These matters have been the occasion also of verbal discussion with the
foreign office. I am not prepared, however, to say more at present than
to state in general terms that what has passed has been well received,
the reasonableness of the Department’s suggestions have been
unofficially concurred in, and that there is ground for hope that
progress will be made upon lines so reasonable and consistent as those
proposed.
[Inclosure in No. 596.]
Mr. Breckinridge to Count Mouravieff.
Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg
,
July 8/20, 1897
.
Your Excellency: Referring to my note of
June 27/July 9, in which I had the honor to express assurance of the
satisfaction of my Government at the generous recognition by the
Imperial Government of the mitigating conditions in the case of Mr.
Grenz, a Russian subject who became an American citizen without the
consent of the Imperial Government, and his acquittal in accordance
therewith, I now have the honor to say that I am in receipt of a
dispatch from my Government fully expressing its sentiments in
regard to that and kindred matters.
My Government charges me to make known to the Imperial Government
that while recognizing the extreme doctrinal differences which arise
from different historical traditions, it yet appreciates and
reciprocates the sentiment of consideration and respect which has
been shown. It is pleased to recognize the good disposition shown by
the administrative and judicial authorities of the Empire, in
accordance with its established laws and practice toward personally
deserving persons of conflicting allegiance.
It is noted that it was in this spirit of reasonable accommodation
and mutual respect which enabled the two Governments, after many
failures through a long series of years, to at length agree upon a
convention of extradition; and it is believed that the same spirit,
so historically maintained, will continue to ameliorate and remove
the practical differences which may exist or occasionally arise in
the course of the growth and increasing intercourse between the two
nations.
Concerning the matter of travel and convenience of citizens about
whose nationality there is no question, but of the Jewish race which
is subject to special regulations within the Empire, the same
dispatch desires me to call attention to a practice by the Imperial
officials abroad, which is objectionable and seemingly not at all
required by the laws of the Empire.
In this connection I beg to cite the note to this legation of His
Excellency Prince Lobanoff, dated June 26/July 8, 1895, and a note
from the same to the same, dated August 12/24, 1895. In these
communications, accompanied by an extract of the Russian law upon
the subject, his excellency stated that in the case of a Jewish
banker, chief of a commercial house, and certain other enumerated
classes of business men of known importance of the Hebrew race the
Imperial legations and consulates were authorized to issue and vise
passports for them to enter Russia according to the same regulations
which apply to all foreigners [Page 445] who seek to enter the Empire, the only
condition being that the acting official shall inform his
excellency, the minister of the interior, of any passport granted or
viséd for an Israelite of the category named.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provision of the law, it seems that the
Imperial officials hesitate to act in the manner indicated. A number
of cases of this character have recently been brought to the
attention of my Government, and it believes that by simply amending
the practice stated, and in accordance with existing law, a great
inconvenience to this unobjectionable category of our citizens can
be relieved, and the irritating incidents arising therefrom can be
obviated.
There is no difficulty in the United States of any citizen of the
category named (and there can be but little difficulty with such
persons applying for a visé abroad) in giving satisfactory
commercial or official evidence of his identity and character. So I
submit this feature to your excellency with the hope that it may be
acceptable.
I avail myself, etc.,
