Mr. Terrell to Mr.
Gresham.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, March 13, 1895.
(Received April 2.)
No. 460.]Sir: The inclosure, to which your attention is
respectfully invited, announces the apprehension of a massacre of
Christians. I at once, on its receipt, sent my note to the Porte (a copy
of which I inclose), and telegraph you to-day on the subject, a copy of
which is also inclosed. There is reason to apprehend trouble; though
recently assurances were given me by the foreign minister of the safety
of our missionaries.
I am informed that the missionaries at Olintab and Aleppo are men of
nerve, and Dr. Washburn, of Robert College, believes that the danger
apprehended by them is real. It is believed that the greatest danger
from ignorant fanaticism will follow the report of the European
delegates on the Sassoun Commission. That report is expected in
April.
My views of the importance of a friendly visit to the defenseless coast
of the eastern Mediterranean by our war vessels were given in a former
dispatch. Their presence there now might avert trouble.
I have, etc.,
[Page 1239]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
460.]
Mr. Gibson to Mr.
Short.
United States Consulate,
Beirut, Syria, March 5, 1895.
No. 60.]Sir: I have the honor to transmit to yon by
this mail under separate cover a copy of the Armenian pamphlet, a
number of which were sent to Dr. F. D. Shepard, of the American
hospital at Aintab, and about which a charge was made by the Turkish
authorities against Consular Agent Poche for introducing seditious
books. Dr. Shepard’s name was mistaken at the time for Dr. Chirde,
and an examination showed that there is nothing whatever
compromising or at all seditious in the pamphlets. You will please
forward the pamphlet to His Excellency Minister Terrell, with a
request to take such steps as he may deem proper to secure an
adequate satisfaction for the gratuitous and entirely unfounded
charges brought against Mr. Poche. This is due to him, and I beg to
add that unless some prompt and powerful measures are taken to
restrain the hostile attitude and growing aggressions of the Turkish
authorities in that section, American interests will be sacrificed
and the lives of our people actually placed in jeopardy.
Mr. Poche has already notified Minister Terrell directly, according
to previous orders, of the arrest of two agents of the American
Bible Society of Constantinople, near Aleppo, and I learn to-day
through Mr. Poche that the Americans at Aintab, Marash, Hadjin, and
Orfa are seriously apprehending an approaching massacre.
I am, etc.,
Thomas R. Gibson,
United States Consul.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
460.]
Mr. Terrell to
Saïd Pasha.
United States Legation,
Constantinople, March 12, 1895.
No. 53.]Sir: Information deemed reliable reaches me
that the Americans at Aintab, Marash, Hadjin, and Orfa seriously
apprehend an approaching massacre at the hands of Mussulmans. The
letter containing this information is dated March 5. Since that
date, in a personal interview with your excellency, I demanded that
you telegraph orders to every portion of the Ottoman Empire where
American missionaries are found, and require all civil and military
functionaries to respect their persons and property, to relieve them
from annoyances and insults, which have recently become too
frequent.
I hope your excellency sent that telegram since the letter referred
to was written. If you have done so, be pleased to inform me before
the 14th instant.
I have time and again urged the Porte to restrain the insulting
conduct of bad men in the interior; and, while I feel sure the
disposition of His Imperial Majesty’s Government is to protect
American citizens in all their rights, annoyances and a disregard of
their rights multiply.
I have felt unwilling to increase the embarrassments now surrounding
Turkey by demanding reparation for more than one wrongful act. Your
excellency has always promised compliance with my requests for an
observance of treaty rights, and I have often refrained from
communicating
[Page 1240]
to my home
Government complaints made to me. Only a few-days ago an American
went from Bitlis to Mush to inform me through a colleague that
Americans at Bitlis feared a massacre. He could not trust the mail,
for his letters now are seldom delivered. To-day, after being
informed that a massacre is feared in four other distant towns on
account of the manifest prejudice of the officers and populace, it
has become my duty to inform my Government.
I will be glad to inform my Government on the 15th instant what
course your excellency has adopted for the security of American
citizens in the interior.
I am, etc.,
