No. 283.

Mr. De Long to Mr. Fish.

No. 10.]

Sir: I transmit herewith (inclosure No. 1) translation of a letter received from the Japanese minister for foreign affairs, on the 3d instant, in reply to one from the legation on the 18th of May last, communicating the result of an investigation into the treatment of native Christians on the Soto Islands.

On the 10th instant I received another letter from the Japanese minister, announcing that the native Christians remaining at Urakami, near Nagasaki, would be placed under sentence of labor, in charge of several daimios, and deported accordingly. (Translation herewith, inclosure No. 2.) On the same day, I received from our consul at Nagasaki (inclosure No. 3.) copy of a joint protest of the consuls of the treaty powers at that port against the contemplated banishment or deportation of seven hundred of those native Christians to parts unknown.

I at once addressed a letter on this important subject to the Japanese minister for foreign affairs, copy of which I herewith transmit, (inclosure No. 4,) urging a reconsideration of the measure, and calling their attention to the disastrous influence which persecution of Christians would not fail to exercise on their relations with the United States and other treaty powers.

I also transmit (inclosures Nos. 5 and 6) copies of the letters addressed to the Japanese minister for foreign affairs on this subject by the ministers of France and Great Britain respectively; the latter dated from Hiogo.

The British minister having since returned to this port, a conference was at once held, at which it was unanimously determined to address a joint note to the government of the Tenno, asking for an interview with all the heads of departments on the subject at Yeddo. I transmit (in closure No. 7) copy of that joint note.

I have this day received (translation herewith, inclosure No. 8) a letter from the Japanese minister in reply to mine of the 11th instant, stating their reasons for the instructions issued by the Tenno for the deportation of those unfortunate Christians, but holding out no promise of amendment of their fate.

It is to be hoped that an interview with all the principal members of the government may be had at an early day, and in time for transmission of the result by this mail.

C. E. DE LONG.

[Untitled]

In reply to the letter received in the 5th month of last year, we now beg to inform your excellency that we duly inquired into the alleged ill treatment of Christians, from the officers in charge of the Soto Islands; and, as their statement did not appear to us sufficiently explicit, we directed some officers from Nagasaki to visit those islands and investigate the matter on the spot.

Altogether, there were more than one thousand persons on those islands who professed Christianity. Out of those, three hundred and thirty-five were reconverted to their own country’s religion, after having been gradually advised and disciplined. Five hundred and ninety-three were kept in prison, where they continued to receive advice, and one hundred and forty of those persons escaped from their prison.

It having been reported that some of those had formed a conspiracy to rise against authority, they were caught and tried, and those who did not confess were coerced in [Page 456] the usual way, in order to extort confession from them; but they have not been struck with iron rods, nor has fire been put into their mouths, as mentioned in your letter. Moreover, the prison, so-called, was simply a dwelling-house arranged in such a way that the persons kept in it could not go out during the night. During the daytime they were permitted to work on their farms. Of this large number some have died from natural causes, but not from any cruel treatment administered. Those persons received a much gentler treatment than usually accorded to criminals under the laws; and since special orders were issued during the last (sixth) month relative to Christianity, ill treatment of native Christians has been forbidden, and we believe, therefore, that the cruelties reported to have been practiced are simply the result of rumors without foundation. These rumors, however, having again been heard, we have sent other officers to those islands, under instructions to make a still fuller investigation.

In the mean time we address you the foregoing for your information in reply.

Sawa Jusaunei Kiyowara Nobu Yoski, And Teraschima Jüskii Fiyiwara Munenori, Ministers for Foreign Affairs.

[Untitled]

We have the honor to inform you that the native Christians in Urakami, near Nagasaki, were last year distributed among several princes, under sentence of labor. After inquiring, it appeared that several had remained, but, owing to the disturbances at the time, we were unable then to dispose of them.

Tranquillity now having been restored, we intend to deliver those who remained to the several princes, to be under their control, and to perform the same labor as their own people; our reasons for this measure being, that if those Christians remain undisturbed, from the unfriendly feelings of which they are the objects, difficulties will inevitably arise between them and their neighbors, and in this manner it will become troublesome to govern those country-people.

In conclusion, we beg to state that, all rumors that may be circulated notwithstanding, those people will not be subject to any severe labor.

With respect and consideration,

Sawa Jusaunei Kiyowara Nobu Yoski, And Teraschima Jüskii Fiyiwara Munenori, Ministers for Foreign Affairs.

[Untitled]

Sir: We, the undersigned, consuls of the treaty powers, resident at Nagasaki, have the honor to address you on the subject of the native Christians living at Urakami.

It has been reported to us that seven hundred of these Christians are on the point of being compelled to embark on board of two steamers and banished to a distant part of Japan, thereby separating them from their homes and families, and from no other motive than because they are Christians. We do not address to you this letter with any wish to interfere with the jurisdiction which you possess over your people, but simply, in the name of humanity, to beg you not to adopt any measures of persecution toward the people at Urakami for the sole reason that they are Christians, for we can assure you that such inhuman measures will be regarded with indignation by the civilized world.

With compliments,

ALL THE CONSULS.

[Untitled]

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellencies’ letter of the 30th of the 11th month, and of the 6th of this your 12th month, (7th January,) the latter on yesterday, both relating to the treatment of native Christians in Japan.

In this connection I beg to tender you late intelligence from Nagasaki by inclosing copy of a joint letter dated on Sunday, the 2d instant, addressed by the consuls of the treaty powers to the governor of that port. According to two days’ later intelligence, (namely, the 4th instant,) her Britannic Majesty’s minister then at Nagasaki requested the governor to delay for fifteen days the deportation of not less than the seven hundred of those unfortunate people, (referred to in in closure,) but in reply was informed by the governor that his orders were peremptory, and that he had no alternative but to send them in steamers to distant parts of Japan.

