Mr. Meyer to Mr.
Hay.
American Embassy,
Rome,
Italy, December 23,
1901.
No. 122.]
Sir: I beg leave to inclose herewith, with
translation, an extract from the Roman newspaper, The Tribuna, of
December 21 last. It gives some account of a question, put in the
Italian Senate, to the minister of foreign affairs in regard to the
present relations of Italy and the United States, as affected by such
occurrences as the lynchings of Italians in the South. The point of
interest lies in the reply of M. Prinetti, the minister for foreign
affairs.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
in the senate. (sitting of december 20, 1901.) signor
saracco presiding.
The Senate met at 2 p. m., and after some unfinished business had
been attended to proceeded to the consideration of the question
proposed by Senator (Baron) Fava to the ministry of foreign affairs
as to the present conditions of the difficulty with the United
States in the matter of the lynching at Erwin, Miss., and as to the
intentions of the ministry in connection with the settlement of this
difficulty.
Senator Fava rehearsed the story of the lynching, and blamed the
Government for having kept secret for some time this so grave crime.
In regard to an indemnity, he declared that it would be more
decorous for Italy to refuse absolutely to accept it; remarked,
also, that for the four preceding lynchings the Federal Government
had never given proper satisfaction to Italy by arresting and
punishing the guilty persons. He concluded by inquiring what the
intentions of the ministry were as to the solution of this most
important matter.
M. Prinetti (minister for foreign affairs) in reply said that he had
supposed he had previously explained the attitude of the Government
toward the lynching at Erwin, and declared that absolutely nothing
had been done to keep the fact of the crime secret. The Government,
he continued, had instructed its diplomatic agents to use all its
efforts to identify and bring to justice the criminals, but he added
(comments from the senators) that all these efforts had been in
vain. He described the course taken, saying that the Italian
Government had, in a note to the Federal Government, rehearsed the
details of the facts of the case and insisted upon the necessity of
providing a remedy. The Federal Government had received the note
with promises for the future to use all possible efforts to prevent
the repetition of similar occurrences. He was not of the opinion of
the Senator (Fava) about refusing the indemnity offered by the
Federal Government to the families of the murdered men; the
Government of the King would not demand an indemnity, because it
could not admit that money could compensate for the shedding of the
blood of Italian citizens, yet the Government would accept an
indemnity for the families of the victims, if spontaneously offered.
M. Prinetti concluded by saying that while Italy should maintain a
proper attitude toward its colonists abroad, she should not appear
too vigorous on their behalf, because it was a fact that in those
far regions the Italians were received with a great measure of
benevolent hospitality. (Cries of “good” and other indications of
approval.)
Baron Fava accepted the declaration of the minister and thanked
him.
