me forth on the arena of discussion, seems to me to have nitted an act which tends to lower the dignity of the Shah; and a course which, out of respect to His Majesty, and out of d for the established customs of diplomacy, I cannot consent t ith reference to the case of Meerza Hashem Khan, lately nted British Vakeel* at Shiraz, I am quite ready to answer ents which your Highness can advance against the appoin when you bring them forward in the customary form on the f the Persian Government. The Sadr Azim. CH. A. MURRAY (Inclosure 4.)-The Sadr Azim to Mr. Murray. lation.) November 6, 185 AVE received your Excellency's letter of this date. You ed surprise that I had communicated to His Majesty the my royal master, the contents of your letter. I believe! equently informed you, both in writing and verbally, that cers of business, especially in affairs connected with the Department, I am charged to submit the entire questas Shah; and the practice existing in this country no s the usages prevalent in Europe. Neither is that attention is Majesty pays to the administration of his country de to his Royal dignity; nor is the obedience and submissi practise unsuitable to the position and office which I hold leed causes surprise is, that your Excellency should, in your tter, write that, by the orders of Her Majesty's Gover -erza Hashem Khan, who is in the pay of this Government. appointed Agent to the Mission at Shiraz, and that you Dect me to consent to such a strange and serious matter e knowledge of His Majesty the Shah, and to admit the he Mission to have an Agent in Shiraz, which is not the Treaty. t, with regard to Meerza Hashem Khan, the case is ju e stated; I again repeat it by the Shah's orders: E an should start for any place as a servant of the Mission, inclination of the Shah, by His Majesty's orders he w arise ed; and any disagreeable consequences which may proceeding will rest with that person who commits a by taking the initiative in a matter which is contrary to y, Esq. * Agent. SADR AZIN (Inclosure 5. I HAVE received you you say that I expressed are different in this and that of his Governme your The next argument of yo and unfounded. You preten you of the appointment of an Shiraz, as if it were somet Persian Government; where Highness that although, by are the only places in Persi reside, the British Mission h in Shiraz, Ispahan, and othe subjects in their affairs, and t of passing events. Although of Consuls, they have always local Governors; and it is not respect of a commercial dispute * Commi held, at which the British Agent wa claims of the British subjects interested fectly familiar to your Highness, of wh own time and mine by pretending that of this class at Shiraz is unknown to t contrary to Treaty? I come now to the special case of M Highness has more than once insisted t Shah, and in the receipt of a salary inform your Highness that since I hav time previous, he has neither been in received a farthing of salary. It may ness has desired that the berats* for out, and that his name should be k Office as if he were still in the servic discussion with the British Mission, that he would not receive the pay nor in fact he never had any office or milit ment whatsoever. Your Highness has stated to me th Government can be considered as havi can produce a paper of dismissal. I both among Europeans here and Per of dismissal, so far from being an univ rare occurrence; if a servant is to be seems to be that a superior officer tell and he goes away without receiving that your Highness argues that in P employment without the consent of ness will excuse me if I decline to well aware that in the army those whether they will or no, unless they c and I know also that a slave must whether he be satisfied or dissatisfied Highness argues that a Persian, not respectable family, finding himself salary is insufficient for his maintena for his strength, cannot present his re elsewhere, you leave no distinction b may, indeed, be true, either in the Highness, that if you had a pish-khi whom you gave an insufficient sal ask for an increase of pay in order t bread, it is in your power, instead * Government Bills. 10 at which the British Agent was present, to attend to the s of the British subjects interested. As these things are per familiar to your Highness, of what avail is it to waste your ime and mine by pretending that the appointment of an Agent class at Shiraz is unknown to the Persian Government and =ry to Treaty? come now to the special case of Meerza Hashem Khan. Your ess has more than once insisted that he is in the service of the and in the receipt of a salary for service. It is my duty to your Highness that since I have been in Persia, and for some revious, he has neither been in the Royal service nor has be d a farthing of salary. It may be the case that your High as desired that the berats* for his pay should still be made ■d that his name should be kept on the books of the Wa as if he were still in the service, on purpose to keep up this on with the British Mission, although you were well aware would not receive the pay nor re-enter the service; and that he never had any office or military charge in the War Depart hatsoever. r Highness has stated to me that no servant of the Persist nent can be considered as having left the service unless be uce a paper of dismissal. I have made extensive inquiry. Long Europeans here and Persians, and