[140] Lepsius, “Armenia and Europe,” published in Berlin, 1896. I quote from The New Armenia, reprinted June 15, 1916.
XV
THE MASSACRE OF 1895-6
“We must beg the reader of the following statements to remember that the Armenian massacres, in which 100,000 innocent people have perished, were directed against a peaceful and defenceless nation.—J. Lepsius.”
While the investigating commission was carrying on its work in the usual Turkish fashion, the British, French, and Russian governments drew out a scheme of reforms for Armenia and submitted it to the Porte through their ambassadors at Constantinople on May 11, 1895.
According to the press despatches the brief outline of this scheme contained the following points:
1. The appointment of a High Commissioner who is to be a Christian.
2. The governors and vice-governors of Van, Erzroum, Sivas, Bitlis, Kharput, and Trebizond be Christians or Mohammedans according to the inclination of the population; but either the governor or the vice-governor to be a Christian, and the appointments are to be confirmed by the Powers.
3. General amnesty for, and release of, all political prisoners.
4. The appointment of a Commission to sit at Constantinople, charged with the application of the reforms and working in concert with the High Commissioner.
5. Complete changes will be made in judicial system—tortures will be abolished.