning the Jews. Upon hearing my statement of the object of my call Mr. de Giers requested me not to read the dispatch to him, but to leave a copy, which he could examine at leisure.
I then gave him a brief verbal outline of its contents, referring to the resolution of inquiry passed by the House of Representatives in August of last year touching rumored proscriptive edicts against the Jews and to your report in response. You had received assurances, so you stated in this dispatch, which tended to allay apprehensions that had been aroused by alarming publications, and the Department had no information that any new measures hostile to the Jews had been undertaken. The cases of distress which had been brought to its attention were explained by the more rigorous enforcement of old laws whose severity had not been understood so long as they had not been applied. That the Jews in Russia were subjected to coercive and oppressive measures which compelled them to quit their homes was shown by the number of unfortunate and indigent Russian Jews who were now arriving in the United States. You had been informed on excellent authority that within a period of ten years this immigration amounted to 200,000. Most of these immigrants had been well provided [Page 742] for, but a further influx of destitute persons entirely unprepared for the conditions and requirements of American life would be a very serious burden upon the American people. It was in this aspect of the results forced upon our country that the condition of the Jews in Russia under existing measures presented itself to the attention of our Government and people, and, in view of the mutual duties of nations, constrained this expression of their sentiments.
On this statement of the general tenor of your dispatch, Mr. de Giers hastened to ask at the outset what was its conclusion—what demand it presented. I replied that it presented no demand, but was a declaration of the views of the Government and people of the United States, which was submitted for the consideration of the Imperial Government of Russia under a sense of its own obligations. Mr. de Giers inquired particularly as to the statement that 200,000 Russian Jews had immigrated to the United States within ten years. I repeated your statement on this point. He rejoined that if such a number of people had gone to the United States as workers to aid in developing the country, he supposed they would be acceptable, but if they went to “exploit” the American people, as he expressed it, he could understand how objectionable it was. After some further observations of a general character Mr. de Giers concluded by saying that the dispatch would be received in the same friendly spirit in which it was sent; that he would submit it to the Emperor; and that, if it was determined to make reply either verbally or in writing, it would be duly communicated.
I have, etc.,