The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-08
the EASTERN QUESTION.
2 .Ae Late OutraGes ON the American Flag a
u Cyprus-What Extensive Powers Have tns
United States Consuls I'm Turkey.
N

authorities OF the island OF Cyprus against the American
Consulate having been either misunderstood or msre-
presented by American newspapers, which, left
uncorrected, might mslead public opinion ~ 70 the
gravity Of the insult TO the American flag allow me, SIR
70 ask you space in your worldrenowned journal
for the purpose OF giving TO the public correct state
mont Of all the facts they occurred which have led 10
the present difficulties. II il Indispensable however,
that should state here briefly possible what are
the rights and privileges granted by treaties and spuls
tions 10 the United States Consulates in Turkey, and
wherefore that your readers who are not acquainted
with them may clearly understand this case, which
would have compromised both the honor and dignity Of
the American government the Consul st Cyprus, Gem
el De Cesnoa. had displayed less arm and manly char
acter this affair." and II the United States had mot for
their representative At Consantinopls excellent and
most able Minister In the person Of Edward Joy Norris
OF Pennsylvania.
In establishing consulates here In the East the Amer
can government, we'll ~ all the other foreign Powers
were obliged 10 have in view the semi-barbarous cond
ton Of these countries and TO take into consideration
that equsnt happened in which Christians
murdered wholesale for instances the late Damascus
massacres by fanatca gangs OF awess Aussumans and
the Turkish authorities utterly powerle TO prevent
them For such and other reasons the Christian gov
ernments DESTROYS Of holding commercial Intercourse
with turkey COnCluueu treateS tu0y ODtAluou
for their subjects Of personal safety and
70 their consus many rights and privileges such as es
terrltoriaty, involabiy Of domics, judicial powers
and other extensive preroga.ves which they would mot
have considered Just demand for those residing in cv
iized and Christian countries would they have been
conceded II demanded
The consuls OF Christian States in Mohammedan
tries still retain unmpaircd their primitive functions Of
municipal magistrates for their countrymen their COM
merca international capacity in these countries being
but very small part Of their general capacity IS the
delegated administrative and judicial agents Of their
naons BY the treaties with Turkey the laws Of the
United States follow It's citizens, and the Stars and
Stripes protect them within the walls Of CONSTANT
nople There moro than this yet 70 be said. Stpula
tions have been made by all the Christian Powers with
the Turkish government, and by duly accepted and
made fully effective by apposiie regulations which give
the right to foreign consul residing In ports or inland
cities Of the Turkish empire to keep in the empoymen:
Of his consulate for the necessary discharge consular
duties, eight Turkish subiec,ssour in the capacity Of
dragonans and the other four IS cavss,
The Turkish subjects employed entitled and
ceived under the protection oil the consulate and become
thereby clothed for the time being with the nationality
Of the projecting consrat, enjoying the same rights
the paon hey serSs The parsons and premises Of
these privileged employees are much involabie az
the consulate ITSELF and any ciy Or criminal offence
committed by them consular employees Ia eNcuss ely
taken c0gpzance or and punished ny tho consular courts
presided by tho Consul The consular services per-
formed BY these sometimes OF such nature
TO bring them in conflict with The authorities OF their
country. For that reason u, has been stipulated
TINT they should no. os Snasa NE IarEisn jSnrsacon
sumed their own nationality. under no circumstances
whatever should they be made to for anything
which they might have done obnovors to their govern
nlent while employed az consfa'e
Tho dragomans dutj Is 10 translate letters and other
doclmens to interpret conversations from tae Oriental
into EurOnenn lauQuaQ0S attend to tEa manifold
duties with the consular and local tribunals,
The cavas consular guards, are always armed, and
they servo IN Z military capacity only They MONT
guard at the door Of the Consulate 20 protect we
al the person OF the Consul they escort him .lways in
tute the consular force with which the Consul may
force obedience to the laws Of the United States in these
remote countries fs
Genera De Cesncls, very wei, known in your city re-
placed year ago Mr. J. J. Barclay United States
Consul at Cyprus He resnincd In once the same drago
mans and guards appointed by his predecessor. Some
afterwards OF the guards died and there be-
came vacancy Amongst the applicants for the POSI-
ton was sIussnia Fcfsi Of grain MERCHANT Of Lar.
