Mr. Pruyn to Mr.
Seward
No. 78.]
Legation of the United States in
Japan, Kanagawa,
Yokohama,
November 28, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith Nos.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, my correspondence with the ministers on the
subject of my return to Yedo, which I have been anxious to effect. While
my residence there would place me in more intimate relations with the
government, it would almost isolate me, and put me at great disadvantage
in my intercourse with my colleagues, with whom, at this juncture,
frequent conferences are desirable. I had determined, however, to return
until the receipt of the last letters of the Gorogio. Merchants at Yedo,
who might be supposed to have a small interest in my return to that
city, unite in representing it as the scene of great disorders and much
bloodshed.
While I think that the ministers were very anxious, on political grounds,
in view of the assemblage at Kioto and the conference with the Mikado,
to cause me to leave Yedo, and while recent events satisfy me more fully
that some of their partisans, at least, were privy to the destruction of
the legation buildings, I now believe that anxiety for my safety is the
real and principal, if not the only cause why the government prefer I
shall not return.
I should be pleased to have your views for my guidance, though I may have
decided on returning before they arrive.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient
servant,
ROBERT H. PRUYN, Minister Resident in
Japan.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Pruyn to the Gorogio
No. 98.]
Legation of the United States in
Japan, Kanagawa,
Yokohama,
August 20, 1863.
To the Gorogio:
I cannot refrain from expressing my surprise and regret that so many
important letters which I have addressed to your excellencies remain
unanswered.
[Page 461]
I shall visit Yedo next week for the purpose of holding an interview
with your excellencies, and wish you to fix the day when it will be
convenient to receive me, and to inform me of it immediately.
I am forced to insist on this, as the governors for foreign affairs,
who recently visited the French minister, failed to call on me, and thus deprived me of
an opportunity of communicating with your excellencies.
I am now daily expecting a vessel with furniture from Shanghai, and
as on its arrival I shall be prepared to resume my residence in
Yedo, I wish to be informed whether any place of residence is
prepared for me.
I have, at this place, so little opportunity of communicating with
the government, and your excellencies are so remiss in answering my
letters, as to make it my duty to hasten my return to Yedo.
With respect and esteem,
ROBERT H. PRUYN, Minister Resident of the
United States in Japan.
The Gorogio to Mr. Pruyn
We have to inform you that, since the destruction by fire of your
residence, we exerted ourselves to have it rebuilt, and a plan for
the same is now being prepared. The place, however, where you could
now reside temporarily has already been prepared.
With respect and esteem.
The
18th day of the 7th month of the 3d year of Bunkiu, (August
31, 1863.)
MATSUDARIA BOOD-ZEN-NO-KAMI.
MIDSUMO IDSUMI-NO-KAMI.
ITAKURA SUWO-NO-KAMI.
INOWUYE KAWATSI-NO-KAMI.
His Excellency Robert H. Pruyn, Minister Resident of the United States of
America, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Pruyn to the Gorogio
No. 108.]
Legation of the United States in
Japan, Kanagawa,
Yokohama,
September 29, 1863.
To the Gorogio:
As I left Yedo at the request of the government of his Majesty the
Tycoon, I think it proper to ask of your excellencies an assurance
that the dangers which alarmed the government have passed by, and
that the government is able to extend the requisite protection to
the legation.
I do not ask this because of any fear which I have, but because I
think such assurance is due to my government. As I informed the
President of the United States of the message you caused to be
delivered at the time I left Yedo, I wish to send to him your formal
declaration of the improved condition of that city.
I propose still to rely entirely on a guard to be furnished by the
government of his Majesty the Tycoon, and on receiving a letter from
your excellencies I shall be prepared, on the arrival of my
furniture, to resume my residence in Yedo.
With respect and esteem,
ROBERT H. PRUYN, Minister Resident of the
United States in Japan.
[Page 462]
The Gorogio to Mr. Pruyn
We fully understood what you stated in your letter, No. 108, of the
29th September.
You certainly will not doubt that officers will be sent (though you
did not ask it) to your legation for protection, and that we will
use our best efforts in this respect as far as lies in our
power.
Though in great anxiety, and constantly exerting ourselves for the
prevention of accidents, no opportunity has yet presented itself for
the suppression of the unsettled state of affairs, which gives us
much uneasiness; hence it is impossible to give you the assurance
you desire.
We request you, therefore, to postpone for some time longer your
return to this city, and to remain in Yokohama for the present,
which we have to state in reply.
With respect and esteem.
The
1st day of the 9th month of the 3d year of Bunkiu, (October
13, 1863.)
MATSUDARIA BOOD-ZEN-NO-KAMI.
MIDSUMO IDSUMI-NO-KAMI.
ITAKURA SUWO-NO-KAMI.
INOWUYE KAWATSI-NO-KAMI.
ARIMA TOTOMI-NO-KAMI.
His Excellency Robert H. Pruyn, Minister Resident of the United States of
America, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Pruyn to the Gorogio
No. 110.]
Legation of the United States in
Japan, Kanagawa,
Yokohama,
October 15, 1863.
To the Gorogio:
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellencies’
letter, requesting me to delay my return to Yedo. I have never had
any doubt that you were prepared to furnish all needful guard for
the protection of the legation, and I am exceedingly anxious to
resume my residence there.
Considerations of public duty influence my mind, and to these are
superadded those of personal convenience. When I left Yedo I was
unable to secure a residence here, and when I found one that would
answer I was unable to obtain any furniture. Now that my furniture
is on its way from Shanghai, and daily expected, I cannot hire a
dwelling. The only suitable one I can get will not be ready for me
till February. I will, therefore, thank your excellencies to send a
governor for foreign affairs to this place, so that I may obtain
such needful information as may enable me to decide what is the
proper course for me to pursue; and I desire that he may be fully
informed, also, of your wishes and intentions as to the conclusion
of the treaty, which are not sufficiently disclosed in the letter I
received this day.
If he is at the same time authorized to close all open questions now
pending, it may serve to render an interview with your excellencies
unnecessary.
With respect and esteem,
ROBERT H. PRUYN, Minister Resident of the
United States in Japan.
[Page 463]
The Gorogio to Mr. Pruyn
Ogasawara Setto-no-kami having recently held an interview with your
excellency upon various matters, under our instructions, you spoke
to him on that occasion about your return to that city, which he
communicated to us, and which we fully understood. Many persons
congregate in this city, and there are many rough and bad ones
amongst them. We believe that you did already take into due
consideration that we are in great anxiety on this subject; and
recently an accident took place in the vicinity of Yokohama. Taking
all things together, we prefer that you should not reside in this
city at present, and, greatly to our regret, we have to request you
to remain some time longer at Yokohama, and to await our further
considerations on the subject.
With respect and esteem.
The
11th day of the 9th month of the 3d year of Bunkiu, (October
23, 1863.)
MIDSUMO IDSUMI-NO-KAMI.
ITAKURA SUWO-NO-KAMI.
INOWUYE KAWATSI-NO-KAMI.
ARIMA TOTOMI-NO-KAMI.
His Excellency Robert H. Pruyn, Minister Resident of the United States of
America, &c., &c., &c.