[Page 457]

I cannot find terms sufficiently expressive of my profound regret at this occurrence, and can only believe that you are imperfectly aware of the disastrous influence which this measure, if carried out, will not fail to exercise on the relation between Japan and all the treaty powers.

From the introduction of foreign science and of useful improvements for the benefit of the people, modern civilization is now deeply interested in witnessing the effects of Japan under the government of his Majesty the Tenno, to take rank among the foremost powers of the world, and painful will be the impression abroad, and subversive of all feeling of good-will now being created, when it becomes known that Japanese are being punished by deportation or banishment, or in any manner whatever, for professing or pretending to profess religious opinions, in no respect interfering with the duties as citizens or subjects.

The absolute freedom in all matters of religious belief has been and is still a leading element of the ever-increasing power and prosperity of the United States, and nations may be said to prosper in proportion as their governments abstain from interference in matters of conscience.

There can be no friendship without respect: and if the government of Japan now forfeits the latter by inconsiderate steps, its relations with other powers will be considered unsound and untrustworthy. The punishment or coercion of Japanese for religious belief will be deemed to furnish the measure of Japanese civilization, and will be so regarded by all the nations in treaty with Japan.

The loss of respect, I need not point out to your excellencies, will necessarily involve a loss of confidence. It will turn the friendship that now exists into suspicion of the ulterior designs of your government, and may, in the opinion of foreign governments, suggest the expediency of being prepared to guard against contingencies in future dealings with Japan.

While thus submitting in general terms the effects which any ill-considered action of your government in this important matter will produce, I may be permitted to express the hope that the Japanese government will take it into reconsideration, and thus enable my colleagues and myself to officially contradict the impressions which the knowledge of the contemplated treatment of native Christians, as thus far announced, will not fail to create.

With respect and esteem.

C. E. DE LONG, Minister Resident of the United States in Japan.

Their Excellencies Sawa Jusaunei Kiyowara Nobu Yoski, And Teraschima Jüskii Fiyiwara Munenori, Ministers for Foreign Affairs.

[Untitled]

On arriving at Nagasaki on the 3d instant, the undersigned learned with deep concern that the local government had issued orders for the immediate removal of nearly the whole of the male population of the village of Urakami, amounting to about seven hundred men, for the sole reason that they continue, as they have done for along time past, to make professions of the Christian faith. These orders had been issued in the most sudden and peremptory manner; the first notice was given on the evening of the 1st instant, when the men in question were summoned to appear in the government office at Nagasaki, on the following day, in order to be put aboard two steamers, then waiting to receive them, and to convey them away from their homes and families to the places selected for their exile.

They had committed no offense, but, on the contrary, had industriously followed their agricultural pursuits; and only twenty days before the issue of the above order they had paid in the taxes due on the harvest which they had just husbanded. On hearing that they were to be torn from their homes, many of these poor people fled in dismay to the adjoining hills, while about one hundred and fifty presented themselves at the government office. Thus their families were suddenly deprived of means of support, and a peaceful village was converted into a scene of general distress.

Immediately on receiving this painful intelligence, the undersigned sought an interview with the chikongi of Nagasaki, Nomura Gio, who visited him on the afternoon of the 3d instant, accompanied by Watanabe Daichie, of the censorate. The undersigned regretted to find that these officers confirmed the correctness of the above statement.

They were acting, they said, upon orders received from Yeddo, and Watanabe had been specially sent from the capital to see to the execution of these orders, which were to the effect that the remainder of the Christians within the jurisdiction of Nagasaki, numbering, according to their estimate, between one and two thousand souls, were all to be sent into exile.

The undersigned explained with much earnestness to these officers the assurance [Page 458] which he and the ministers of the treaty powers had received on the subject a year ago from the government of his Majesty the Tenno, and pointed out that the steps they were now taking were wholly opposed to those assurances. The Tenno’s government had promised the foreign representatives, in a letter written in January last, that their treatment of the native Christians would be marked by the progressive spirit of the age; that they were sensible that it would be an offense to all those Christian nations with whom Japan wished to cultivate friendly relations to prosecute Japanese subjects simply because they professed the religion of those nations, and that the government of the Tenno had determined to maintain no longer the old severe laws against Christianity, but would adopt in place of them a mild and lenient course of action. Although the undersigned was not called on to discuss with local officers a subject which had already been so fully considered with the Japanese government, he did not fail to point out to them that the persecution of native Christians would bring discredit upon their country, and might gravely prejudice the relations of Japan with foreign states, as the latter could scarcely fail to regard such proceedings as unfriendly to themselves.

Nomura Goi and Watanabe retired to consider the remonstrances of the undersigned but on visiting him again on the morning of the 4th they informed him that no other course was open to them but to carry out their orders.

The undersigned repeated his conviction that their action must be founded upon some misconception of the orders of the supreme government. He, therefore, urged that further proceedings should be delayed, and that Watanabe should accompany the undersigned to Yeddo, to confer with the supreme government, but, unfortunately, Nomura Goi and Watanabe declined to entertain this proposal.

