New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-16
FROM THE GREAT assassin
REPLY TO THE PETITION OF THE EVAN
GELICAL ALLIANCE.

.IIAs PROTECTED THE PROPERTY, THE
LIVES AND THE HONOR" OF ITS CHRIS
rIAN sUBJEcTs-ITs STATEMENT
CHARACTERIZED AS A PIECE
OF "CoNsUMMATE
,o IMPUDENCE."
An interesting and rather remarkable CORE
sbondence between one Of the most prominent
religious organizations Of this country ana the
Sultan Of Turkey. with relation to the massa-
ores of the Armenans. was made public yester-
day This correspondence consists of peti-
ton TO the Sultan by the Evangelical Alliance
for the United States in behalf of the prosecuted
Christians within the Turkish domnons. and
the reply OF the Eastern ruler, through his ac-
credited representative TO this country
While the massacres and prosecutions OF last
wear were going on in Armenia, the missionaries
from America who were stationed in that coun-
try and many of the native Christians forward
ed appeals to the religious denominations In the
United States for help. 1t was finally decided
nv the officers Of the Evangelical Alliance Tor
the United States, which, with its several
branches in all the civilized countries OF the
world takes care to assist in maintaining free
dom of conscience and worship everywhere. that
the Alliance should make one last appeal 10 the
Sultan for mercy and justice toward his un-
fortunate subjects.
Late in the spring a petition to the Sultan was
drawn up 1t was handsomely engrossed on
heavy parchment. and was sent to the state De-
partment Washington. with the request tha' IL
be forwarded to the Sultan. The fact was care
fully kept from the public at the time ana no
one outside of the persons most Interested ana
the Federal authorities were cognlZant OF 'he
contents Of the paper.
Although the petition was sent to washington
early last April. no word Of its arrival at It's
destination was received until few days ago.
when William r. Dodge, the president OF the
Alliance found a reply from the turkish Mills
Ter on his return from Europe. Both the apPeal
and the reply seemed to be especially Significant
in the minds Of those most familiar win the
present conditions within the borders CT the OF
tOman Empire.
THE PETITION.
The petition of the Alliance bears date OF
March % last and is in part as follows:
His Imperial Majesty the sultan BY direction OF
the Evangelical Alliance for the Onted oldses W.
cord with the convictions of millions OF American
Christians and which has among a ls f h oppons
OF religious persecution, respectfully
Your Imperial Majesty with regard 10 itee ' 81
conscience and worship. and the prosecutions Oh
Christians. within your Empire - o,,,ri,c your
We take the welcome opportunity 81 as hd,5 vnnr
Majesty that true well wishes OIL Do'h 49, Fr
self and your dominion We crave LOT Eo1 "a az gives
10 ihose only who 40 Justly and ye mercy and
walk humbly before Him. j.. 80 ,i5,r,s Of
More than a year ago there came 70 Us uuhs "a
sore religious persecution in Turkey But We 1eld!cu
our mons "a be- We
solemn pledges OF religious toierdsio n,. IA
proclaimed TO your people ana The world IN lnpsa,a
DEGREES We called mind the justly IdiEous Ila,b
ba SScpsd guaIant.es Of both civic and religious
rights OF Your Ma,esys INN t,sTen by
His Imperial Majesty sultan puui f, Jyrofssed
all forms OF religion are ana s ma nv Te Empr snail be
hndered in the exercise OF the reislo.' ne ac,,nt
We bors in mind the treaty OF July, be- KNOW" ~ a,
the Berlin treaty. which not only cohhrineu S -.
1e,iros in every part of the Ottoman Empre oa6
also declared The Sublime Porte fns Teforms de-,
%snded by local requirements in the provinces cir
habed by the A Arr aa and the
How could believe, in the face OF ms ner
secuons had become within Your Ma}esy hc ain
q wdeextended and perss;eh, Iea, d has been sub
stantiaed until TO longer oe sehs' 90!
R,,mnnv Of Observers whom We know TO be com
petent and truthful. the ieIr'oe i"o'S ~
respectfully submit that within me lasl
eighteen months muutudes v oi r Government
bara been massacred. Thousands Of those wwo
trusted in , gOT PDTdeTed and under crcgm
STANCES as force the reluctant n1 Iev me
ne a ,bas b have been confined to CnrS
Hans and by the further fact that asan anu am sscape
e ortmre and death by abiuring OF the ohi h
tan faith We are compelled 10 r penigIv
nFecondAddi,ionai proof that religious S now
Your Maesys Empire mas o poSn IN the fact that in
u h,ndreds Of instances Christian parents nave p
yoen lem 70 Commit rrevocaby both themselves amc
their children to faith which Is against rne'
s by physical force to that circum
ctson which in Your Majestys DOMAIN iShristian'
hat q m
Observation-Disclosures Of Christian churches m 1orn
sres ana mos pan have been taken destro,
IRE sacred Christian books ana 10 uisoio o,oher n
9Sross , Fith In this respect also the destruction
has been as methodical as SIiStian women have
n,1traaed and thousands of Christian chill
slain By the m sme fofre9 other wr0 CHRIS
tan men TO forswear, Christianity G afr
c siveJh CIR monasteries and schools. 1t is unmstak
ably significant that for TINS sH 1nd rpaS agans
religious freedom. Christians alone nave Dee" 80
'e9nee Short and from first last the outrages ia
manfestIy within the mode ara Spit OF ,nai by n
, ,SSs Of 9e5 YoST Mae St:" Empire
And here permit us 10 assure you, an ~ vour do
esty that as American missionaries IL,
and as they have always eNercisIui NH 90 The
in favor Of loyalty and AGAINST usl0yItt?' ~ vnr
have found the Overwhelming rr2lorty h oi y sov
Christian subjects hoTO1ghy Whatever MAJ
have been the unlawful designs and acts OF d ve1
restless agitatOTS, II II ba,I
thousands on whom the woe has alreauy laies s5
been entirely innocent In botn tho1gnt , enc T., III
Therefore in the name Of those ChristianS III III
United States whom represent ana b IN me b rT
fidence that we also speak the Views OF those SnS
tIans renresented by our sister Evangelical An
ances in Great Britain France bf nsnmar iss
Spain Greece Turkey. SYRIA South Africa JapaI
China and New South Wales. we respectIuny a.
OF Your Majesty that the existing ana saCre
guarantees Of religious freedom IN Turkey sh1ai
straghtway be fulfilled and henceforth be uphelc
Candor and sincerity toward Your Majesty con
strain us to say with all solenity and earnestness
that unless this petition. is granted. ard perse
cutions are brought TO an end, ana the Chilstah
in Turkey are guaranteed life liberty and the pur
e,,tt M haDpiness. shall leave effort untrlc