No. 20. Mr. Blaine to Mr. Dawes. WASHINGTON, May 26, 1881. SIR: Referring to your letter of the 20th of November last, to my predecessor, asking this Department to interpose for the protection of certain American missionaries in the province of Oroomiah, in Persia, and referring, also, to the subsequent correspondence on the same subject, I now have the honor to inclose herewith, for your information, a copy of a note from Sir Edward Thornton, the British minister at this capital, transmitting for the information of this government a copy of a dispatch to Earl Granville by Her Majesty's minister to Persia, accompanied by a copy of a letter to the latter from the American missionaries at Oroomiah, Persia. I have the honor, &c., JAMES G. BLAINE. (For inclosure, Sir Edward Thornton's note of May 19, 1881, vide ante, No. 18.) No. 21. Mr. Blaine to Mr. Foster. [No. 78.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 21, 1881. SIR: I have received your No. 118, of the 21st ultimo, in which you apprise the department of the desire of Persia, expressed to you on certain occasions by high officials of the Shah's government, to receive a diplomatic representative of the United States at Teheran, and observe that special encouragement might increase our commerce with Persia. Your suggestion, that "should it not be deemed practicable, to establish a permanent representative in the country it might be regarded as desirable by the Department to have either the minister at St. Petersburg or at Constantinople, at some convenient time, pay a visit to the Shah at Teheran, as the bearer of a letter from the President," is a pertinent one, and will receive due consideration with the general subject of your dispatch. It does not appear from your communication that the government of the Shah has contemplated the accrediting of a diplomatic representative to the United States. I am, sir, &c., JAMES G. BLAINE. No. 22. [Memorandum furnished to Mr. Frelinghuysen by the British minister.] Substance of correspondence relative to the attendance of Mussulmans at religious services held by the American missionaries established at Tehe ran. In consequence of a communication from the Persian ambassador at Constantinople to his government, the Shah caused inquiry to be made as to whether proselytism among Mohammedans was included in the labors of the American missionaries at Teheran, and finding the Mohammedans were in the habit of attending religious services, His Majesty gave orders to his minister of foreign affairs and the head of the police that any Mohammedan found hereafter attending such services should be arrested and punished, it being his determination that, while allowing entire freedom in religious matters to all non-Mohammedan communities in Persia, not to tolerate any interference with the religious belief of his Mohammedan subjects. In consequence of a memorandum on this subject sent by the minister for foreign affairs to Her Majesty's minister, Mr. Thomson addressed a letter to the Rev. Mr. Potter, informing him of the nature of this communication, to which Mr. Potter replied, stating that he had issued orders to the effect that no Mussulman should be allowed to attend his religious services. It would appear, however, that a meeting of the American missionaries was subsequently held, at which it was decided that they ought not to, and cannot prevent the attendance of Mussulmans at religious services, based upon the obligation imposed upon them to obey God rather than man, and to answer all who sincerely seek to know the way of life. The result of the meeting was communicated to Mr. Thomson, in a letter signed by Messrs. Basset, Wilson, and Cochran, to which he replied, expressing his regret that, notwithstanding the order of the Persian Government above referred to, and communicated to Mr. Potter, and the directions issued in consequence by that gentleman, they should seek to rescind them, and that he considered that by doing so they incurred a grave responsibility. He begged them to bear in mind that Mussulmans were Persian subjects and amenable to the laws of their country; that they would therefore render themselves liable to punishment by attending religious service, and that it was in consequence a serious matter to allow them to do so; and he added that he thought it his duty to warn them that, should the missionaries allow Mussulmans to attend religious services, they imperil their own position in the country and perhaps be forbidden to reside in Persia. Her Majesty's Government have thought that the United States Government would be glad to be informed of what has taken place, more especially as American subjects in Teheran are under British protection. No. 23. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Lowell. [Telegram.] MARCH 23, 1882. LOWELL, Minister, London: Mr. West has informed me that the Shah of Persia would not tolerate any interference by the missionaries with the religious belief of his Mohammedan subjects, and that the American missionaries were disposed not to abide by this decision. Her Majesty's Government evidently was of opinion that the position, and perhaps the safety, of the missionaries would be imperilled by this step. As the protector of Americans in Persia, it felt it its duty to inform this government of what had taken place. I asked Mr. West to thank Lord Granville for the communication. Feeling sure that Her Majesty's representatives would continue to render to the missionaries all the protection in their power, I waited for further intelligence. Having received nothing further, I am induced to hope that nothing further has happened. The friends of the missionaries continue anxious; and I shall be greatly obliged if Lord Granville will kindly give you any later intelligence which may have come to him about this subject. FRELINGHUYSEN. No. 24. No. 340.] Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Lowell. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Referring to your No. 148, and to the Department's No. 145 to you, and other correspondence relating to the American missionaries in Persia, I have now to inclose copies of a memorandum furnished me by Mr. West, some days since, and of a telegram which I sent you on the 23d instant. I earnestly hope that the conclusion which we derive from the fact that no further intelligence has been received, that the crisis has passed and that the missionaries are no longer in danger, may prove to be well founded. The points which they have selected for their self-sacrificing work are distant, and we have no diplomatic representative in Persia, and the means in the hands of the Executive in case of an emergency would be of little avail. We appreciate the good will which prompts Great Britain to extend its protection over the missionaries. We hope that it will not be withdrawn; and I shall counsel the friends of the missionaries to endeavor to induce them not to strain the good will of Her Majesty's Government by any extreme act which may make an efficient protection difficult. I am, sir, &c., FRED'K T. FRELINGHUYSEN. (Inclosures:) 1. Copy of memorandum as above; 2. Copy of telegram as above, dated March 23, 1882. H. Ex. 151-3 1st Session. No. 152. COMPENSATION OF COMMISSIONERS UNDER THE ACT FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF BIGAMY, &c. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TRANSMITTING A communication from the Secretary of the Interior, recommending amendments to the act in reference to bigamy, approved March 22, 1882. APRIL 3, 1882.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit herewith for the consideration of Congress a letter from the Secretary of the Interior, in which he sets forth the necessity which will exist for an appropriation for the payment of the commissioners to be appointed under the recent act of Congress entitled "An act to amend section 5352 of the Revised Statutes of the United States in reference to bigamy, and for other purposes," and also for the payment of the elec tion officers to be appointed by said commissioners. In this connection I submit to Congress that in view of the important and responsible duties devolved upon the commissioners under this act, their compensation at three thousand dollars per annum, as provided therein, should be increased to a sum not less than five thousand dollars per annum. Such increased compensation, in my judgment, would secure a higher order of ability in the persons to be selected and tend more effectually to carry out the objects of the act. EXECUTIVE MANSION, CHESTER A. ARTHUR. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: I beg leave to call your attention to some of the provisions of an act recently passed by Congress entitled "An act to amend section 5352 of the Revised Statutes of the United States in reference to bigamy, and for other purposes." |