It only remains, therefore, for the undersigned to forward this protest against the proceedings of these officers to their excellencies the Japanese ministers for foreign affairs, in order that it may be laid without delay before the government of his Majesty the Tenno. He expects to return to Yokohama in a few days, and he will then join his colleagues, the representatives of the other treaty powers, in such further steps as they and he may think it advisable to adopt. But in the mean time he trusts that the Tenno’s government will at once see the necessity of disavowing and putting a stop to the proceeding of the Nagasaki officers. He abstains from offering comment upon the dangerous consequences which a revival of the persecution of native Christians is calculated to occasion, until he is informed whether the Japanese government is really responsible for so ill-advised a measure. He cannot suppose it possible that after treating this important question with such commendable moderation during the past year, the government of his Majesty the Tenno should have suddenly entered on a contrary course, opposed alike to the assurances they had given to the foreign representatives and to the spirit of enlightenment and of progress by which they have declared themselves to be guided. By such a course Japan could not fail to forfeit the good opinion of all western states, and to throw doubt upon the earnestness of her professed desire to cultivate friendly relations with those states.

Their excellencies cannot suppose that the undersigned, in presenting this remonstrance to the government of the Tenno, seeks for a moment to interfere in the internal affairs of Japan; but the unfortunate proceedings of the Nagasaki officers above detailed justify him in pointing out to his Majesty’s government that they should be prepared, as he trusts is the case, to abstain from acts by which the feelings of all the treaty powers wall be outraged, if they really seek to maintain with those powers the cordial understanding which the undersigned hoped had been established.

The undersigned avails, &c.

HARRY S. PARKES, Her Britannic Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary, Minister Plenipotentiary.

Their Excellencies the Foreign Ministers, Sawa Jusaunei Kiyowara Nobu Yoski, And Teraschima Jüskii Fiyiwara Munenori.

[Untitled]

The minister of France to their excellencies the ministers for foreign affairs of the Mikado:

I received the letter in which your excellencies inform me that the government has decided to remove the Christians of Urakami from their homes, for the purpose of distributing them among various daimios, under sentence of labor. According to the statement of your excellencies, the arbitrary measure is in final execution of the one carried out last year, the motive being to prevent quarrels between those Christians and their neighbors interfering with the established authority.

On the other hand, I learned from the intelligence received by me from Nagasaki, that in compliance with instructions sent from Yeddo since the 1st instant, the local authorities had already taken steps to deport seven hundred of those unfortunate Christians, and that all efforts to procure a delay had failed.

I intend to join my colleagues in examining a situation which, to me, appears serious [Page 459] in every respect, but as several of them are absent from Yokohama I hasten to earnestly protest against a cruel and unjust measure against innocent people, whose only offense is the profession of the Christian religion.

I shall not inquire to-day in how far the quarrels among the people of Urakami, alleged as motive for their deportation, are justified by facts; but I am enabled to state that no mention of any such cause is made in his report by the vice-consul of France, who, on the contrary, states that those Christians have invariably conducted themselves as obedient subjects.

In conclusion, I must state that the course now adopted by the Mikado is in direct opposition with declaration made to us in the beginning of last year by the minister for foreign affairs.

I have, &c.,

MAXIME OUTREY.

[Untitled]

Sir: The undersigned have already addressed to their excellencies separate communications protesting against the course which the government of his Majesty the Tenno are adopting toward the native Christians of Urakami.

Before proceeding to report to their respective governments the determination conveyed to them in their excellencies’ dispatch of the 7th instant, which, if unfortunately persisted in, will be received, they are convinced, by their respective governments with deep regret, the undersigned think it wise to request a conference with the general government, in order that they may urge on the earnest attention of the latter the views which are likely to be taken by all the treaty powers of the fresh persecution of native Christians in Japan. They have therefore to propose that his excellency the Hocho, and such other members of the government as are authorized to deal with this question, should meet the undersigned at Yeddo at one o’clock on the 19th instant, at such place as their excellencies may find it convenient to indicate. They have also to request that the government of his Majesty the Tenno will, in the mean time, be so good as to instruct the local authorities at Nagasaki, by the United States mail steamer leaving Yokohama on the 20th instant, to suspend all proceedings against the native Christians until the general government shall have maturely considered the representations which the undersigned, animated by the most friendly feeling toward Japan, conceive it to be their duty to make to the government of his Majesty on this important subject.

The undersigned, &c., &c.

HARRY S. PARKES, Her Britannic Majesty Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.
MAXIME OUTREY, Minister Plenipotentiary of France.
CHARLES E. DE LONG, Minister Resident of the United States,
M. von BRANDT, Chargé d’Affaires de la Confédération de l’Allemagne du Nord.

Their Excellencies the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, &c., &c., &c.

[Untitled]

Sirs: We have received your dispatch of the 11th January relative to the measures taken by the authorities of Nagasaki with regard to native Christians, under instructions from our government.

As you are aware, the profession of Christianity has been prohibited in our country from ancient times; but in consequence of the promise we made last year, that those Christians should be treated leniently, they have been left undisturbed at their homes. Every possible advice to change their Christian belief was given them. In return they insulted the deities, thrones, and temples, quarreled with the other inhabitants, and committed various lawless acts.

Should such acts be left unrestrained, the local administration would be embarrassed and our government, having no other means, sent those people to various other places to be educated. Orders were therefore issued to Nagasaki to simply remove them and to inflict no punishment whatever; and after careful consideration it was deemed by our government that this is the most lenient measure that would be adopted.

The particular circumstances, of which we believe you are not well informed, will be communicated at our next interview. In the mean time, we hasten to send the foregoing in reply to your dispatch.

With respect and consideration,

Sawa Jusaunei Kiyowara Nobu Yoski, And Teraschima Jüskii Fiyiwara Munenori, Ministers for Foreign Affairs.
[Page 460]

No. 13.]

Mr. Be Long to Mr. Fish.

