The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-24
Russia ANA rnrLeu

Russia and Turkey.
me following is translation of the text of tn.
omclal documents interchaneed between Prince
Menschlkof and the Porte:
Verbal note communicable bv the Auhn..odor .,
Porte. " "''
PERA, April 10, 1853.
His excelency the Minister for Foreign Affairs
IN taxing cognizance. at his accession to Office OF
the negotiations which have taken place, has seen
the duplicity of his predecessors; be must be ner
suaded how little regard has been paid to the re.
spect due to the Emperor of Russia, and how eres
is his magnanimity in offering to the Porte the
means OF getting out OF the embarrassment which
the bad faith OF its ministers has placed it in
They (the ministers) have abused the good faith
OF their sovereig in placing him in opposition with
his own words, and placing him, as respects bis
ally and his friend, in position which neither
high decorum nor the sovereign dignity can ad
While wishing tobe past AN thou Oh
not demanding by way of reparation ANYTHING but
the dismissal of deceitfu minister and the patent
execution OF solemn promises. the Emperor found
nlmseif Obliged to require solid guarantees for the
future. He requires them formal positive, and Sc
curing the inyiolabity of the worship professed
by the majority of the Christian subjects as well
OF the Sublime Porte as of Russia, and, in fine bv
the Emperor himself He cannot desire Others
than those which he shall find henceforth in an in
strument equivalent to treaty, or a treaty and
independent of the interpretations of an i'll
and unscrupulous delegate, (d'un na,,dataire mai
dcise ct peu consciencieuz.
The delays which have been occasioned hitherto
IN adopting final decision on the propositions Of
the ambassador of Russia oblge him to demand
from the Porte categorical reply, and which he
cannot await any longer. He demands copse.
quentiy-l. An explicative frman, the form of
which to be agreed to, concerning the KEY of the
church OF Bethlehem, and the silver star placed
poff itx1, - ~.
part OF the same sanctuary.
The possession of the grotto of Gethsemane by
the Greeks, with the admission of the Latins to
exercise therein their worship, bat yet maintain
ing the presidency OF the orthodox, and their pri
ory Tor the celebration of the divine service in this
sanctuary; and, In fine. in what relates to the
common possession of the Greeks with the Latins
OF the gardens of Bethlehem, and the whole &C
cording to the bases discussed between his Ex-
celency Rfaat Pacha and the ambassador.
2 supreme order for the immediate repair bv
ane ottoman government of the cupoIa of the
temple OF the Holy Sepulchre. with the particina
ton OF the Greek Patriarch, without the informed
ding OF delegate of any other worship. for the
"ailing up (cfoture m'Aree) Of the harems having
view on the sanctuary, and for the demolition Of
the harsms contiguous to the cupoa, if the nossi
ollity OF that demolition be proved
Inc ambassador is charged with obtaining on
these points formal assurance and notification.
s. A sened, or convention, for the guarantee of
w 4uO vi OF the Catholic
Greco. Russian worship, of the Church of the East
and OF the sanctuaries which are found in posses
sion of that worship exclusively, or in participa
ton with other rites at Jerusalem
me ambassador must repeat, in this place, to
the Minister OF Foreign Affairs, that which he ha
already had occasion to express to him many
umes-that Russia does not demand from the
Porte political concessions her desire is to tran.
qulillZe the consclences OF the devout BY the GER
tainty OF the maintenance of that which is. and
OF tQdt which has alWAVs been cd
times. ~ WI
1t is then in pursuance Of the hostile tendencie,
winch are manifested for some wears past to all
which touches Russia, that she requires in tho
interest of the religious communities of the ortbo
dox worship, an explicatve, positive act of the
goarantees-an act which would not affect in anv
degree either the other religions, or the relations
OF the Porte with other powers
The Ottoman Cabinet will also please to WEIGH
well IN its wisdom the gravity of the offence com
united, in comparing it with the moderation of
the demands of reparation, and of the guarantees
which the sentiment Of legitimate defence might
peremptory.
The reply of the Minister of Foreign Affairs will
indicate to the ambassador the Interior duties
which he will have to fulfil, and which will not be
otherwise than conformable to the maintenance of
the dignity OF the governmen MT which he repreeens
and OF the religion which he processes
Note addressed BY the Ambass ador of Russia 10
the Minister Of Foreign affairs of the Sublime
Porte.
PERA, May S.
The undersigned ambassador of Russia had the
honor to address to his Excelency the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of the Sublime Porte confiden.
tlal communication of the draught of an ins.ru.
ment calculated to offer to the government of his
Majesty the Emperor solid and invioabJe euaran
tees Tor the future in the interest of the Eastern
Orthodox Church.
The ambassador thought that he might exp ect
to meet, on the part of the government of the Su.
oilme@Porte, an anxious desire to renew on that
OASIS, relations of good and cordial amitv with
Russia. He must confess, with deep regret that
he was shaken in that conviction with which he
had been inspired from the beginning by the
gracious reception of his Majesty the Sultan
Animated, nevertheless, with that spirit of con.
ciliation and kindness which DISTINGUISHES the
policy of his august master, the ambassador did
not reject the previous observations made to him
oy Rlfaat Pacha, both respects the form of the
ABOVE mentioned act and the tenor of some of the
articles which were to be introduced into it.
With regard to the form, the ambassador main
talns the declaration that long and painful ex.
perence OF the past requires, in order to prevent
hereafter all GOODNESS and distrust between the
two governments, solemn enga cement having
the force of treaty.
As to the contents and wording of the articles of
that act, he insisted on previous UNDERSTANDING
and seeing with profound pain that procrastina.
ton of the Ottoman Cabinet and its evident desire
to elude the discussion, he considered himself
Obliged by his verbal note of the 7-l9th of April
to recapitulate his demands, and to embody them
in the most pressing manner.
1t is only to-day that the note of his Excelencv
the Minister OF Foreign Affairs, accompanying the
copies OF the two sovereign orders, relative to the
sanctuarles OF Jerusalem and the cupola of the
Holy Sepuchre, has reached the ambassador He
considers that communication to imply contin.
uation OF negotiation to the first two demands
contained IN his note of the 10th of April, and
will regard it as a duty to place those documents
under the eyes of his government.
But not having hitherto obtained any reply to
the third and most important point, which claims
guarantees for the future, and having been recent
~ instructed to insist with greater force in order
to arrive at an immediate solution of the question
which constitutes the principal object of the soil.
cltude of his Majesty the Emperor, the ambassa-
dor ia obliged to address himself to-day to his Ex.
celency the Minister of Foreign Affairs combining
this time his reclamations within the last limits
prescribed by superior directions
The bases of the arrangement he is charged to
obtain remain materially the same.
The Eastern Orthodox worship, it's clergy, and
its possessions, shall enjoy in future without any
molestat1on, under the agis of his Majesty the
Sultan, the privileges and immunities insured to
them 40 antique, and, in virtue of principle of
high equity, they shall participate in the advan-
tages granted to other Christian worships.
At Jerusalem the Russian monks and pilgrims
shall be assimiated, as respects prer ogatives, to
those of other foreign nations.
Those points, herein summary indicated, shall
form the object of sened which shal attest the
mutual confidence of the two governments.
T. 49, ID.