Protection of Christians in Persia [‎110r] (5/10)

Bated Gulatiek, the ]7th June 1871.
From— C. Alison, Esq., c. b., Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister at Teheran.
To— Mirza Jan Ibrahim, &c., &c., &c.
Pray inform Mirza Saeed Khan, confidentially, that I receive complaints
from Tahre<fz respecting the conduct of the Naib-ul-Vezareh, who, on the
execution of a murderer, used, it is asserted, every means in his power to
get up a row amongst the Mahomedans, pretending to believe that the murderer
bad been convicted and punished on insufficient evidence. The murderer was
a Mahomedan, and the victim an Armenian; and the alleged object of the
Naib seems to be to excite a feeling of exasperation amongst the Mussulmans
which might lead to deplorable results. Such a catastrophe would be highly
deplorable; the more so, as it is difficult to understand why the Naib-ul
Vezareh should put himself out of the way to create this responsibility.
Dated Gulahek, the 18th June 1871.
From— Mirza Jan Ibrahim, &e., &c., &c.
To—Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister at Teheran.
I communicated Your Excellency’s letter of yesterday to Mirza Saeed
Khan in a confidential manner this morning:.
His Excellency desired me to inform you, also confidentially, that for some
time past there exists a party who are constantly scheming and contriving to
overthrow both himself and those who had been appointed by His Excellency ;
that he took for granted that the murderer had committed this act, and that
either he had been a servant or a hanger on in the Kaib-ul-Vezareh’s house,
and that the Naib-ul-Vezareh was to blame for having kept such a notorious
character if he had known him as such. But as for the Naib-ul-Vezareh having
used every means to exasperate the Mahomedan population against the Arme
nian community, &c., &c., he (the Minister) did not believe it; for His
Excellency remarked that far from it, “ I myself would much rather see my
own son slapped in the face than that an Armenian should receive an unjust
blow,” and in such a case how could the Naib-ul-Vezareh dare to commit him
self in such a manner, which would, His Excellency said, utterly ruin himself,
the Naib-ul-Vezareh, and all those who depended upon him personally. Such
rumours, the Minister said, emanated from Agha Khan, the Kala Beggee, of
Tabreez, and one or two others also at Tebreez, who were the tools of the party
he had alluded to. His Excellency requested me to tell Your Excellency that
he would nevertheless send a telegram in cipher this very day to the Naib--ul-
Vezareh requiring full details of the case; and if the Naib-ul-Vezareh was in
the least fault, His Excellency would reprimand him in so severe a manner
that Your Excellency would hear from other quarters how he had been censured
and blamed for keeping such characters on his establishment, and for having
committed himself otherwise.
No. 9, dated Gulahek, the 23rd June 1871.
From—-C. Alison, Esq., c.b., Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister at Teheran.
To—The Consul-General at Tabreez.
I have communicated further with this Government respecting reports
which have reached this of the excited state of public feeling against the Chris
tians at Tabreez consequent upon the execution of Meshedi Bakir for the alleged
murder of an Armenian,
The Minister for Foreign Affairs lost no time in addressing the telegram,
enclosed in translation, to the heir apparent, and sent it to me for transmis
sion, and I trust that it will have the effect of ensuring full protection to the
Christian community.
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