5 [2] 



to express the hope that the generous purpose of the Sultati, In magnani- 

 mously sheltering these fugitives against their pursuers, may find full ac- 

 complishment in their restoration to entire freedom, and that the United 

 States may he permitted to share in the glory, which the salvation of these 

 distinguished patriots, will confer upon all who shall have contributed to 

 etfectan object so important to the common interests of humanity. 



"The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to olfcr to his Excel- 

 lency the Minister of Foriegn Alfairs, the assurance of his most distin- 

 guished consideration." 



I am aware that my instructions of Jr.nuary 12, IS-IO, do not in terms. 

 direct mo to make an oiler of the services of a public ship Ibr the convey- 

 ance of the Hungarian refugees to America, but as the Jamestown is un- 

 derstood to he about to return to the United States, and as Ca})tain Long 

 was of opinion that the Mississippi might be detained hei-e a few days 

 without inconvenience to the service, for the purpose of transporling them 

 to Genoa, I thought the offer fully authorized by the letter as well as the 

 spirit of those instructions. 



The Minister of Foreign Affairs promises a reply to my note on Satur- 

 day next ; but as the Marseilles steamer, by which I transnut this des- 

 patch, sails on Friday, I shall not he able to comnumicate his answer until 

 the mail of the 19th instant. I have no doubt that the Porte is sincerel} 

 desirous of acceding to the President's wishes, l)ut I fear the influence ot 

 Russia and Austria upon this qvrestion is too strong to be overcome. The 

 Sultan has unfortunately emharrassed himself hy offering to detain the 

 refugees in the interior for a year; and though this proposal was rejected 

 l)y Austria, which insisted on a much longer term of interncment, it is 

 helieved that the Sultan feels himself not entirely released from liis ob- 

 ligations. At present Kossuth, Eatthiany, -and about thirty other Hun- 

 garians, are under restraint at Broussa, and if our proposal is declined, 

 they will probably be removed to Kutaya, eighty miles further inland. 



The refugees have — h)it, as I helieve, without any good reason — liecome 

 jealous and distrustful of the Porte, and complained much of the treatment 

 they receive at the hands of the officers to whose custody they are com- 

 mitted. I can readily imagine that they may not always have been treated 

 with due consideration; but it must be remend)ered that the maintenanc(! 

 of so large a number of foreigners, (originally more than four thousaitd, 

 and now about twelve hundred,) is a heavy charge upon the Turkish 

 government, and that in a country so destitute as Turkey of most of the 

 conveniences and comforts which habit has miule necessary to Europeans 

 it is absolutely impracticable to provide them with the means of ease and 

 enjoyment to which they had been before accustomed. 



I am fully persuaded that the Sultan, and the great officers of his couit, 

 liavc been throughout actuated by the most generous and philanthrof ic 

 motives, and that the refugees have been treated wuth every practicable 

 indulgence that the well-grounded fears which the Turks entertain of 

 Austrian resentment would allow. * * * * * 



I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servr.nt, 



GEORGE P, MARSH, 



Hon. Joiix M. Claytox, 



Secretary of State. 