Sir: On the 18th instant a reply was received from the Japanese minister of foreign affairs to the joint note of the foreign representatives of the 17th instant, appointing the following day, the 19th instant, for an interview at Yeddo with the highest officers of state on the Christian question.

I accordingly proceeded thither in company with my colleagues, and I now have the honor to submit herewith (inclosure No. 1) copy of a memorandum of the interesting conference held on that occasion.

From this memorandum (your perusal of which I beg especially to invite) you will perceive that the high officers of this empire engaged themselves to reconsider this question, and that pending the reconsideration the deportation of the native Christians from Urakami should be suspended, and that no further persecutions of any kind against them would in the mean time be entered into.

The apparent frankness with which this matter had been treated at the conference by these high officers, and this apparent desire to conciliate the good-will of the civilized world, was very encouraging and reassuring to all of us foreign representatives, and we returned that evening to Yokohama pleasantly impressed with the idea that through coöperation and energy we had succeeded in this highly delicate and difficult matter, in averting some evil, and in laying a broad foundation for future success by continued coöperation and remonstrances.

You may judge, then, of our surprise and chagrin when, on the day before yesterday, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s steamer New York arrived at this port bearing the unwelcome intelligence that the governor of Nagasaki, acting under peremptory orders from the Mikado’s government, had forestalled the reconsideration of this question by deporting three thousand one hundred and seventy of these unfortunate people—in fact all, or nearly all, of the native Christians at Urakami.

From some cause unexplained and most annoying, no report of this subsequent action was forwarded to me by this mail by our consul at Nagasaki, but I am enabled, through the kindness of my colleague, Mr. de Brandt, to send you the report received by him from his consul at that port, a copy of which he most kindly furnished me, and which I herewith transmit, marked inclosure No. 2.

I have further learned, both from the minister of France and the German charge d’affaires, that some fears are entertained for the safety of the Christian missionaries at Nagasaki, and the danger is considered so urgent that the French minister has seen proper to immediately send to that port the French gunboat Flamme.

From evidence received by me from unofficial sources and deemed reliable, I am led to believe that in this deportation families were separated with perfect ruthlessness, the men being sent to different provinces as convicts to literally fulfill the original decree of the Mikado against them, to wit, “that they should labor in the mines and live in forests;” that the women, whether married or single, were sent to houses of public resort, and the children so distributed as to secure their being strictly educated in the Sintoo faith; and the most unpardonable feature of the affair, that these high officers of the Mikado government must have known that this was already done, or being done, when they accepted our proposition for a conference, and while at that conference [Page 461] they were engaged in allaying oar anxieties by promises that further proceedings should be stayed.

I must also state that I consider the evasion of the Mikado’s high officers at the conference to inform us as to where these unfortunates were to be sent as deliberate dissimulation upon their parts, and I now do not doubt but that their argument for holding the conference at a time when they knew that this deportation was taking place was, instead of being, as we most fondly hoped, for the honest purpose of trying to arrive with us at some understanding for a satisfactory settlement of this matter, merely a device to gain time to have these orders fully executed before any resistance to their execution could be offered.

It may also be safely assumed that their assertions at the conference that houses and lands are provided for these exiles is as baseless as their assertions, made to us in that conference, to the effect that the families of these Christians were not to be separated.

That these people have not been guilty of any other or further offense against the government than that of becoming Christians is doubtless true, and the statements of the Mikado’s officers at the conference so often repeated, to the effect that these men were not being punished on account of being Christians, but solely on account of their seditious and rebellious practices, is proved to be unfounded by the admissions made in the conference, that those of them who had been formerly deported and who had recanted had been returned, and also by the decree of the Mikado himself, which is directed against Christians as such in express terms. The difficulties of obtaining authentic information on all of these points, when dealing with such authorities and in a country where we have no means of obtaining any information from the interior where those people are sent, will be apparent to you.

One advantage, however, as I consider it, has arisen from the holdings of that conference.

We there obtained from these high officers the distinct and positive avowal that the Mikado’s government is based upon the Sin too creed, and for its perpetuity depends upon the maintenance of that faith at all hazards. That they foresee in the propagation of Christianity the overthrow of this faith and the consequent fall of the Mikado’s dynasty, which pro confesso has no other hold upon the people or the princess than that engendered by the idolatrous belief in the divinity of his origin; that they fear the advance of Christianity more than they do the consequences of wounding the sensibilities of the Christian powers, and, entrenching themselves behind the legal shield of an abstract right on their part to manage their own internal affairs without foreign interposition, they intend by such practices as these to maintain this faith and the government based upon it until forced to abandon them.

That remonstrances on the part of the treaty powers’ representatives will cause them to change this policy I do not for a moment believe.

That it was the liberal foreign policy of the Tycoon’s government that led to the rebellion and his overthrow is a well-established fact. That the rebellion against his authority was incited by an appeal to the antiforeign sentiments of the daimios and others is certain, and that the Mikado’s party succeeded by this appeal in seizing upon this government is an undoubted fact.

Hence, we have in this government one impliedly and expressly pledged to hostility to foreigners and the Christian faith; and from such a government, so intended and so committed, I can see no hopes of effecting aught for important or general good relative to this subject by simple remonstrances. Thus, then, the issue stands framed; and thus [Page 462] simplified, the Christian powers may now know the exact spirit and disposition of this government relative to this question.

What further is to be done in the premises by me is a question I now beg leave to submit to your superior judgment for determination.

In dealing with this question so far I have carefully governed myself by the instructions given to my predecessor on this subject, and which I was instructed by you to consider as applicable and binding upon myself; but I feel that those instructions now stand exhausted, and I most earnestly solicit other and further instructions upon this matter, so full and complete that I may know the full extent to which I may proceed should exigences of a very grave nature arise, which is not improbable, as I fear that these authorities will become much emboldened by the success of this movement, if they find that for any considerable length of time it is allowed to pass unmet by aught else than remonstrances and vague warnings.

