Terrell to Walter Gresham, December 23, 1894

between the people of these two towns^^{and a neighboring town of Kurds} because they were brigands who lived by plunder, the people from neither village being ever engaged in honest productive labor

I was convinced that the Sultan, who sees nothing but cringing sycophants, and who is approached only bt scheming diplomats, has been kept ignorant of the enormous cruelty of the alleged murders. I reminded him that when he once expressed his desire for personal friendship and cordial relations, I had told him, that truth was a thing that rarely found its way to the ears of Kings and Sultants, and that as the United States had no desire for any part of the Ottoman Empire I had no motive to deceive, and would not lie to him. Now I wanted in all frankness to ask him a question, and perhaps, give him some facts. Being invited to proceed, I asked, if the news paper accounts of Turkish outrages had ever been told to him? He answered that he knew his troops were charged with killing

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unoffending people! I then told him that it had been published that two hundred young women had been raped in one village; that unborn infants had been torn from disemboweled women, and paraded on lance heads, and all the girl children at School in one village raped, and in all cases the girls had been murdered after they were violated. That these things published to the Chritstian world had provoked a terrible excitement. With an expression of horror and with hands uplifted he exclaimed "Oh Alla! Alla! Who has conceived such wicked lies? Let me die before such things happen in my Empire. He asked me to desist from repeating such sickening details, and said he could now better understand the excitement in the Christian world. He was -- or appeared to be greatly excited, and avowed that cruelty to noncombatants, was forbidden by his religion, and that if one of his soldiers had done such things he could kill him with his own hand.

I took occasion to remind him that I was acting under explicit instructions to request safe conduct for Jewett to go and

investigate for himself; and that his refusal would provoke resentment in the United States ; beyond discharging this duty I had no discretion and could offer no advice. When he informed me of the objection to another investigator I answered, that my Government was more acustomed {sic} to ask the consent of other powers in matters that concerned it; and I presumed His Majesty could judge whether my Government or Russia was the power most disinterested in Turkish affairs

I have stated the salient points of the inteview and as much as is necessary_

This morning (Sunday) at 11 am a messenger from the Porte requested my presence there, for an interview with the Grand Vizier and Minister of Foreign Affairs. They evidently came from a session of the Council of Ministers, and at once asked my opinion whether an appeal to Mr Cleveland's sense of justice and magnanimity, asking him to consider their embarassment, and

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Withdraw draw his request for Mr. Jewett would do any good. I declined to express an opinion, stating, that I had no facts on which to base one. They insisted that Italy would at once demand a commission; and Germany would follow; that Russia would object and perhaps other powers; that their embarrassment was extreme, and they felt that it was hard for America to whom they had in the first place appealed as a great neutral power, and been refused, should now demand an independent commission, which the Great Powers of Europe had not insisted on -- and much more to the same effect.

Finally, they announced that they could not in justice to Turkey give their Master's final answer, until they instructed their Minister near you(?) to request Mr. Cleveland to withdraw the appointment of Jewett, and asked me to communicate that request. I therefore sent the cipher telegram of this date a copy of which I enclose.

I have the honor to remain, Your obedient servant, A.W. Terrell.

Xmas night -

A merry xmass to you my wife_ One is not here. I have worked all day, tramping from here to the Porte, over this vexed question of a Commission. I took a xmas eve dinner with the Radolins + dine at British Embassy to night. If not forced to work I will sleep all day tomorrow, for the strain on me for some days has been hard I send the enclosed because, though the original rough draft of my despatch, it was not altered_ I have violated instructions by preserving a copy (letterpress) press_ but it may never reach home, + I send this - I violate instructions by keeping a copy, but am determined to preserve for myself a copy of all I do in this devilish Armenian question for future protection. Governments sometimes like to shift responsibility. Help Lilla to some(?) place, if you know how. She is one of the best clerks any where. You know how I am situated here. If I can pay my debt I will do well. Keep this despatch very secret. Under no circumstances let the press ever see it. If attack[ed], I will be able to defend from here__

I am very weary and only say God keep and preserve you

Your afft husband

A. W. Terrell