The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-01-17
A PLEA FOR THE
PEOPLE OF THE CONGO
Address To The President and King
Edward.
WANT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Memorial Adopted at the Conference
of the Foreign Missions Board OF
the United States and Canada -
Declares That Both Nations Have
Recognized This Duty.

Philadelphia (SpeciaD At a meet
ing of the conference of the foreign
mission boards of the United States
and Canada held in this city on Sat
urday it was unanimusly agreed to
forward to President Roosevelt, the
United States Senate and King Ed
ward an ap' - on behalf of the
stricken peo f the Congo State.
The appeal 10 VS.:
ITO the President and the Senate of
the United States and to His Ma
jesty King Edward VII:
The Conference of the Foreign
Mission Boards of the United States
and the Dominion of Canada would
most respectfully and earnestly bring
to you an appeal on behalf of the
stricken people of the Congo State.
We do this in the name Of 40 mis-
sionary organizations, whose work is
prosecuted in all sections OF the
world, and we are persuaded that the
petition interprets faithfully the SEN
timent of their constituency of up
wards of 20,0OO,0O0 Of Christian men
and women. We are not forgetful
that recognition has been given by
both governments to international
duty in relation to this unhappy peo-
pie. 1t is a source of keen satisfac1
tion to us that our governments are
united in leadership in a work so
closely affecting international honor.
But we are reminded by the recur-
renee of our annual meeting that
weeks and months are passing by,
while the heavy burden of wrong
continues TO rest with crushing
weigh upon the Congo people, and
we recognize with profound regret
that the first definite step toward
Just International action has not yet
been taken.
The Evidence Convincing
1--WE speak with deep conviction
concerning this issue, because we are
intimately associated with many resi-
dents of the Congo State, by whom
the conditions to which We refer have
been disclosed. We are constrained
to accept their testimony. We know
that the earth does not hold men of
more sensitive honor or more self
sacrificing devotion. But you will
not need to be reminded that other
testimony than ours has been given
TO the character and the credibility
of these witnesses. A commission
selected by King Leopold himself has
said of them and their fellowmis-
sionaries in the Congo State that
they constitute for the native the
sole representative of equity and JUS
tice. OF cir testimony, dreadful
as 1t has been, the commission has
declared that they found It to be
supported by a multitude of wit
nesses' and established by a mass
of evidence and official reports
The request which we, like the
great company of petitioners Of both
governments outside our constituency
are urging, is obviously fair to all
interests, since it asks only for such
impartial action as shall give au-
thoritative revelation OF actual facts
and insure correction of such wrongs
as shall be disclosed. We submit
that the simple issue thus presented
involves a primary test of national
| and international honor, and that
longer withholding of manifestation
of this measure OF international con-
Germ for these wards of the nations
would leave upon all powers respon-
sible for it lasting reproaeh
An International Duty.
Eve would earnestly urge that no
| device of the ruler of the Congo
State, whether of wholesale aSper-
sion of motive or of evasion of ac-
countability through promotion OF
transfer of territory to a govern
ment of which he is himself the head,
shall be allowed to cloud the issue
of international responsibility for
immediate ascertainment of condi-
tions and correction of wrongs. The
issue, as you are we'll aware, is not
of motive, but of fact, and the duty
of guardianship binding the powers
of protection of the people of the
territory of the Congo Basin is indel
pendent of political relations. More
over, we would respectfully urge our
conviction that If the King is a trus-
tee he cannot transfer his trust ex-
cept by international sanction. If
the convening of an international
conference was important in the
| opening of the Congo territory, ii
would seem that a conference for
review of the issue in all its phases
is indispensable Tor wise and just
dealing now"