(Signed) STRATFORD CANNING.
No. 12.
_Sir Stratford Canning to the Earl of Aberdeen_.--(_Received
December_ 24.)
(Extract.) _Constantinople, December_ l, 1843.
Having sounded Rifaat Pasha as to his intention of answering the
representations of the Five Powers concerning the late religious
execution, I was told by his Excellency that, although the Porte
wished to avoid any recurrence of that atrocity, yet, as such
executions, divested of the objectionable forms which accompanied
the Armenian's death, were obligatory under the law considered by
Mahomedans divine, and might be forced incidentally upon the
Government, it would be embarrassing to give an official declaration
to that effect. Some ostensible record of the Porte's intention to
avoid religious exeutions [sic] in future would, I humbly conceive,
be satisfactory to Her Majesty's Government, and it would not
perhaps be impossible to frame a reply, which might convey the
required security without coming into collision with the Mussulman
faith. There is reason otherwise to apprehend that the advantage now
obtained will be of very short duration.
P.S.--There is reason to fear that another religious execution has
recently taken place in the Pashalic of Brussa.
No. 13.
_Sir Stratford Canning to the Earl of Aberdeen_.--(_Received
January_ 5, 1844.)
(Extract.) _Buyukderé, December_ 17, 1843.
I have the honour to state, and I do so with much concern, that the
rumour, which has for some time prevailed, of another execution,
similar to that of the Armenian youth, having taken place by order
of the Porte, is now confirmed. The statements inclosed herewith
describe the circumstances as far they are known. One of them is an
extract of a despatch addressed to me by Her Majesty's Consul at
Brussa, which is at no great distance from Biligik where the Greek
was executed. The other was communicated to me by one of my
diplomatic colleagues.
Rifaat Pasha in conversing with me some time ago alluded to this
execution, of which I had then scarcely heard the rumour, and he
spoke of it as a kind of accident, which had occurred prior to the
late remonstrances respecting the Armenian, and which was not to be
taken in proof of an objectionable policy at the Porte. With a
variation of terms, and in some degree of facts also, he has offered
the same kind of vague excuse to others, and I believe in particular
to the Internuncio.
I presume that your Lordship would not approve of such an occurrence
being thrown into oblivion without an attempt at explanation, and I
am persuaded that any backwardness under such circumstances would
only serve to confirm the Porte in her present infatuated course of
policy. I have, therefore, communicated upon the subject with my
colleagues of Austria, France, Russia, and Prussia, and finding them
all substantially of the same mind, I have drawn up the instruction
of which a copy is here inclosed, and sent it to Rifaat Pasha by M.
Pisani. Similar instructions were sent in by the others, though
neither collectively, nor simultaneously, and perhaps not in writing
by the Austrian and Russian Ministers.
Your Lordship will observe that we ask for a distinct assurance from
the Porte that measures shall be taken to prevent the recurrence of
such revolting punishments in future. In proposing to make this
demand I had in view the corresponding passage in your Lordship's
instruction, communicated to Rifaat Pasha, and I thought to satisfy
M. de Bourqueney, who had presented an official note in the former
instance and applied for an answer, without exceeding the limits
which my other colleagues were prepared to observe. Their joint
acceptance of the suggestion, and their engagements to make the same
demand, induce me to hope that the Porte's reply will prove
satisfactory, though I cannot yet speak with confidence in that
respect.
Inclosure I in No. 13.
_Mr. Consul Sandison to Sir Stratford Canning_.
(Extract.) _Brussa, December_ 9, 1843.
A fresh instance, I learn, has unfortunately occurred about a week
ago of the sanguinary spirit of the Turkish law and people against
relapsed proselytes. A young Greek at Biligik in the adjoining
district, who had become a Mussulman and returned to his own creed,
has been put to death by hanging. He must have been a willing victim
from what my informant states, as his profession of Islamism had
been complete according to the usual rites.
P.S.--The execution of the Greek at Biligik took place, I further
learn, after the return of an answer from the Turkish Government to
a report on the case from the municipality of Biligik.
Inclosure 2 in No. 13.
_Extract of Letter communicated by M. de Cordoba to Sir Stratford
Canning_.
_Constantinople_, 6 _Décembre_, 1843.
Un jeune Grec s'était fait Turc dans un moment de mauvaise humeur;
revenu a lui, il était allé trouver un prêtre et avait témoigné le
désir de rentrer dans sa croyance. L'ecclésiastique, approuvant sa
pensée, lui dit qu'il devait réparer sa faute en revenant
publiquement sur son erreur. Le jeune homme, âgé de 22 ans, fit la
chose comme elle lui était ordonnée. Aussitôt les autorités Turques
s'emparent de lui et le mettent au secret: ceci se passe aux
environs de Brousse. L'on rapporte le fait à Constantinople: ici, en
dépit des notes Française, Anglaise, &c., on tient conseil, et
l'ordre est envoyé de l'exécuter, et en effet il y a quatorze à
quinze jours cet infortuné a été pendu publiquement à Biligik.
L'effet qui cet événement a produit sur les habitans Turcs du lieu a
été tel que le Gouverneur a dû prendre les plus grandes précautions
pour empêcher le massacre de tous les habitans.
(Translation.)
_Constantinople, December_ 6, 1843.
A young Greek turned Turk in a moment of ill temper; having come to
himself, he went to a priest and evinced a desire to return to his
faith. The priest, approving his intention, told him that he must
repair his fault by a public retractation of his error. The young
man, who was twenty-two years of age, did as he was ordered.
Forthwith the Turkish authorities lay hold of him and shut him up:
this happens in the neighbourhood of Brussa. The transaction is
reported to Constantinople: here, notwithstanding the French and
English notes, &c., a Council is held, and the order to execute him
is sent off, and in fact this unfortunate person was publicly hanged
at Biligik fourteen or fifteen days ago. The effect which this event
produced on the Turkish inhabitants of the place has been such that
the Governor has been under the necessity of taking the greatest
precautions to prevent the massacre of all the inhabitants.
Inclosure 3 in No. 13.
_Sir Stratford Canning to M. Pisani_.
Sir, _Buyukderé, December_ 16, 1843.
It is with sentiments of deep concern that I have received
unquestionable intelligence of another religious execution, similar
in principle to that of the Armenian Avakim. In stating this
circumstance without delay to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, you
will lay before his Excellency the substance of the two accompanying
papers, which contain a relation of the principal facts. You will
express the surprise and disappointment which I feel in the
contemplation of so revolting an act, after the very distinct
communications which had recently taken place between his Excellency
and myself respecting the previous case. A full knowledge of the
sentiments entertained by Her Majesty's Government, and also by four
other leading Cabinets of Europe, has not to all appearance
prevented the Porte from again publicly outraging the principles of
humanity, and again exposing herself to the just animadversion of
those friendly Powers.
Under these circumstances, and referring to the instructions of my
Government already communicated to Rifaat Pasha, I deem it an
indispensable duty to invite the explanations of the Porte, and to
state my expectation that the Turkish Government will not only
declare its regret for the two executions in suitable terms, but
that it will accompany the declaration with an assurance, admitting
of no question for the future, that effective measures will be
immediately taken to preclude the recurrence of such unwise and
odious acts.
You will conclude by leaving with Rifaat Pasha a copy of this
instruction, and by calling upon his Excellency to lay it before the
Sultan, and to apprize you on an early day of the answer sanctioned
by His Majesty, for the information of my Government.