File No. 19132.
The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Fox.
Washington, June 19, 1909.
Sir: In a letter of April 20 last1 the board of foreign missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church communicated to the department a telegram received from the Rev. Harry F. Compton, its missionary at Quito, stating that he has been attacked by a mob, and asking the board to “advise Washington.” The board asked that the good offices of the department be exercised in Mr. Compton’s behalf.
In your absence from Ecuador a telegram was sent to the consul general at Guayaquil, and subsequent reports from him to the department show that Mr. Compton desired to go to Malchingui, a town near Quito, where certain of his church members resided. Being warned that the populace were opposed to his coming, he applied to the Quito authorities for an escort. This was refused (apparently with the idea that no real danger threatened him), but the authorities gave him a letter to the prefect of the town. Compton, with his wife and daughter, thereupon went to Malchingui. About midnight 500 or more persons forced their way into the house, pounded upon their bedroom door, and threatened the family with violence if they did not depart immediately. Insults and threats seem to have been used freely. The Americans hastened to leave on their mules, stones and epithets being hurled at them as they fled.
It appears that the populace had been roused against “the Protestant” Compton by a fanatical and threatening sermon of the village priest. The purported text of it is inclosed with the dispatches and is highly unfriendly and threatening—urges, in fact, that the intruder be stoned.
[Page 246]Upon Compton’s complaint some steps were taken by the authorities to arrest the leaders of the mob. Their families petitioned Compton’s clemency when he returned with policemen. He took advantage of the occasion to preach to them for half an hour without molestation. The prisoners, it appears, were shortly afterwards set free upon signing an agreement to keep the peace. Compton seems to think the authorities should have made a more severe example of the delinquents, and claims that threats are continuing to be made against him and that he ought to be furnished with an escort when necessary.
In Foreign Relations, 1899, page 261, is printed correspondence in a somewhat similar case in Ecuador. The department then took the ground that, Catholocism being the established religion of the State, protests could properly be made for threatening sermons by the clergy.
No doubt is entertained that the Government of Ecuador is fully as anxious as is this Government that no untoward incident shall occur to disturb Americans engaged in legitimate and peaceful pursuits in a friendly country.
You will bring this phase of the matter diplomatically to the attention of the Ecuadorian Government, calling its attention especially to the alleged provocative and threatening utterances of the curate of Malchingui in a sermon which seems to have been the real incentive of the attack.
I inclose for your information a translation of a statement which Mr. Compton declares to be a correct summary of the sermon.1
I am, etc.,