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June 22; it is not, therefore, necessar with a repetition of them. The Sadr A and authority of the Shah, persists in cannot, and shall not, hold any appoint Majesty's Government, and has intima misunderstood, that if the Meerza le Persian Government will cause him to this I have replied, that as the Meerza agency commission under your Lordsh sian Government attempt to detain or of his duties, they must expect the s ensue from a similar injury offered to of the Mission, and that the respons will rest upon them. So far as I can j is determined not to concede the p interruption of friendly relations with ting a man whom he dislikes, and who own, to eat his bread in peace at a rem of the British Government.

In this, as in most other instance Shah's name just as it suits his conve purpose to act on his own responsibi he makes no scruple of saying that H with such matters, and that he himse Government; when, on the contrary, his own personal views under the pr honour, then he excites and irritates personally into the discussion that course he has followed on this occasi into a personal dispute with the Shah this irregular course, and have desired discussion as usual in the name of the dragging His Majesty into it.

Copies of this correspondence, w be transmitted to your Lordship by, a

No. 51.-Mr. Murray to the Earl of C (Extract.)

I HAVE the honour to inclose, fo copies and translations of the corres between the Sadr Azim and myse Khan, appointed to the British Agen tions contained in your Lordship's d

22; it is not, therefore, necessary to trouble your Lordship a repetition of them. The Sadr Azim now, adducing the name uthority of the Shah, persists in maintaining that the Meers t, and shall not, hold any appointment under Her Britannic ty's Government, and has intimated, in terms too plain to be derstood, that if the Meerza leaves Tehran for Shiraz, the n Government will cause him to be seized or detained. To have replied, that as the Meerza has his British passport and commission under your Lordship's instructions, if the Perovernment attempt to detain or molest him in the discharge duties, they must expect the same consequences as would rom a similar injury offered to any other servant or employé Mission, and that the responsibility of those consequences t upon them. So far as I can judge from language, the Sadr mined not to concede the point, and prefers risking the tion of friendly relations with this Mission to the permit man whom he dislikes, and whose family has a feud with his eat his bread in peace at a remote post under the protection

ritish Government.

is, as in most other instances, his Highness has used the ame just as it suits his convenience: when it answers to act on his own responsibility, and at his own pleasure. no scruple of saying that His Majesty has nothing to d matters, and that he himself is the organ of the Persias

ent; when, on the contrary, it suits his purpose to clos

personal views under the pretence of zeal for the Shah's hen he excites and irritates His Majesty and draws him into the discussion that may be going on; the latter has followed on this occasion with a view to drawing we onal dispute with the Shah; but I have protested against lar course, and have desired his Highness to carry on the as usual in the name of the Persian Government, without His Majesty into it.

of this correspondence, with a report of its result, m tted to your Lordship by a future post. I have, &c.

f Clarendon.

CH. A. MURRAY

r. Murray to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec. Jan. 1, 1856

Tehran, November 17, 1855 the honour to inclose, for your Lordship's information translations of the correspondence that has taken pla Sadr Azim and myself respecting Meerza Hashe nted to the British Agency at Shiraz, under the instru ed in your Lordship's despatch dated August 1.

It is with much reg Lordship's time with matter of most trifling

its consequences by the Your Lordship will (Inclosure No. 6), that Ispahan, Shiraz, &c., an consented, and never wo

a notorious fact that no not in communication wit the claims of Hindoos a time ago, in a case report

at my request, ordered Ispahan, in presence of subject against the Custor the result reported to me order for arbitration was and not sent in writing to official letter that he ne Ispahan. And with respec scarcely elapsed since a chi our Agent there, was, on t back all the way from this presence of our Agent.

I

I proceed to call your att of this dispute with the Per which is, whether the British Meerza Hashem Khan as bein Government, and as being, t subject, for employment un point, your Lordship will obse had been employed upwards pay from the Persian Govern arrival, the Sadr Azim had n to me of Mr. Thomson's havin nor had he ever requested me real or supposed service unde words which he acknowledged that he had formerly address the opinion of that individua Government, and of this Missi Shah's service, and a permissi On these grounds, I had, agree appointed him to the Agency at these arguments your Lordshi [1856-57. XLVII.]

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despatches, in which he plainly tells on his duty to Shiraz he will be seized the Persian Government; a step which my telling him so, must lead to the h Mission.

