Part 3 (1/2)

No. 7.

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Sir Stratford Canning_.

(Extract.) _Foreign Office, November_ 4, 1843.

I have received your despatch of the 11th of October, reporting that the French and Prussian Ministers had received instructions from their respective Governments on the subject of the execution of the Armenian referred to in your despatch of the 27th of August.

I calculate that your Excellency will have received on the 24th ultimo my despatch of the 4th, by which your Excellency will have been enabled to acquaint the Porte with the feelings with which Her Majesty's Government had received the intelligence of that melancholy transaction. I have nothing to add to that instruction.

No. 8.

_Sir Stratford Canning to the Earl of Aberdeen_.--(_Received November_ 23.)

My Lord, _Buyukdere, October_ 31, 1843.

The instruction which I have received from your Lords.h.i.+p respecting the Armenian decapitated for returning to the Christian faith, cannot fail of making a deep and, I hope, a salutary impression upon the Ottoman Ministers.

I have had it carefully translated into Turkish, and placed in M.

Pisani's hands for communication to the Porte, accompanied with an instruction of which I have the honour to inclose a copy herewith.

Monsieur de Bourqueney having been directed to present an official note upon the same subject, I thought it advisable to give a certain degree of formality to the communication of your Lords.h.i.+p's despatch, and particularly to leave it with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in writing. A copy of the French Minister's note is herewith inclosed.

The presentation of this remonstrance has strongly excited the public attention, and occasioned no small embarra.s.sment at the Porte. It was proposed in Council to return it, but the suggestion was overruled, and I hear that nothing will be added to the verbal reply already given.

The substance of that reply, which M. de Bourqueney read to me from the report of his first interpreter, is by no means unfavourable.

The language employed by Rifaat Pasha in speaking of the French Minister's note to M. Pisani, admitted, in substance, that much might be said with reason against the manner and circ.u.mstances of the execution, but as to the act itself, he said that nothing could be alleged against a judgment founded upon the express will of G.o.d.

His answer to the communication of your Lords.h.i.+p's instruction has not yet reached me. It will have the greater interest as two more cases of religion involving capital punishment have recently occurred. The offender in each instance is a native Mussulman; and nothing, I conceive, but the late expression of indignation has prevented the Porte from executing the sentence of the law.

I am informed that Rifaat Pasha, on consulting the Grand Mufti as to one of these cases, was advised not to bring it under His Holiness'

notice as he had no choice but to declare the law; and a charitable intimation was added, that where a State necessity existed, the Porte would herself be found the most competent judge.

The Russian Minister informs me that he is still in expectation of instructions from St. Petersburgh. The Internuncio refers to the remarks addressed by Prince Metternich himself to the Turkish Amba.s.sador at Vienna. M. de Le Coq reserves the communication of his instruction, in the hope of being able to act simultaneously with M.

de t.i.tow. The silence of any one of the leading Courts on such an occasion would be a cause of just regret.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) STRATFORD CANNING.

Inclosure l in No 8.

_Baron de Bourqueney to Rifaat Pasha_.

_Therapia_, 17 _Octobre_, 1843.