The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-24
THE KELLEY MATTER.
Correspondence Between the State Depart
ment and the italian and Austrian Gov


J ernments.
WASHINGTON. December l5-The Presi'
dent, in response to Senate resolution, has
transmitted to that body all the papers and
correspondence on file relating to the ap-
pOintment of A. NJ. Kelley as Minister to
itaty and his subsequent appointment as
! Minister to Austria
The correspondence begins with q letter
to Secretary Bayard from Baron Favia, the
Italian Minister Resident dated April Is,
1885, in which he calls attention to an edit
! Orial in the New York Herald. in reference
to the alleged uttersnces of Mr.. A. NJ.
Kelley, appointed Minister to Italy. in re-
gard to that Government, and says that if
the newspaper statement is true it is most
regretable one. Secretary Bayard
! answered under the same date, making
/ an appointment to see the Italian Min
lister April Is, and saying that enough
is disclosed by his note to state that the de-
| paTtment can not make the editorials of a
| newspaper in regard to alleged utterances.
| confesSedly made unoficialIy some fourteen
| years ago, of gentleman selected 10 repre-
sent the Government in foreign country,
/ the basis Of discussion with the minister of
that country.
On May 4 Secretary Bayard informed
! Baron SchaefTer, the Austrian Minister at
| Washington, that the President had ap-
pointed Mr. Kelley to succeed Mr.. Francis
as Minister at Vienna. May 0 Baron
Schaeffer handed to Mr.. Bayard the follow
ing translation of a telegram from Count
Kalnoky to himself, dated May 8: 1--WE
regret the nomination of Mr. Kelley as Min
lister Plenlpotentiary and Envoy Extraor-
dinary to tile Imperial Court, and his sud-
| den departure from America, as here,
too, like in Rome, prevail scruples
against this choice. Please direct in
the most friendly way the attention
of the American Government to the
generally diplomatic practice to ask previ-
Ously to any nomination of foreign min
lister the agreement (cOnsent) OF the Gov
ernment to which he is accredited. You
are therefore requested to earnestly entreat
them that the newly nominated minister
may not reach Vienna before our confiden-
tial consent to his nomination has taken
place. The position of foreign envoy
welded to a JeweSs by civil marriage would
be nntenable and even impossible in vi
emma"
In communication to Baron Schaeffer,
dated May IS, Secretary Bayard says:
'The question thus raised by our Govern
portance and has no precedent as yet dis
coverable to ME in modern times and inter-
course between friendly Nations. Having
submitted the matter to the consideration
of the President, am instructed by him to
inform your Government through you, that
upon the ground upon which it is an
nOunced that the usual ceremonial courtesy
and formal respect are to be withheld from
the envoy of the United States by your
Government; that is to say, because his
wife is alleged or supposed by your
Government, to entertain GER
tain religious faith and to be
member of a certain religious sect-can
not be aSsented to by the Executive of the
Government of the American people, but is,
and must be, emphatieally denied. This
stand by any foreign government Is neces-
sarily and fOrtiOri inadmissible. To suf-
fer an infractiOn of this essential principle
would lead to a disfranchiSement of our
citizens because of their religious belief, and
thus impair or destroy the most important
end which our constitution of government
was intended to secure. Religious liberty
is the chief corner stone of the American
system of Government and provisions for
its security are embedded in the written
charter and interviewer in the moral fabric
invade a right so essential and sacred
must be carefully guarded against, and [
am satisfied that my countrymen, ever
mindful of the suffering snd sacrifices nee-
essary to obtain it, will never consent to its
impairment for any reason or under any
preteXt whatsoever. In harmony with this |
essential law is the almost equally potential /
unwrltten law of American society, that !
awards respect and delicate consideration |.
to the women of the United States and ex
acts Difference in the treatment at home and /
abroad of the mothers, wives and daughters |
of the Republic. The case we are now !
considering is that of all envoy OF the /
United States unQuestiOnably fitted, whose /
presence near the foreign Government in !
question is objected to by its agents on the |
sole ground that his welded wife is alleged .
to entertain religious faith which is held
by very many of the most hOnored and
valued citizens of the United States. 1t is
not believed by tte Presiden: that a doc
trine and practice so destructive Of freligiOus
liberty and freedom of conscience, 80 de-
void of cathOlicity and so OPP
posed TO the spirit of the age in
which we live can for a moment be
by the great family Ct ciyiliZ"d
nations ar be allowed to control tiIessr
diplomatic intercourse. Certain it is, it
will never, in my belief, be accepted by the
people of the United States, nor by any
which represents their senti-
ments. Permit me. therefore, being ami
mated only by tile sincerest desire to
strengthen the ties of friendship and mu.
tual respect between the Governments we
represent most earnestly and
to crave careful consideration
Of this note and to request your Govern
ment to consider the views you have conf
to me in respect to the possible
reception of Mr.. Kelley on the mission of
amity and mutual advantage which, in the
amplest good faith, he was selected by this
Government to perform"
Mr.. John NJ. Francis, then United States
Minister at Vienna, on June II notified Mr..
Dayard that he had been informed that the
Austrian Foreign Office raised objections to
'eceivng Mr.. Kelley because Italy had OBJ
ected to him, and not because his wife was
/ Jewess. The Austrian Government also
objected to Mr.. Keiley's utterances. Mr.
3ayard on June l instructed Mr.. Francis
o again present the request that
roper reception be extended, "as
hese conditions were simpIy ,
ntolerable and were, in the case
# the United States, not only inhibitedtby ,
he plain letter and undying spirit of the !
onstitutiOn of the Government, but were ,
Inconsistent with that decent self-respeci ,
fhich forbade nation of go, 900, 600 of |
reemen to accept the position of diplo I
latic dependency of the friendly power I
1hose behests appear to have been acqui- a
seed in and carried out by Austria Hungary 4
1 the present instance" n
Land Bills.
WASHINGTON, December 15.-The Sem