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city. They are further alarmed, no doubt, by the sinister current reports of an intended and general popular outbreak against the Jews throughout the province. The Roumanian elements of Moldavians and Wallachs are very numerous in this city, and their inimical feelings toward the Jews are quite as rancorous and bitter as those of the lower-class Russians.

RECOGNITION BY RUSSIAN LAW OF JEWISH DIVORCES GRANTED BY JEWISH RABBIS.

No. 56.]

Mr. Hay to Mr. McCormick.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 22, 1903.

SIR: To enable the Department to answer several inquiries it has received I shall be pleased if you will ascertain whether Jewish divorces granted by Jewish rabbis are recognized by Russian law. If such a law is in force a translation of its text is desired.

I am, etc.,

No. 62.]

Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay.

JOHN HAY.

AMERICAN EMBASSY,
St. Petersburg, November 10, 1903.

SIR: With reference to the Department's No. 56, of October 22, 1903, I have the honor to inclose herewith translations from the Russian code pertaining to the recognition by Russian law of Jewish divorces granted by Jewish rabbis, which were made for me by Mr. Berline, an attorney in good standing and by birth himself a Hebrew. In addition to the memorandum sent to me by Mr. Berline, the translation of which is inclosed, he writes that the Russian law recognizes all certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, and death issued by Jewish rabbis, as well as all certificates given by ministers of the Jewish faith abroad to Russian Jewish subjects.

I have, etc.,

ROBERT S. MCCORMICK.

[Inclosure. Translation.]

Extracts of law furnished by Mr. Berline, of the St. Petersburg bar.

The principal sections of the Russian law which relate to the marriage, divorce, and separation of non-Christians are as follows:

Article 20 of the Civil Code (Chap. III) official edit. 1887.—Each race and each people, including heathen, are allowed to contract marriage according to the stipulations of their law or in conformity with the customs established, etc., without any participation, whatsoever, of the civil authorities or of the Christian ecclesiastic authorities. Article 103 (Chapter IV).-Husband and wife must live together, consequently: 1. All acts tending to an arbitray separation of the couple are rigorously prohibited. 2. The wife must follow the husband upon emigration, entrance into service, and likewise upon any change of residence.

Article 1325 (Vol. XT) of the Regulations concerning the Jewish faith (official edition of 1896). The functions of rabbis consist (1° and 2° unnecessary), 3°, in exercising to the full extent the rite of circumcision, the giving of fore names to the newly born, in celebrating marriages and pronouncing divorces, attending funerals and keeping registers of the civil status of Israelites, presenting them to the proper authorities in conformity with the rules prescribed in the laws on social classes.

SERVIA.

COUP D'ÉTAT OF KING ALEXANDER, HIS ASSASSINATION, AND ACCESSION OF KING PETER TO THRONE OF SERVIA.

No. 4, Servian series.]

Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Athens, April 13, 1903. SIR: Referring to my dispatch No. 8, Roumanian series, of to-day's date, I have the honor to confirm herewith the text of the telegram sent you from Bucharest, on the 9th instant, as follows:

Belgrade visit deferred. Am returning Athens.

In view of the approach of the orthodox holy week, as well as of the recent political occurrences in Servia, I thought it advisable to inquire in advance as to my chances of being received by the King at an early date, and on April 8 I received a telegram from an official of the Servian foreign office advising me to defer my visit. I shall now probably not go to Belgrade before June or July. I have written informally to ask that proper explanation be made to the minister of foreign affairs and to the King himself, if thought desirable, so that there may be no misunderstanding connected with the delay in the presentation of my credentials. Just at present there is no minister of foreign affairs at Belgrade to whom I can write officially. As he had done on previous occasions, the King has recently executed a coup d'état, having declared the constitution of April 6-19, 1901, ineffective and dismissing, suspending, or pensioning many of the persons holding office thereunder, putting the same constitution into force again, and starting afresh with a lot of new appointments. Among the changes which have taken place is the retirement of the minister of foreign affairs, Mr. Lozanitch, and I have not yet been officially informed as to who is to succeed him.

I have, etc.,

No. 6, Servian series.]

Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.

JOHN B. JACKSON.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Athens, April 16, 1903.

SIR: Referring to my dispatch No. 4, Servian series, of the 13th instant, I have the honor to report that the legation has now been formally notified of the resignation of Mr. S. M. Lozanitch, and the appointment of Mr. P. Denitch as Servian minister of foreign affairs. Mr. Denitch has already held office and it is not probable that his appoint

ment will cause any change in Servian foreign policy. As indicated in the King's recent speeches-whatever may be the case at homeServia intends to remain a factor for peace and quiet in the Balkans, and will not engage in any adventurous enterprises. At home the coup d'état does not appear to have occasioned any great amount of excitement,

*

*

I have, etc.,

*

No. 7, Servian series.]

Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.

JOHN B. JACKSON.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Athens, May 12, 1903.

