Mr. Beauapré to Mr. Hay.

No. 137.]

Sir: Referring to my No. 131, of September 8, 1903, concerning the hostility shown towards the Syrians in this country, I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy and translation of a note from the minister for foreign affairs in answer to mine of the 8th instant.

I am, etc.,

A. M. Beaupré.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

Doctor Rico to Mr. Beaupré.

Mr. Minister: It has been ascertained from the information given us by the minister of war, that as soon as notice was received, on the 19th of August last, of what had happened in Honda on the two days preceding, against the Turks residing there, orders were given for the guard at Guaduas to immediately reinforce the battalion of [Page 130] 260 men at that place, to give their aid to the civil authorities in the suppression of the riot.

Notice has been given to the minister of government as well as the minister of war of the representations made by your excellency and the other foreign representatives; in this matter, and means have continued to be employed for the reestablishment and preservance of peace and order in that place.

The second of said ministries has ordered, through the medium of an employee of the national police, the investigation of the criminal acts which have been committed against the Turks in Honda, with a view to punishing those to blame and recovering; and protecting the property which said foreigners say they have lost. The local authority states that some of said property has already been recovered, and that several persons who were present at the riot and were imprisoned have been set at liberty under a heavy bond, promising not to again attempt a riot against the Syrian colony and to present themselves to the authorities each time they are ordered.

In presenting what I have said to your excellency, I refer to your polite notes of the 20th of August and the 8th of the present month, the first relative to the complaints of Simon Chemas, Wehbe Chemas, and Abdalla Chemas, and the second to Ricardo Deeb, Syrians by birth, to whom your excellency gives protection as naturalized citizens of the United States. I ought to add that, to Chiquinquira, where the first of said individuals lives, the ministry of government has been informed that the president of the tribunal of Tunja has gone to investigate what happened in that place.

If it be considered that, already arriving in the country temporarily, or with a desire of permanent residence in it, foreigners have always been well received in Colombia, whose laws favor and protect them in their persons and property equally with natives, and that, notwithstanding that manifestations against the Turks have been suppressed from the very beginning, these have been occurring frequently, it is plainly recognized that there exists and grows in society a spirit of repulsion against these individuals, as stated in the first of said notes, in which your excellency asks the employment of means to secure to the Syrian citizens of the United States the protection of their lives, their homes, and their property, guaranteed by the treaty between the two nations.

The government regrets that sentiments adverse to the Turks should have been produced in the country, and is always disposed to protect them in their persons and interests; but, notwithstanding precautions which were taken to prevent conflicts of the character of those which happened in Honda and Girardot, those manifestations may perhaps continue, and are made inevitable, by appearing suddenly in places where there is not sufficient guard, or in places separated from those points where forces exist to give protection and reestablish order, and it ought to be borne in mind that if such should happen, it could not be imputed to a failure to comply with the treaty except in the cases in which, being able to give such protection, it should not be done with complete efficiency.

I beg, etc.,

Luis Carlos Rico.