The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-07-13
FROM EMPEROR OF JAPAN
THINKS PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
FOE GOOD OFFICES.


Prince Lebanon in Letter to State De-
partment Defines Status of Jews in
Russia-Says Broadest federation Ex-
lists, and Religion of Abraham Not Pro-
hibited- Statement From American
Minister.
Washington, July 12-Recent diplo-
matte correspondence of the state de-
partment contains a translation of q
letter of thanks from Mutsuhito, the
emperor of Japan, to President Cleve-
land on account of the good offices of
this government toward Japanese sub
jects in China, which the emperor says
mot only tended to mitigate the sever
tiles and hardships Of war and finally
to promote the successful issue of the
negotiations for peace, but served to
draw still closer the bonds of friend
ship and good neighborhood, which
happily unite our two countries"
The correspondence also contains d
series of letters between the state de-
partment and the American minister,
Mr.. Breckinbridge, at StPetersburg,
on the subject Of the refusal of Russian
consular officers to wise United States
passports in favor of the Jews. This
correspondence includes a letter from
Prince Lobanoff, dated at St. Peters,
burg July s, 1895, in which the Ameri-
can minister is informed in reply to an
expression of an opinion from him that
the refusal interposed by the Russian
consular authority to the request for
a wise is contrary to the American
constitution, which does not allow that
citizen Of the United States should
be deprived of his rights by reason of
the faith he professes-that the broad
est spirit of liberation for all cults
forms the very basis of Russian laws:
the Jewish religion is no more prohib-
tied in Russia than In the United
States: it is even legally recognized
here and enjoys certain privileges. But
when for motives Of internal order Rus
sian law raises obstacles to the en-
trance of certain categories Of foreign
ers upon our territory, til Russian
consuls, who can neither be Ignorant
Of, nor overlook the law are In the ne
cessity of refusing to wise to persons
who they know belong in these cate
gories.
Prince Lobanoff says further: las to
the American constitution must con-
fess that it seems to me to be here be-
side the question The article of the
constitution which you are good enough
to mention and which prescribes that
no religion is prohibited in the United
States is, by the very nature of things
placed outside of all prejudice by the
consular authority. He has neither to
prohibit, nor authorize the exercise IN
America of any cult, and the fact OF
his wise being accorded or refused does
not approach upon the article in ques-
ton. The refusal of the wise is not at
all an attack upon any established re-
ligion; 1T Is. the consequence OF for-
eign law of an administrative charac-
ter. which only has its effect OUTSIDE
of the territory of the Union"
The documents include statement
from the American minister to the eff
feet that this government cannot con-
sent to certain facts complained OF by
Russian consular officials, tending as
they do 'tto humiliate within It's own
territory by invidious and disparaging
distinctions class embracing many OF
it's most honored and valuable citi-
zens, though in such cause 1t Wouid
contend with equal zeal for a single
though the humblest, citizen OF the
N1and''