I deeply regret this occurrence, which I am sure will shock the civilized world.

I do not urge or recommend further action than already taken; but that the struggle will continue between the attempted advances of Christianity and idolatrous resistance is plainly to be foreseen, and what serious results may soon follow again none can tell.

It is in the light of this apprehension that I ask for full and explicit instructions.

In the mean time I shall content myself with following the course which I have already pursued in concert with my colleagues, although keenly conscious of its perfect inefficiency, as proved by the circumstances now related.

For a more full understanding of the bearing of this question upon the political affairs of Japan, so far as understood by me, I beg leave to refer you to my dispatch No. 14, which is a political summary.

C. E. DE LONG.

protocol.

Proceedings of a conference held at the foreign office January 19, A, D. 1870, on the subject of the persecution of the native Christians by the Japanese authorities.

Present: Sir Harry Parkes, her Britannic Majesty’s envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary; M. M.Outrey, minister plenipotentiary of France; Charles E. De Long, minister resident of the United States; Mr. de Brandt, charge d’affaires of the North German Confederation; Messrs. von Sieboldt, Dieborgues, Kemperman, interpreters; Sanjo, prime minister of Japan; Ewankura, former prime minister; Sava Terashima, minister of foreign affairs; eight members of the state council, secretaries, and censors.

At one o’clock p. m. the prime minister Sanjo opened the conference.

Sanjo: We have received and replied to the notes of you gentlemen representatives of the foreign powers, and now hold this personal interview to explain more fully the reasons that have governed us in proceeding as we have done with regard to the native Christians of Ukuwaura. Our government has always borne in mind the promises it made at Osacca** that it would not be severe in its treatment of these people, and I now propose to explain how I have fulfilled that promise. Since last year the government have had a full opportunity of discovering and understanding the character of the Japanese people who profess Christianity, and it has learned that they have become troublesome, and if allowed to proceed unchecked will subvert all governmental authority, interfere with trade, and seriously affect the relations of this government with foreign nations.

This government does not move these people on account of their religious professions’ but on account of their having been for a long time ungovernable and insubordinate and on this account the government has determined to change their residence.

The government heretofore removed some of them, and have treated them with kindness [Page 463] and those now being removed are being treated in the same manner, and consequently we do not think that we have destroyed or violated the promises made by this government last year to the foreign representatives.

This government, in allotting to these people new residences, has not been persecuting them. We have sent orders to Nagasaki that until further orders are received, no more are to be removed. This has not been done at the instance of the foreign representatives but on account of our own conclusions arrived at in our own councils. Two officers will leave on to-morrow bearing these orders.

These are the instructions of this government, and if the foreign representatives now have any observations to make we would be pleased to hear them.

Sir Harry Parkes: I have had every reason for supposing that the decree of banishment of the native Christians of Okuwaura had been reconsidered and was to remain inoperative. To my great disappointment, I found, when at Nagasaki a few days since, that that decree was being carried out and some seven hundred men were to be banished. My own judgment of this, and I am sure it will be of my government, is that this was a most cruel proceeding, and the only reason assigned being that these people professed the Christian religion, and that is the religion of my countrymen.

Such an act when known in England will produce a bad effect and be looked upon as a most unfriendly act. It is my hope and trust that my country may continue to have and hold the same friendly relations with Japan that it has ever heretofore had; but such acts as this are calculated to disturb these friendly relations, and for my own part I cannot understand how you make out that there is no departure on your part from the previous promises made to the foreign representatives.

If a few of these people commit wrongs, punish them; but to visit this punishment on families, and on thousands, is contrary to our view of right. To my sense, this act is not in conformity with the promises made by the Japanese government to us; and hence we have sought this interview, hoping to arrive at some understanding that will harmonize the acts of this government with its promises.

M. Outrey. In my opinion there is a misunderstanding about a word. You said you would act “mildly” toward native Christians. I suppose the greatest punishment you consider that you could inflict is death, and I suppose what you mean by “mild treatment” is, that you will not kill them. This is not our understanding of “mild treatment.” In our country it is regarded that a man taken from his family and banished is most cruelly treated. According to the way we understand those words, we reported that you would treat them mildly: and now we have to report that they have been deported, that is, banished and separated from their families. That cannot be understood as “mild treatment” by our countrymen. My government has most certainly a strong desire to cultivate kind relations with Japan, but I fear that when these reports reach it a great excitement will ensue.

For my own sake I do assure you that my every feeling is of the kindest nature for this government and people, and my every desire is to promote in every way the kind relations between our governments now existing.

Ewankura. There is a misunderstanding; we consider that we have acted mildly, and as we promised. These persons recently deported have had their families sent with them, and this cannot be called severe punishment. They have lands assigned them and an opportunity given them to make a living as they had before. Heretofore the punishment for this offense was crucifixion; this we had moderated at the request of the foreign representatives, but you know that in Japan, where all the people believe in one religion, that a sudden change or the sudden introduction of a new religion would produce great and constant political disturbances. Our object now is to converse on this subject. If in the future we understand and believe it to be necessary we will still execute this order. If it was only for those people at Urakami believing in Christianity, this government would never have thought of moving them. Whether it is on account of their religious belief, or because bad persons seek refuge there, we do not know; but trouble ensues, and the only way we know of correcting it was dividing them up and sending them away. This is done solely on account of their acts of insubordination.

