Ali to William H. Morris, April 2, 1865

[Translation.]

Sir: The Sublime Porte has just been informed that certain foreign missionaries are seeking to assemble the members of the American Protestant community with the view of causing a change of the civil organ of this community.

I need not remark to you, sir, that the interference of foreign priests in the affairs of a community exclusively composed of subjects of his Majesty the Sultan cannot be allowed by the Sublime Porte, and the object, purely civil or temporal, in question, can only be settled by the sole intervention of the authority of the country. Consequently I have to beg you, sir, to be so good as to recommend to the American Protestant missionaries to refrain from meddling with this question.

Accept, sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.