I find these pape sal, so far from being an universal custom, are of extremely rrence; if a servant is to be dismissed, the common practic be that a superior officer tells him to go about his business goes away without receiving any paper at all. I am awar - Highness argues that in Persia a servant cannot leave h ent without the consent of the Government; your Highexcuse me if I decline to accept this proposition. I re that in the army those who are recruited must serve hey will or no, unless they can pay the redemption money ow also that a slave must serve whether he will or e be satisfied or dissatisfied with his condition: but if your argues that a Persian, not only born free, but of good e family, finding himself in an employment where h sufficient for his maintenance, or the labours are too gre ength, cannot present his resignation and seek employment you leave no distinction between him and the slave. I ed, be true, either in the Royal service, or in that of you that if you had a pish-khidmet,† or any other servant gave an insufficient salary, and that he came to you in order that he and his family might e in your power, instead of either letting the man s ncrease of pay *Government Bills. + Upper servant. service elsewhere or ind and force him to work Now the case of M From all these circum In obedience to the inst have given him his tezkerel Highness well knows that in house, he is as completely as if he were within the wa therefore, causes him to be i his duties, the responsibility ensue will fall on your High H.E. The Sadr Azim. arguments more perfect, and to elucida orders, I beg to trouble you with this las You stated that the customs in thi matic affairs, were similar in Europe to t that in Europe also, the commands of th with obedience and submission. Such b both of us being aware of the fact, it is should involve ourselves in troublesome But as your Excellency admits this point surprised that His Majesty the Shah sho part in the discussion, because this is no rule having been adopted, nor is it an in the trouble to refer to the letters in y Persian Ministers, you will certainly per ber of these communications, expression "I have to inform you, by order of His have laid your letter before the Shah, manded me to give the following repl often happened that copies of the Shah' to me, have been enclosed in my letters, graphs have frequently been transmitted Chief of the Mission. At all events, whe in this respect are the same, or whet this country the source from which or trifling and of great importance, is the Shah-in-Shah (may our souls be his sac written by this Government tend to pr Since things existed this has always be try; and hereafter never will any chang After all, the execution of the Shah's or of all matters, depend upon the Chief foreign affairs the Foreign Minister sha You also write that I had evinced bonds of friendship between the 2 Gove ence whatever to any former official agr stand your object. This can only be ex discuss the matter verbally with you. statement, that you regretted that the Shah's commands would alter the opi Queen of England would have formed British Government from your letters the expression of regret and surprise sh from the day that I assumed the office sent time, on every occasion 1 have cle by which I am actuated sincerely to co ents more perfect, and to elucidate the case, by the Shah's - I beg to trouble you with this last letter in full detail. stated that the customs in this respect, that is, in diplo ffairs, were similar in Europe to those in force in Persia; and Europe also, the commands of the Sovereign were received edience and submission. Such being so clearly the case, ani us being aware of the fact, it is quite unnecessary that we involve ourselves in troublesome discussions on the subject your Excellency admits this point you ought not to have felt d that His Majesty the Shah should have personally taken the discussion, because this is not the first instance of this ing been adopted, nor is it an innovation. If you will take ble to refer to the letters in your office received from the Ministers, you will certainly perceive that in a great num ese communications, expressions such as these are used:to inform you, by order of His Majesty the Shah," or, your letter before the Shah, and His Majesty has cou me to give the following reply." More than this, it has pened that copies of the Shah's autograph notes addressed ve been enclosed in my letters, and even the original aute we frequently been transmitted for the information of the ne Mission. At all events, whether the customs in Europe spect are the same, or whether they are different, in ry the source from which originate all commands, both of great importance, is the person of His Majesty the ah (may our souls be his sacrifice!), and all the letter this Government tend to prove that such is the case. -s existed this has always been the practice in this coun reafter never will any change be allowed to take place. e execution of the Shah's orders only, and the discussion -rs, depend upon the Chief Minister of the State, and in the and rs the Foreign Minister shares with him his duty. indeed. because hat I assumed the office of Sadr Azim, up to the pre desire very occasion I have clearly proved the strong actuated sincerely to cement the friendship between ᏀᎡᎬᎪᎢ the 2 countries; and it is With regard to your age Commission |