Mr. Sperry to Mr. Gresham.
Teheran Persia, March 29, 1893. (Received May 5.)
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith two papers which have just been issued by the Sadr Azem, or Persian prime minister, in relation to the case of Hajie Seyyah, as stated in my Eos. 18, 20, 23, 26, and 34. The first of these papers is addressed to the Zill-es-Sultan (eldest son of the Shah), the governor of Ispahan, and is designed to make good to Hajie Seyyah such injuries as have been done to his village in that province, and to prevent similar injuries in the future; the second paper requires the payment to Hajie Seyyah of a certain salary or allowance which has hitherto been paid to him, but which during his recent troubles had been stopped. Translations of both these papers are herewith inclosed. This allowance in nowise made Hajie Seyyah a Persian officer, but was probably due to the fact that his father was a priest, that he belongs to the priestly class.
It is important to observe that no conditions whatever, either verbally or in writing, have attended the granting of these papers. The matter of Hajie Seyyah’s nationality, as to whether he is a citizen of the United States by naturalization or a Persian subject, has not been raised or alluded to in connection with these papers. It is also important to observe that in substance these two papers yield to Hajie Seyyah more than half of the benefits which I asked for him, and in financial value far more than half. The only remaining part of his business which is unadjusted, so far as formal orders can adjust any matter in Persia, is certain claims in regard to current business (some small trading of various kinds), in all amounting to, say, $300 or $400. Practically, therefore, the request which I made to the Sadr Azem, that Hajie Seyyah’s affairs should receive attention, has been granted, although this attention and adjustment have not been made directly through me, but to Hajie Seyyah personally.
[Page 497]As to the source of this better disposition on the part of the Persian Government, it undoubtedly lies in the fact of Hajie Seyyah’s residence at this legation. He has remained here ever since my first announcement that I had taken him in from the dangers which threatened him. It has become known to every important man in Teheran that he was living here. The Shah has had knowledge of this fact. All the communications which have been made to Hajie Seyyah by the Persian Government have assumed that he was here. When the Sadr Azem sent a friendly request to Hajie Seyyah to come and see him, in order to speak about these matters, a servant of this legation accompanied Hajie Seyyah. Of late Hajie Seyyah has frequently left the legation grounds, both for exercise and in order to visit various friends in Teheran, but in each instance of this kind he has been accompanied by a legation servant. He has used no agents for communicating with the Persian Government except the servants of this legation. In substance, he has received these orders from the Persian prime minister precisely as if they had been given on the ground that he was a citizen of the United States, and in response to my request, but without formal acknowledgment by the Persian Government that such was the case. In fact, the entire question of Hajie Seyyah’s nationality has been absolutely suppressed and ignored in all these later proceedings of the Persian Government.
I have, etc.,