M. Outrey. This is not in accordance with the letter you wrote us. I will ask what are those things in which they are disobedient? Is it because they profess Christianity or not?

Sawa. I was myself for a long time governor of Nagasaki, and I know all about these people. What I now say is that it is not owing to the influence of missionaries that criminals from neighboring daimios’ clans take refuge in these Christian villages, are there received; they then profess Christianity, are baptized, &c., and when the government officers seek to apprehend them collisions ensue between these Christians and the forces sent to apprehend them, while, in fact, these men are robbers.

M. Outrey. I wonder that you have the power to punish a whole village, and not a few persons in it. There is contradiction here.

Sawa. I did not mean to say that we could not arrest them, but that the whole people of the village would resist our officers, pretending that the man was being arrested [Page 464] on account of his religions faith, when really it was for some crime he had committed.

Teraschima. The villagers among themselves are extremely hostile toward those in the same village not of the same religions faith; that is, among our people it is quite usual for one to help another in necessity by making little loans of salt or provisions. When asked such favors these Christians would not grant them unless the others would profess Christianity; and many have thus been starved or driven into professing Christianity. Their conduct has been constantly overbearing. They have not come to open hostilities, but they have pursued a system of vexation and intimidation so oppressive that it has led many to leave. They also find ways of spreading reports about their treatment by which sometimes foreign representatives are deceived.

M. Outrey. I have not received such reports.

Teraschima. The only thing we intend to do is to get them where we can control them and correct them.

Sawa. The upshot of this matter is that we do not move these people on account of their profession of the Christian faith, but on account of their actions, and this government would have pursued the same course with any other people; and unless we do this we do not know how we will govern them.

M. Outrey. How many people?

Sawa. About five thousand.

M. Outrey. How many Christians?

Sawa. About three thousand.

M. Outrey. Three thousand are troubling two thousand, and you remove the three thousand.

Sawa. Yes.

M. Outrey. I thought there was four thousand, according to this decree.

Sawa. This included native Christians in neighboring villages.

Mr. De Long. Has the decree of deportation which was published last year been repealed or amended?

Sawa. It was left in abeyance for awhile on account of our internal troubles. It has not been repealed or amended.

Teraschima. We were prevented from carrying it out, also, on account of the expenses we would have had to incur, these Christians not being treated as criminals, but they were provided with houses and lands, besides their number being very large. We have hoped the respite given them would induce them to amend their ways. In this we were mistaken.

Mr. De Long. Then the decree now being inforced is the original decree?

Sawa. Yes, but in a milder form; and we shall explain the difference to you.

Teraschima. Formerly only the men were to be deported; now they are not separated from their families, and will even be furnished lands and houses.

Mr. De Long. When was this last decree issued?

Sawa. On the 19th of last month.

Mr. De Long. But you never reported the decree to us.

Sawa. I wrote you a dispatch on the subject.

Mr. De Long. But you informed me in that dispatch that you were executing the former decree. I should like an answer to my question, which is, Is the former decree being executed, or has a new one been issued?

Sawa. We shall explain the matter; orders were sent formerly——

Teraschima. Orders were formerly sent to Nagasaki. Their execution was prevented from internal reasons, and also on account of the representations of the foreign ministers. Now milder orders have been sent.

Mr. De Long. Why then did you declare in your letter to me that you were but enforcing the original decree; and why did you not give me notice of these modifications you now speak of?

Sawa. The fault is mine. I expressed myself badly, but now I have given you the explanations.

Mr. De Long. In what respect are the new orders different from the old?

Sawa. Formerly only the men were deported; now they are left together with their families. There is a marked difference between these two decrees of punishment—the former much the most severe.

Mr. De Long. How many people have been sent away under these last orders?

Sawa. Up to the 6th day of this month five hundred men were sent. The women and children were to be sent the next day.

Mr. De Long. Where were they sent to?

Teraschima. We do not exactly know; we only know they had left.

Mr. De Long, How then can you know that they are provided with houses and lands?

Teraschima. From one of the sinjo (counsellor) we have reports on these subjects, but do not know the details by heart.

Mr. De Long. Where were they sent?

[Page 465]

Teraschima. I cannot exactly tell; some to other parts of Kiu Siu, some to Chosin.

Sawa. You can rest assured that we will not separate the women and children from the men.

Mr. De Long. Am I right in understanding that you will at once take steps to suspend any further proceedings under this order?

Sawa. Orders have been issued to that effect.

Mr. De Long. I wish to state to you, as I have often done before, that my Government feels a most lively interest in the affairs and prosperity of this empire. It wishes to aid you in every possible way, and has no single intent or feeling to serve, but will find fulfillments in your increasing prosperity, but such action as this on the part of your government will send a thrill of horror throughout the United States, where freedom of religious belief is granted to all, and yet where the Christian religion is almost universally professed.

It is not too much for me to say that this action may chill the warm tide of governmental good-will that is now flowing to you from the United States, and by proceeding further in this course you may change that mighty nation, your nearest treaty neighbor, into a hostile power. I warn you to pause, for I doubt that the Christian world will quietly submit to seeing people thus banished into slavery for no other offense than that of having become convinced of the truths of Christianity and professing their convictions; and from what you have here stated I concur with my colleagues in assuring you of my convictions that this people that you are punishing, you are proceeding against for no other reason than the simple one that they have become converts to Christianity.

Sawa. I am ready to withdraw my former letter to you, and address you and them, giving you fuller explanations.

Mr. De Long. I would be much pleased to hear any further explanations you may have to offer of your action, and especially do I desire that you will inform me of the exact nature of this decree that you are executing, if it differs from the former one; but as your former letter has been placed on file in my legation, and now constitutes a portion of its archives, I must respectfully decline to allow you to recall it.

