The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-12-12

today sent 70 the seaate q ''''"' i'
secretary Gresham relative to the Ar
u,uIau outrages.
The sscretary's letter is the otticia
r,,s TO the President to the effect that
N, department had received no official
isto,ma,ion in regard to cruelties com
ni,,sd on Armenian Christians by the
rnrk., aud answers each inquiry con
,,psd in the senate resolution. The
,bOIo correspondence is outlined in the
P,.,idents letter Of trnnsmittal, as fol-
IoU:
After quoting the senate resolution
The President says:
an response to said resolution l beg
lave to inform the senate that have
M Information concerning cruelties
conmitled upon Armenians in Turkey
y, nnon persons because OF their being
Christians, except such information a'
ba, been derived from newspaper re-
norts, aud statements emanating from
,bs Turkish government denying such
rru.lties, and two telegraphlc reports
from our minister at Constantinople.
zone Of these reports, dated Novem'
Der r3 1894, is an answer 10 an inquiry
by the state department about reports
In the press alleging the killing OF Ar
msnians, and is as follows:
aReports in American papers oil
Turkish atrocities at Sassoun are sensa.
t;opsl and exaggerated. The killing was
in conflict between Armenians, armed,
aud Tark,sh soldiers. The grand yizler
..y. |. was necessary to suppress insur.
rection, and that about fifty Turks were
killed. Between three and. four hun.
dred Armenian guns were picked up
after the fight, and reports are that about
that number Of Armenians were killed.
Igiys credit TO his statement.
The other dispatch referred to is
dated December 2, 1894, and is as fol-
lows:
Information from the British am
busador indicates far more loss OF lives
in Armenia, attended with atrocities,
than stated in my telegram OF the
18Th
"Ihaye received absolutely no infor'
nation concerning any cruelties com.
mitted upon citizens who have declared
their intention to become naturalized
10 this country, or upon any persons
who have a right to claim or have
claimed. for any reason, the protection
Of the United States government.
"In the absence Of such authentic de-
tailed, knowledge on the subject as
would Justify our interference, no ex'
postulations have been addressed by
this government to the government oi
Turkey in regard to such matters.
"Ths last inquiry contained in the
resolution Of the senate touching these
alleged cruelties seeks information con-
esrning any proposal made by or &c
this government to act in concert with
other Christian powers regarding the
same
Tho frat proposal OF the kind re-
Ceiyed was made by the Turkish gov
ernment, through our minister, on
November 80, when the sultan then ex-
pressed desire that a consul OF the
United States be sent with Turkish
commission to investigate the alleged
atrocities.
"lhis was construed as au invitation
on the part OF the Turkish government
to actually take part with Turkish
commission in an investigation OF these
Affairs and a report to be made thereon
and the proposition came before oul
minister's second dispatch was received
aud at q time when tho best informa'
tlon in the possession in the possession
Of our government was derived from his
trst report indicating that the state
ments made in the press were sensa
ttonal and exaggerated and that the
atrocities alleged really did not exist
This condition very much weakened
any motive for an interference based on
considerations OF humanity, and per
mitted US without embarrassment 1c
puFsae course plainly marked out BY
other controlling incidents.
no PART IN IT.
"By treaty entered into at Berlin il
the year 1878, between Turkey and vari
Gus other governments, Turkey under
took to guarantee protection to thu
Armenians, aud agreed that 1t woult
periodically make known the stepl
taken TO this effect TO the powers, whc
VIII superintend their application.
Our government was not n party tt
The treaty, and It is entirely obvious
That in tho face OF tho provisions o
shctt treaty above recited, our interior
ence in the proposed investigation, es
peeclaliy without the invitation OF any
ot tho powers which had assumed b!
treaty obligations TO secure tho protec
,ion oil these Armenians, might have
been exceedingly embarrassing, II no
entirely beyond the limits OF iustitica
ZION or propriety.
The Turkish invitation to Join tht
investigation set on foot by that govern
ment was, therefore, on the I'd oil De
cetnber declined. On the same day
anu after this declination had been sent
our minister at Constantinople for
Warded his second dispatch tending L
modify his former report as 10 the OK
tent and character OF the Armenian
daughter. At the same time tho re
guest Of tho Sultan ior our participation
IN tho investigation was reported, ant
lhen Great Britain, one OF tho power
which joined in the treaty OF Berlin
made like request. In view Of changot
conditions and upon reconsideration o
mo subject, II was determined TO scnt
ar. Jowett, our consul Ht sivas, to thN
scone Of the alleged outrages. not Tor th'
purposes Of joining with any other gov