Mr. Terrell to Mr. Olney.
Constantinople, October 8, 1895. (Received Oct. 19.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that for the last two days over a thousand Armenians have remained shut up in their churches in Pera and Stamboul, and nearly all their business houses remain closed. They [Page 1321] remain in churches under orders from the revolutionary leaders, whose vengeance they dread if they disobey. The discipline of the Turkish troops is well preserved, and I believe that security for life would exist if the populace could be relieved from fear of the secret revolutionary committees.
The attitude of the Armenians, however, in persisting in their refuge at their churches tends to exasperate the populace among the Turks, who pretend to see in it a demonstration to arouse sympathy among Christian nations.
It is said that the most dangerous among the leaders of the revolutionary committees remain here known and not arrested only because the Government fears that their arrest would cause a more violent Armenian demonstration and that it would end in a worse massacre, by way of retaliation. No carriages are seen in Stamboul after night, and a general feeling of apprehension exists. The newly appointed grand vizier and Said Pasha, whose reappointment as minister of foreign affairs I have this day informed you of, were neither of them at their posts to-day, but are reported to have been closeted with the Sultan.
The fanatical Moslem priests, who are said to have been active with their clubs in killing Armenians on the 30th and on the night of the 2d instant, are still seen in unusual force on the street, though about 60 of them have been arrested. It must be supposed that an article of the 5th instant in the Sabah (a Turkish newspaper), a translation of which is inclosed, was designed to soothe the feelings of those not arrested. * * *
The resident Greeks, numbering several hundred thousand, openly denounce the conduct of the Armenians in their demonstration of the 30th ultimo.
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I have, etc.,