SIR: Referring to my dispatches Nos. 4 and 6, Servian series, of the 13th and 16th ultimo, respectively, I have the honor to append hereto a memorandum containing certain information of a historical character with regard to the latest Servian coup d'état, and to be, sir, etc.,

JOHN B. JACKSON.

[Inclosure.]

MEMORANDUM.

The Servian constitution now in force is that which was granted the country by King Alexander on April 6-19, 1901.

Under this constitution the influence of the radical party had gradually increased to such an extent that the King thought it was dangerous to the welfare of the country. For some time there were rumors to the effect that a new constitution was in contemplation and would probably be put into force on the anniversary of its predecessor. More or less excitement was caused by these reports, and in consequence the King determined to act at once.

On the afternoon of March 24-April 6 last a royal proclamation was issued to the Servian people, explaining the King's views of the situation, suspending the constitution referred to above, annuling the ukase of April 6, 1901, and all subsequent ukases relating to the election of senators, retiring all the members of the council of state, dissolving the Skupshtina (national chamber of deputies), annuling the election of all senators chosen for the period 1901-1906, annuling various laws relating to the liberty of the press, the election of deputies, etc., and putting into force certain laws which had previously been repealed.

The next morning a second proclamation was issued, putting the same constitution in force again, and directing the life senators to elaborate a provisional law for the election of senators and deputies, who should hold office, respectively, until September, 1909, and May, 1907.

The date for the elections has been fixed for the first part of June. It is considered probable that the Radical members of the Government (four ministers, I believe) will soon withdraw from the cabinet. J. B. J.

Servian series.]

Mr. Wilson to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Athens, June 11, 1903.

Consul Belgrade wires military revolution last night. King and Queen shot. Peter Karageorgevitch proclaimed King.

Mr. Wilson to Mr. Hay.

WILSON.

Servian series.]

decides Monday.

[Telegram.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Athens, June 11, 1903.

No new Servian King officially proclaimed. National Assembly

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No. 16, Servian series.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Athens, June 29, 1903.

SIR: As a matter of historical interest in connection with the recent Servian revolution, I have the honor to state that I received four official communications from the Servian ministry of foreign affairs during my sojourn in Belgrade.

The first of these communications was dated May 29-June 11, the morning after the assassination, and was signed by Mr. Kallevitch as minister of foreign affairs in the provisional government. It began by stating that certain differences which arose at court led to the intervention of the army and a conflict, in which King Alexander and Queen Draga lost their lives," and it continued by saying that in order

to maintain peace the representatives of the various political groups had hastened to organize a provisional government and to reestablish the constitutional situation which had existed until last March, under the constitution of April 6, 1901. A list of the provisional government followed, as well as a statement that the National Assembly had been called together to elect a new sovereign on the following Monday. The communication closed with a statment that, according to the reports received from the military and civil authorities, there had been no disturbances throughout the country, and that the Government was convinced that in pursuing the course adopted it would "assure the sympathies of all the European powers with the new state of affairs.” The second communication was dated June 2-15, and was also signed by Mr. Kallevitch. It contained a statement of the fact that the National Assembly had unanimously chosen Prince Peter A. Karageorgevitch to be King of Servia, and requested the legation to communicate this information in the proper quarter.

The third communication was dated June 7-20, and was not signed. It contained the information, communicated by the "royal ministry of foreign affairs," that King Peter I would arrive at Belgrade on Wednesday at 10 a. m.

The fourth communication was dated June 9-22, and it, too, was unsigned. In it the royal ministry of foreign affairs informed the legation that the president of the council of ministers had received a telegram from Geneva stating that the deputation from the National Assembly had been received by King Peter I, and that His Majesty had accepted the document informing him of his election and had declared his willingness to accept the election, "which makes him King of Servia."

During the interval between the election of the King and his acceptance the Servian Skupshtina had voted to put in force the constitution of 1888, with certain changes, making it even more liberal than it had been before, and prescribing an oath of allegiance for military officers to both the constitution and the sovereign, thereby creating a situation which I think is unique. *

I have, etc.,

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JOHN B. JACKSON.

No. 26, Servian series.]

Mr. Wilson to Mr. Hay.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Sinaia, October 7, 1903.

SIR: I have the honor to report that the elections in Servia passed off quietly and resulted in a victory for the Radicals, and, as anticipated, a new ministry has been formed under the presidency of Mr. Gronitch, the Servian minister at Constantinople. The rest of the cabinet is composed as follows:

Mr. Nicolitch, minister of foreign affairs; Mr. Protitch, minister of interior; Mr. Nikolitch, minister of justice; Mr. Stojanovitch, minister of public instruction; Mr. Radovanovitch, minister of finance; Mr. Todorovitch, minister of public works; Mr. Petkovitch, minister of commerce; Colonel Andrejevitch, minister of war.

Three of the above ministers were in the cabinet of King Alexander formed last October.

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