Protection of Christians in Persia [‎109v] (4/10)

‘Armenians who were present, none of whom were armed. By this course of
conduct he is encouraging: a most bitter feeling on the part of the Mahomedans
of this town against the Armenians and Christians generally. Already rn auv
acts of violence have been committed, which may be traced to the sympathy
so prominently shown- by the JNaib-ul-Vezareh and his people for the assassin/
I may remark, and I hope you will point out to the authorities dt Teheran
that this conduct of the Naib-ul-Vezareh,^ endeavouring to arrest the execu’
tion of this most just sentence, and. by tne perversion of facts to make it
appear hasty and injudicious to the higotted population of Tahreez, is calculated
to have a most untoward effect on the future conduct of the heir apparent, who
in this case has acted with a prompt resolution worthy of all praise, but who
may hesitate in future to punish condignly such malefactors when he finds
that those who should assist and support him in preserving the public peace are
more inclined to pander to the popular.passions and prejudices, by representing
his judgments as unconsidered and unjustifiable.
This being the first occasion at Tahreez where the life of a Mahomedan
has been forfeited for the murder of a Christian, it has produced considerable
excitement here, and it is therefore much to be desired that no expression or
action on the part of the authorities may lead the fanatics of this town to
suppose that a similar punishment will not invariably for the future follow a
similar crime.
Dated Tabreez, the 6th June 1871.
Prom— Captain H. M. Jones, Consul-General at Tabreez.
To—The Naib-ul-Vezareh.
The murderer, Meshedi Mehmet, who has just suffered for his crimes, was,
it appears, a ferrash in your service. He had already been guilty of several
murders, and the late Serdaru-kull endeavoured, unfortunately in vain, to
bring him to justice.
When Yahia Khan was murdered, your brother, acting most probably
under your influence and instructions, endeavoured in the face of the most un
questionable evidence to distort the facts so as to criminate some unarmed
Armenians who happened to be present. After the orders of the Yali Ahd had
gone forth for the punishment of the murderer, you and your servants endea
voured in every manner to prevent it, even, it is said, offering bribes to the
executioner to delay carrying out the sentence, until you could intercede with
the Yali Ahd in favor of sparing the murderer’s life.
When Satur Khan* went to your house, your servants in your presence
* Brother of the murdered man and threatened to kill him, and you took no steps to
himseh employed in the office of the check or punish the offenders. Your ferrashes, Agha
Naibuiwueh. Baba and Asker, told Satur Khan’s servant that
they intended to kill his master on account of the death of their comrade,
Meshedi Mehmet.
Such conduct needs no comment. If such are the actions of the officers of
the State, .what can be expected from the ignorance of other classes ? I shall,
however, forward a copy of this letter to Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister at
Teheran, and request him to show it to the Persian Minister for Foreign
Affairs.
No. S, dated Gulahek, the 18th June 1871.
From C. Alison, Esq., c. b., Her Britannic Majesty's Minister at Teheran,
To—The Consul-General at Tabreez.
With reference to your despatch No. 13, dated 7th June, I beg to enclose
* i.—June i7th. copies® of an instruction which I addressed to
2—June isth Mirza Jan Ibrahim on the alleged misconduct of
the Naib-ul-Yezareh, and of his report,