Ewankura. To enable us to maintain friendly relations with foreign powers it is absolutely necessary for us to be able to govern our own people, and we are therefore obliged to carry out these measures against the Urakami people. The foreign minister misconstrued our acts, and in order to give them a proof of our good will we acted as we have done, and sent contrary orders to Nagasaki, but we should like very much to be enabled to carry out our former orders, and it is a bad thing for a government to recall orders once given.

Von Brandt. I have but little to add to what has been said by my colleagues. We wish to continue friendly relations. This action will appear to the people of Germany like a proceeding against Christians. We recognize the right of this government to manage its own internal affairs, and to that end to arrest and punish malefactors; but I cannot avoid the impression that this proceeding is a proceeding against Christians as such, for their professions of that faith. This impression is much strengthened by the manifestoes and proclamations of this government being directed against Christians. No government more readily than Germany will recognize the right of this government to preserve order, and none will object or interfere more reluctantly than the German with the exercise of that right.

Ewankura. If this government has prohibited the Christian religion in Japan, it is not because it is opposed to it, but because we foresee great troubles to ensue from it, as, for instance, if one man in a hundred becomes converted to that faith it would lead to a splitting up and dividing of the people. Formerly the laws against this were very strict; now they are three or four degrees milder than formerly, but we cannot allow it to be professed generally.

Von Brandt. We do not ask you to allow the free exercise of it, but we do ask that men who do profess it shall not be punished for professing it; in this there is a great distinction. I ask no change of laws, but simply to allow those who do profess Christianity to remain without being tortured for their faith.

Ewankura. You must consider the motives of our government, as, for instance, the native Christians formerly sent from this village to Chosin are all to be returned now, as they have recanted their professing of Christianity.

M. Outrey. This is a contradiction. This proves that it was because they professed Christianity that they were punished, as now that they have recanted their punishment ceases. If all would now publicly recant their professions of Christianity would they all be allowed to remain?

Ewankura. Yes; if they follow the religion of their emperor, and obey the authority of the government, no reason for their punishment exists.

M. Outrey. Then it is plain they are being punished because they are Christians.

Yon Brandt. We appeal to you as you would to us, in behalf of any number of our countrymen in our own country, who might profess the religion of Japan, (a religion which we respect,) if our government should seek to punish these men for so doing, [Page 466] and we ask you to consider this appeal as you would wish such an one of your own considered.

M. Outrey. We respect your religion.

Teraschima. If I said that this was being done on account of the religion of these men, it was only true in one sense, but the main reason is that in consequence of their professing the Christian religion, they despise their own. According to the Sintoo religion, the Mikado is the direct descendant of the spirit; thus he rules by divine right, and on account of his divine origin. Christianity teaches our people to despise and disbelieve this feature of our faith, and thus it brings this sacred thing into contempt. As, for instance, these Christians, instead of going to the Sintoo temple in Owakara, sacred to the Mikado, and worshipping, they refuse to do it, and thus treat the Mikado contemptuously, and lead others to disrespect him.

M. Outrey. How comes it, if this is the reason of your opposition to Christians and Christianity, that you do not punish the Buddhists? The Mikado is the chief of the Sin too faith, and he cannot be the chief of more than one religion.

Teraschima. The Buddhists show their respect to the Sintoo faith by agreeing to this principle.

M. Outrey Yes; but they have their own temples and priests. Do they compel them to go to the Sintoo temples and pay their respect?

Ewankura. In Japan, whether Buddhists or not, they have respect for, and adore the Tensio Daisen, the ancestor of the Mikado, as such, but Christians do not. They insult and ridicule her, and of course thereby insult and ridicule the Mikado.

Von Brandt. How do they insult, her?

Teraschima. In Owakura, at this temple of Tensio Daisen, they have a peculiar gate sacred to the Mikado ancestor. These Christians never will go through this gate, but go around it, and thus show all the people how they despise the goddess, and teach others to despise her also. Then, in all Sintoo houses, the people have idols, family gods, and also sacred writings; they insult these idols, and put the sacred writings in indecent and filthy places, to show the people how they despise them.

M. Outrey. Was this done in their own houses?

Teraschima. There is a place there called Shima Carn, with several little red gates, and inside grass grows, which people gather, and they will throw this grass through these gates and go around after it, rather than pass through them. This action itself may be small, but the feeling exhibited is great, and shows disrespect to the Mikado and his ancestor. The systems of government here and in Europe, you must bear in mind, are different. There the people have more or less to do with the government; here, they have nothing to do with it; and to maintain this government it is absolutely necessary for us to compel all the people to believe in the divine origin of the Mikado, and respect and reverence him and his ancestors. Thus the Tycoon’s government ceased to answer the purpose, as many of the daimios refused obedience to the Shogoon, saying he had no authority to govern them, and hence it became necessary for the Mikado to assume charge of the government, being the one they all acknowledged has the divine right to rule. To carry out this idea it is necessary for us to maintain this religion, and to put down all that oppose it, or we would have no government.

Sir Harry Parkes. (After consulting with all of his colleagues, and in their name made the subsequent declaration.) We have listened to all that has been said, and I must state very plainly that our impressions are that this proceeding, against this people at Owakura, is on account of their being Christians. Now I must again repeat that to persecute this people on that account must be offensive to all the treaty powers. You are oppressing them because they profess the faith that we do, and this must be offensive to us. We do not doubt your intentions, nor do we doubt your desire, and that of the government, to maintain friendly relations with all the treaty powers, and I come with my colleagues because I foresee, in your persistence in this cause, great trouble in the future. We beg you to reconsider your action; we do not come desiring to add one particle to your embarrassments, but to urge upon you our views, that this course will disturb our friendly relations; and having these views, it is our duty to come to you and point out the danger. You have told us that you will suspend these proceedings. For this we thank you, and we now beg you to examine this question, and we hope you will see that it will be unnecessary to remove the residue of these people, as Mr. Ewankura just now intimated.