The next step in the transaction is the wife of the Meerza; a measure whi the rights enjoyed under Treaty by e also a violation of the civil and religio I heard of this outrage, I desired th obtaining from 2 or 3 of the princip decree, as to the law on his case respe or the attempt at forcible divorce, wi obtained, and it was fortunate that he not materially affect the diplomatic o beyond dispute, that the Persian Gove act of illegal violence; and to show t influenced, I may add that, if he ha fetwahs immediately, he would not ha other Moshtehids, to whom applica acknowledged that they could not giv they had received a prohibitory messa

Here, in this one incident, we Minister who insults a foreign friend] subject, and then tries to close the the country afford for justice or redre

My Lord, I felt that I should disg and the country which I serve, if affront offered to our flag; so I ha Meerza being liberated and restored the Persian Government until Mon inform me of their decision, under t despatch to the Sadr, Inclosure No. The Earl of Clarendon.

MEERZA HASHEM KHAN having Her Majesty's Government to resid Mission, I have the honour to state, that he has been furnished with his will start for his post in the course H.E. The Sadr Azim.

High P

tehes, in which he plainly tells me that if I send the Meert s duty to Shiraz he will be seized and imprisoned by order Persian Government; a step which the Sadr well knew, with elling him so, must lead to the hauling down the flag of this

on.

he next step in the transaction is the seizing and imprisoning ife of the Meerza; a measure which was not only a violation ights enjoyed under Treaty by employés of the Mission, but violation of the civil and religious law of Persia. As soon rd of this outrage, I desired the Meerza to lose no time ing from 2 or 3 of the principal Moshtehids,* a fetwah , as to the law on his case respecting the detention of his ri attempt at forcible divorce, without his consent. These b ed, and it was fortunate that he did so, as, although they coul aterially affect the diplomatic question at issue, they prove I dispute, that the Persian Government had been guilty of illegal violence; and to show the animus by which they were zed, I may add that, if he had not applied, and got these immediately, he would not have got them at all, for 2 or Ioshtehids, to whom application was subsequently m edged that they could not give any fetwah on the subject, d received a prohibitory message from the Sadr. e, in this one incident, we have an instance of a Prin who insults a foreign friendly Mission, oppresses and then tries to close the only avenue which the laws try afford for justice or redress.

a

Persis

ord, I felt that I should disgrace the position which I ho

country which I serve, if I had submitted to this gr ffered to our flag; so I have insisted on the wife of the eing liberated and restored to her husband. I have give an Government until Monday next, the 19th instant, of their decision, under the alternative conveyed in

to the Sadr, Inclosure No. 11. of Clarendon.

CH. A. MURRAY

(Inclosure 1.)—Mr. Murray to the Sadr Azim. November 4, 185

A HASHEM KHAN having been nominated to Shiraz

-ty's Government to reside in that city as Agent for the have the honour to state, for your Highness's informati = been furnished with his commission and passport, or his post in the course of a few days. Sadr Azim.

* High Priests.

CH. A. MURRAT

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GREAT

(Inclosure 2.)

(Translation.)
I HAVE received you

as the matter it contai
internal administration
institutions and custom
and strange moreover, I
reply to it; I therefore lo
the Shah, who was please
substance of which, word

I now insert in this letter Meerza Hasham Kha ment, and his name is enr and he cannot enter the se established law of this cou

It is certain that if he has to do such a thing, the inte into confusion, and it will

Of course his Excellen aware of this; otherwise, in face of the friendly relation commit an act which is irre institutions. If, after bein should persist in this course, the dignity of this country, for upholding its dignity and consequences arising from th the initiative in an affair of t

As a reply to your letter to merely copying the Shah's C. A. Murray, Esq.

(Inclosure 3.)--M

I HAVE received your Hi yesterday's date; and I obser Highness has made an objectio to take a part in the official Highness and myself. Up to others, a due respect for Royal matic correspondence takes p Power and the Vizier of anot Sovereigns to take any part in on this occasion, by drawing a hitherto veiled the person of the

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to come forth on the arena of discu committed an act which tends to lower it is a course which, out of respect regard for the established customs of di follow.

With reference to the case of M appointed British Vakeel at Shiraz, I arguments which your Highness can ment, when you bring them forward in part of the Persian Government. H.E. The Sadr Azim.

I HAVE received your Excellency expressed surprise that I had commu Shah, my royal master, the contents have frequently informed you, both in all matters of business, especially in Foreign Department, I am charged to to the Shah; and the practice exist resembles the usages prevalent in Eur which His Majesty pays to the admi rogatory to his Royal dignity; nor is t which I practise unsuitable to the pos What indeed causes surprise is, that y official letter, write that, by the orde ment, Meerza Hashem Khan, who is i has been appointed Agent to the Mi should expect me to consent to such without the knowledge of His Majes right of the Mission to have an A granted in the Treaty,

In short, with regard to Meerza H as I before stated; I again repeat Meerza Khan should start for any pla against the inclination of the Shah, b be prevented; and any disagreeable from such a proceeding will rest with irregularity by taking the initiative in right.

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