Augustus Adee to Mr. Hearts, July 18, 1877

No. 298. Mr. Adee to Mr. Hearts.

Sir: Referring to my No. 585, of the 22d ultimo, in relation to the endeavor of the Rev. Mr. Cifré to introduce a consignment of Bibles into Spain through the Barcelona custom-house, I have now the honor to forward herewith copies of additional correspondence exchanged with Consul Scheuch on the same subject.

It appearing that my letter of the 22d ultimo to Mr. Scheuch still left uncertainty in his mind, as well as in M. Cifré’s, as to the nature and purpose of the requisite “certificate of origin,” I deemed it best to consult the chief of the copyright bureau of the ministry of fomento, with a view to obtaining more precise information than I already possessed with respect to that document. I was politely shown the usual documentation in the case of importations of books from France and other European countries, while the modus operandi for the introduction of foreign printed matter into Spain was explained in detail.

The substance of the information I obtained will be found in my letter of yesterday’s date to Consul Scheuch.

It has seemed to me thoroughly inexpedient to take any original action in favor of the irregular admission of these books without positive instructions from you. The mere circumstance that the volumes in question are Bibles does not seem to me to be of itself sufficient to warrant diplomatic application for their introduction into Spain without compliance with Spanish law; in fact, the undesirableness of bringing a religious issue into a question of custom-house rules is, I think, evident without argument. It is not a point of liberty of worship which is involved, but one of the formalities for the importation of merchandise under the laws of Spain. The legation itself is obliged to conform to certain prescribed requirements when it is desired to introduce private or official effects under a recognized franchise, although not seldom at the cost of time and trouble, and it is not easy to see why private individuals should not be in like manner constrained to follow the regulations in force, however inconvenient they may chance to be, so long as they have precise application to the case in hand.

I have, &c.,