Horace Maynard to the Right Hon. Sir Henry Elliot , Her British Majesty’s, January 25, 1876

Mr. Maynard to Sir Henry Elliot.

Sir: The case of the Rabbi Sneersohn has been brought again to my attention by his arrival in this city. The following appear to be the facts:

• He is an American citizen. Of this there is indubitable proof. He also bears credentials, recognized by me as genuine, from persons well known by me and highly respectable and influential.
• About one year ago, in Tiberias, he was set upon by lawless persons, robbed of a considerable amount, and subjected to great bodily ill-usage.
• He applied for redress to Her British Majesty’s consul at Beirut, who, after investigation, did not deem it his duty to interfere, but gave him and the United States consul to understand that the offenders were not British protegés, and would not be protected by the British Government. Possibly he may have been misunderstood.
• He then, with the assistance of the United States consul, proceeded against the offenders before the Ottoman local tribunal, by which several arrests were made; but, pending investigation, the prisoners were rescued by their friends, and the authorities set at defiance.
• Appeal was then made, on behalf of the rescued parties, to Her British Majesty’s consul at Beirut, and the matter referred to the British embassy in Constantinople, complaining that the United States consul had been guilty of gross, perhaps wanton, misconduct toward British protegés.
• This led to a correspondence between your excellency and the United States legation, but has reached no definite results, and which, inasmuch as the consul whose action was drawn in question has been superseded by his own government, and no principle especially involved, ceases to be important.
• Meanwhile the aggrieved party remains without redress.

Now, in view of the foregoing, and for the attainment of justice due to all alike, I would suggest that such instructions be given to Her British Majesty’s consul at Beirut as to secure to Mr. Sneersohn adequate redress, by his own official action, if he shall find the wrong-doers to be persons under British protection, or, if not, by leaving them to the action of the Ottoman tribunals. If they are British protegés, let them be dealt with by British law; if Ottoman subjects, by Ottoman law. They should not escape British justice as Turkish subjects, and Turkish justice under British protection.

I embrace the occasion to express, &c.