Francis to Baron Pasetti, March 7, 1885

Mr. Francis to Baron Pasetti.

Your Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the esteemed note of your excellency 5357/7, dated 5th instant, wherein I am informed that in reference to the arrest in Lippa, Hungary, on the 20th of February last, of an American citizen, Harry Rice, charged with owing military service to the imperial royal government, the royal Hungarian ministry for national defense has telegraphed to the military authorities at Lippa instructing them not to bring the said Harry Rice before the examining commission according to the summons served upon him with a view to placing him in the Imperial Royal army.

I have to thank the ministry of foreign affairs for its prompt intervention in this case to assure for a citizen of the United States the protection to which he is entitled under the guarantees of treaty.

As stated by me in personal interview with Count Szögyényi on the 27th of February last, and repeated in my conversation with your excellency yesterday (6th instant), the original of the naturalization certificate issued to the said Harry Rice was taken from him at the time of his arrest at Lippa; but he has furnished me a copy of the same, which I inclose herewith for the information of the ministry of foreign affairs.

From this certificate it will be seen that Harry Rice, a citizen of the United States, is clearly entitled to exemption under the treaty of 1820 from service in the imperial royal army, and I respectfully request that the bail-bond that has been required of him to appear for, such service be canceled, and that his name be stricken from the military rolls as owing the service named.

I have, &c.,