Terrell to his wife, October 27, 1894

Constantinople Oct 27 - 1894

My dear Wife, Your letter of the 10th inst has just been read, and it gratifies me to know though cotton seems to be at a bankrupt price, you at least stay well. Mills' fears of a revolution down on him you know, about 6 years after I first told him it was indicated. We may reason about it as we will, present conditions have come from the perversion of the powers of Government, that have enabled corporations and trusts to absorb all the wealth of the country -- and the result is, "dangerous to Civil Liberty"; as you and know I told them it would be ten years ago at the University of Missouri, before any "populist party was formed. Like Mills, I fear the future. Such things come like a Cyclone, the prudent are caught wide awake, and in some measure prepared; the heeedless and over-confident, are amazed, and gen= erally unprepared and ruined.

Your advice about expenses here is good, and I am doing my best - but the American people here I felt anxious to treat right, and so had to feed them --

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One or two dinings(?) more, at the outside will be extent of my diplomatic courtesies. I may be afflicted with visits of American representitives at other courts, who must receive some courtesy; that, I could not avoid.

My great object is to keep my health from failing again under mental strain. Every day something occurs needing diplomatic work, and often of the most annoying character. This reminds me that I have written too much to day, and am weary. I will finish it tomorrow.

Sunday Night. Oct 28^th It is a source of great comfort for me to know that you will be with Marie and Walter after Lena's marriage. Like ourselves, they have both been chastened by affliction, and it has made them both more sympathetic, besides, they both love you only they more because you were with them and cared for them during their heart affliction. You have chosen wisely to go and stay there for the present. I am so glad Mandy(?) has another little one.

I am just now undecided about next year. I can quit here now, so that when I reach home I will be even with the world + not in debt. But dont you think I am entitled to something more than this? How do you think it will do for me

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to meet you in April in New York, or Washington and if things go on well at home, go from there down to Lynchburg and stay a minute with John and either there or elsewhere for us to pass another month until I get ready to return, then come back here and remain until Dec{abbreviation sign} and then quit for good? — Or, meet you in England or Germany, and spend my sixy days there. If I cross to America I have, or can take 120 days. If I stay in Europe I can take only 60 days. Of course this would protract my ^{^final} stay here on account of the money I would spend. The most economical way of spending vacation, would be, for me to go directly home, and stay there until I got nearly ready to return; going and coming would not cost me over $500, and my pay for the 120 days would be $3,333. Then I could return, stay here until Oct and draw pay for 40 days during my transit in returning ^{again home;} though it would look a little mean to treat the Gvrn^t that way.

If I get through the winter well it seems almost a duty to myself to travel, and change my atmosphere; + employment and thus, rest. I always improve by travel. I am quite anxious to go to Jerusalem

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and Cairo, Jaffa + [...] the Nile, and the Gvrmt may send a War Vessal{?sic} to take me ^{to inspect my consulates}, but I have no assurance yet. Should I go it would be in a War Vessal{?sic} between this and [illegible name of a place].

You see I am so situated that I can not until toard{sic: toward?} spring, form any definite plan for the future, we can always correspond and arrange for next summer by letter, and an understood cable in response, to it, at any time in 16 or 14 days

I am delighted about my filly, yet I tell you that long-strong yearling of Lilla this, is going to be the fastest and finest thing in Texas. I fear to suggest any more training now with times so hard, but I think that perhaps toard{sic:toward?} spring (if Nick Creeks will keep her nicely) that a months more of exercise by Herenden(?) I could stand = If he is reliable , and thinks he can win with her at Taylor or Dallas and is risking to try her at his own expense , I would let him do it, under the special watchfulness of Thad Thompson. I think Thad would do this for me. But I think Crebbs had better not drive her. He might in a careless or fretful mood spoil her permanently. Lilla R was thus spoiled.

I fear especially that the colts will be stolen, the two year old should be let run out, + rough it, but be backed up every night. There Moore's near orchard people

so are the Castly(?) boys -- all fond of fine horses, and rather suspicious, as Jane says

Riddle returned to day. I have achieved a great triump for the security of the missionaires -- viz I have procured the consent of the Porte, that whenever a native subject of the Turk (Armenian) is employed as a teacher in an American school he shall not be imprisoned on mere suspicion; but I shall know the facts, and approve his imprisonment, in advance. This is a great safeguard to Missionary enterprise here, If justice is done we the Department will let the religious world at home know this. I did it in ad= vance of instructions and ignorant as to whether I would be sustained: but it was a necessity, though no treaty -- international law -- or capitulation, justified me in claiming it. Two thirds of their teachers are native Armenian subjects, and it was manifest that the Turk had determned to drive our people out, by arresting their native teachers on suspicion.

The Russian Emperor may be dead before this reaches you. He will never see the spring again. Kidney disease, created by over work and mental torture. This, Nelledow, who saw him ten days ago tells me in strict confidence. He knows it, and