711.8412Anti-War/5
The Minister in Ethiopia (Southard) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s circular instruction of September 17th, 1928, enclosing two authenticated copies of the multilateral treaty for the renunciation of war, and indicating that the instrument of adherence might be executed immediately in accordance with the legal procedure of the Ethiopian Government.
Promptly upon receipt of these copies a few days ago I took up with the Ethiopian Government the matter of adherence and ratification.
[Page 226]As reported by telegraph to the Department on October 28th, 1928,91 His Majesty, King Tafari, on that date sealed, signed and ratified the treaty. The act of sealing and signing by His Majesty constitutes also complete and final ratification in accordance with existing legal procedure of the Ethiopian Government.
One copy of the sealed, signed, and ratified treaty is forwarded herewith. The Amharic inscription on the seal reads in English:
“King Tafari, Heir to the Throne and Regent Plenipotentiary of the Empire of Ethiopia.”
Translation of the Amharic inscription or writing under the seal is as follows:
“Seal affixed, signed, and approved (adhered to), Tekemt 18th, 1921 (October 28th, 1928), Year of Mercv, Addis Ababa. On behalf of the Government of the Empire of Ethiopia. (Signed). Tafari Makonnen.”
The three parenthetical words or phrases above are my own, added to make clearer the translation from the Amharic. There is no exact term in Amharic for “adhere” or “act of adherence”. Approved, accepted, and similar words, have the same meaning in Amharic as does adhere in English. The seal also legally establishes adherence. By the Ethiopian calendar the current year is 1921 A. D. The corresponding date by our own calendar is given in parentheses immediately following the Ethiopian date.
Each Ethiopian official has his own special seal for legalizing and authenticating his signature. Only the Empress, the King, and the Abouna (head of the state church) may place their seals above or before the inscription or signature. All others place the seal below and after the inscription and signature.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