Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part III

Mr. Pruyn to Mr. Seward

No. 45.]

Legation of the United States in Japan, Kanagawa, July 2, 1864.

Sir: I have now the honor to inform you that I have accepted of the Japanese government the sum of $1,000 in full of the indemnity I demanded for George Horton, and enclose copies of my letter to the consul at Kanagawa and of his reply, enclosures Nos. 1 and 2, which will show the disposition made of it. The Japanese government would have taken Horton back to the Bonin islands rather than pay the sum of $2,000, which I demanded, and as he was unwilling to go back, and he being 84 years of age, the sum will probably be sufficient to supply his wants as long as he is likely to live. I thought it best to accept the compromise proposed.

I would remark in this connexion that the Japanese colony has been withdrawn from the islands, as stated by governors for foreign affairs, though I have had no official notification of their abandonment.

When the demand for indemnity for the firing of the legation was presented, I was first met by the declaration that I had immediately after the fire declared my belief that it was entirely accidental.

Such was the construction they affected to put on my remark, that I desired, for my sake and for the sake of my government and of their government, to believe such to be the fact. As this conversation was held in advance of any investigation, the government knows it was simply impossible I would so commit myself.

In two subsequent interviews, what purported to be a Japanese version of a portion of my letter was produced, which represented me as saying that the President was satisfied the Japanese government had caused the legation to be destroyed. This was the construction they pretended to put upon that portion of my letter in which I quote your language. I refer to this that you may understand what I had in view when I addressed to the ministers for foreign affairs my letter of the 24th May last, (54,) copy of which I now enclose, No. 3, and which I wrote after I found they persisted in such construction, notwithstanding my verbal denial that there was any language used which would justify it. I also enclose, No. 4, copy of the answer of the ministers for foreign affairs, and, No. 5, copy of my reply, and also No. 6, copy of a letter which I transmitted after the receipt of your No. 63, of the 18th March last.

A few days after, two assistant ministers for foreign affairs waited upon my colleagues and myself on business connected with our note identique. At the close of the conference with myself several governors for foreign affairs remained in the room, and stated they had been ordered by the vice-ministers to make a communication to me. They proceeded to say that the government had been surprised at my letter of the 11th June, (enclosure No. 5, above mentioned.) I said I had reason to be surprised at their summary rejection of my proposal for further friendly efforts to arrive at a settlement. To this they replied that the letter to me had assented to such conference, and that they had been appointed to meet me for that purpose. I told them I was glad to hear this, though the letter of the ministers was precisely the reverse of what they stated it to be. They said there must be some error in the translation; and though I offered to send for the letter to show its true character, they said it was unnecessary, as they had a copy at Yedo.

The hour of 10 p. m. having arrived, I said it was too late to enter upon the subject then, and that I was willing to meet them next day. They replied that they would report to the Gorogio what I had said, and see me on some subsequent day.

There is a manifest desire on the part of the government to delay as long as possible any settlement. I have determined to proceed to Yedo to defeat such design, and will in another communication make known the result. The proposition has thrown the government into a state of excitement and even of consternation, particularly as I propose to land a guard from the Jamestown, in view of their official declaration that they cannot guarantee my safety.

I hope soon to bring the government to terms.

I now enclose papers upon which the claims for indemnity to citizens of the United States at this place are founded, as follows: Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. I have long since made known their substance to you, but have thought it well to place copies of these papers on file in the department.

The claims presented are unanswerably just. The Japanese government have failed to give a satisfactory answer and to exonerate itself from blame. The letter of the ministers, the attitude of the government, and the events of the past year, combine to make it still more impossible for them to do so.

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, Washington.

No. 1.

Legation of the United States in Japan, Kanagawa, June 6, 1864.

Sir: You will please receive of the Japanese government the sum of one thousand Mexican dollars, paid on my demand, as an indemnity for George Horton, an aged seaman of the United States.

As he is more than 84 years of age, I suppose that in all human probability the above sum, carefully husbanded, may suffice for his future support, without making him a burden on the United States government.

You will, therefore, place the same safely at interest, so as to produce at least 12 per cent. per annum, and appropriate the interest and so much of the principal as from time to time may be necessary for his support. I shall advise Horton that he will be allowed, by will or other instrument in writing, to indicate the disposition of any balance which may remain at the time of his death, after paying the expenses of his funeral.

I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

ROBERT H. PRUYN, Minister Resident in Japan.

Col. George S. Fisher, United States Consul, Yokohama

No. 2.

Consulate of the United States of America, Kanagawa, June 11, 1864.

Sir: Your communication, No. 64, is received, also the sum of one thousand ($1,000) dollars from the Japanese government for the George Horton indemnification, which will be loaned by me at 12 per centum per annum, less the advances made by me for the last six months.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE S. FISHER, United States Consul.

His Excellency Robert H. Pruyn, U. S. Minister Resident in Japan.