naca who had served honoray FOR nany years at the
United States Consulate dragonan The Consul, fol-
lowing the principle OF our republic, which always r.
wards her faithful servants appointed the or the old
dragomap GIL the vacancy. Jiy the Turkish regnla
tons Consul has the right 10 appoint his consular
guards, and, by officially informing the Governor Gen.
eral OF It. the latter obliged 10 rrcogn them such
once In the OF Mnstsa the Consul having
Piled with the said regulations bis guard therefore,
regularly and duly appointed.
The Mudlr OF Larna "a kind o, local Governor) uni.
VERBALLY despisea for his btary manners for his vices
and dssou,s coauct time ago attempted to break
into The harem OF Mnssfa's father, therein "
yioiaN his wives and dsughiers, but having
ssSy n =" saan III y Ne
ing heard VI the appointment oil Mss,afa as con-
suiar gnara he OF once started Tor Necosea where the
Governor General resides and begged him not 70 allow
the American Consul 10 have N.safa adducing
cuss that such position was too low for him. the son.
Iarnaca Ia grain mercbann, and that, moreover he
the ago Table TO the conscrlpton The Governor
Gs, ss rno The BOSOM Q. the mad and
better than Gaouv Chrlsanl was happy 70 satisfy the
personal feelings of hts friend, and very aristo-
nize Ills guard. General do CesnoIa, knowing wen
enough that the Governor had power 70 refuse TO
but notwithstanding determined calmly and firmly 70
pursue what he consderd hts limo Of conduct in tho
csss and to insist ON the rsconson Of nusafa BY the
BY a the other consula He therefore WROTE 70 the Gov
erncr stating ,bss IN appointing Mnssia he had cor
nc man now under the rsoiecsioa o. tie American
deg, thn. he made az right conferred upon hin. BY
M saa ,ssnlsson, snd thar he corid Dot waive WITH
and therefore he insisted the recognIon Of MuslafA
But TO all the Consul's just rsmonstrapcss the old
pointment
In order to show here more clearly YET Mat feun.
appointment and that the Governor did not want 70 re-
i viii be sutcient 70 state that several WEEKS aer
consular guard young man o. the identical age Of
Mustss but Of higher soca position, and he Was recog
nzed at without any objection The above named
regulations say that Turkish subject employed al
consulate is not exempt from military drsf and on ap
picstlon nom the Mndr the Consul will send him 70
draw his number; but should ne become . conscrpi
Though this not ofen happens, a. out Of one hundred
ninety free and ten ony are drawn a. sodies)
he cannot b taken AWAY from the consulate and his
time while employed shall count as u served in the
army" The day OF the draft came: bus The Mudir,
though advised BY his friends 10 ask the presence Of
Musiafa the dram through the Consulate obsiinatsy
refused TO DO 10, sDd Ia Tsrgse, ordered his name
10 be inscribed In tie military rolls ~ drawn conscrpt
and dcserter II therefore not only right bus the
positive duty Of the American Consul NOS 70 ycld 70 the
encroschents Of arbitrary authority upon HE consular
rights simply 10 gstfy Me lust for vengeance against
he innocent guard Finding however III remonstrsncs
with the Governor vain, General Oesnola placed the
whole matter shs hands Of the American Mnslsr 81
Constantinopie
Several naouths elapsed afssr The draft had taken
place. and Mustsfa daily performing HE duty d ths
Consulate uumolsRsd, when Suddenly on The morning
OF the 18Th OF Ju'y. the whole town Of Iarnaca vas
49, A. 49,