Mr. Outrey. You must remember that these questions will severely affect our people, and in Europe, where the people have much to do with the government, they will affect the government in time; you must recognize the state of European government.

De Long. More particularly is this the case in the United States of America, which is a government of the people, where all men are permitted to entertain and practice any religion they may believe; and they profess the same faith (Christian) for embracing which you so severely punish this people.

Yon Brandt. I most heartily concur with my colleagues in asking a suspension of the execution of this order, and your most earnest reconsideration of the whole matter.

Ewankura. It comes quite under the reasons that we give that the influence of the [Page 467] people in Europe in the government is great; so it is here in Japan, and here the people are not in favor of the introduction of the Christian religion. This government is absolute, and if they allow this to be discharged the government cannot be carried on, because the government is based on this religion. By it the Mikado assumed control and now reigns, and by this reason we are obliged to repress Christianity, but do not like to do it so as to give offense. I hope this will be understood.

Teraschima. In referring these religious questions to the treaties it will be seen that the engagements are mutual; that foreigners in Japan can have their own places of worship, and practice their own religions, and that neither are to disturb the other. This at least is the spirit of the treaty. Now, although we have given foreigners their own places of worship, and have never interfered with them, we have found out that missionaries have established a place of worship at Owakura, not within the limits of the foreign settlement, where they go at night and preach their faith.

M. Outrey. They must not have this; this is the first I have heard of it.

Teraschima. Although it is not, perhaps, according to the letter of the treaty that foreigners’ places of worship should not be attended by Japanese, we consider that foreigners have no right to go inside of the settlement propagating their faith, as they are doing. It appears to this government that these missionaries have also led these people so to act as to implicate them seriously. That they have promised them assistance if troubled by our government is evidenced by the fact that when we attempt to control them they always rush to these priests and complain to them. That we ought sooner to come forward with our complaints against these priests we admit, and we are very sorry that we have not done it; but thinking that the shortest way would be to deal with our own subjects, we have let it go on. Now we regret this; for if we had sooner complained it would have resulted in only ten or a hundred being moved.

M. Outrey. I regret that you have never informed us of this; but I wish to say this persecution commenced four years ago, and this shows that the more they are persecuted the more they increase; and we know that at a place in the interior where there were no priests, you have had to persecute these people for Christianity; and this we know from your own official newspaper.

Teraschima. That is true. But there are Japanese who are preaching Christianity.

M. Outrey. Do you not know that in the time of the Tycoon your government suddenly heard of four or five thousand native Christians? Were they not Christians from their fathers? And does not this prove that the more you persecute the more Christians there will be?

Teraschima. It is possible that those were people who were Christians before this; if so, they kept it still. The government was not going so far as to try and find out the sentiments of a man’s heart, and punish him for that; but these men are seditious, and we cannot tolerate them. We will not say the missionaries advise this; but the people do defy the government. The officers from Nagasaki inform us that they have turned one of the ten temples there into a place of worship, and there the people assemble and await the missionaries, who come in the night and perform religious worship.

M. Outrey. Destroy the houses there, and stop it if it is not within the treaty limits.

Teraschima. These missionaries employ two-sworded men, who are outcasts, as sub-instructors, who go about teaching, and it is owing to these that Christianity is propagated inland. Now, the reason we move these people is to take them from under the influence of these missionaries. To say the truth, Orokami and other such villages have become the asylum of outcasts, and there they congregate and claim that they are under the protection of foreign powers. I know well these people have been led to believe so.

M. Outrey. We certainly have never any of us, or our consuls, given them any such assurances, and we have never heard of this before. We trust you will reconsider your actions, because it will cause great feeling in Europe and America, and may lead to serious results. We ask postponement and due reflection.

Ewankura. I can only repeat that we desire friendly relations, but we must be allowed to govern our own people. We thank you for your evidence of friendliness, and we will send orders to postpone further actions pending this conference, and in this conference it will depend whether we go further or not. We have spoken of the wrongs of the missionaries, which you ministers cannot defend; and we hope it is in the power of you ministers to control these missionaries, whether they will behave or not.

M. Outrey. We will do what we can to make our people in all cases do right.

De Long. I state, unhesitatingly, that when any complaint is made to me of a Wrong done by any American citizen, I shall always be as ready and willing to restrain or punish him, as I am prompt to demand redress for my countrymen from this government when I consider them aggrieved.

Ewankura. I am very much pleased with this frank and open expression of your opinion, and by this remark I judge that we will, no doubt, be able to come to some understanding, which will save the necessity of further deportation. We will then [Page 468] leave the matter here and meet another day. The council agreed four or five days ago to stop these proceedings, and an officer will leave to-morrow to suspend them. Sawa and Taraschima will further confer with you upon this subject as you may please, and with this we adjourn this conference.

[Untitled]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the persecution against the native Christians, which had been suspended in 1868, has been resumed by the Japanese authorities of this port with an energy worthy of a better cause. Already a number of 3,170 souls— men, women, and children, residing in this vicinity—have been placed on board of various vessels, which sailed from here for different provinces of Japan to be educated there.

On learning this measure, having for object the tearing asunder of all social ties among these unfortunate people, as parents are separated from their children and husbands from their wives, to be distributed and isolated, the consuls of the treaty powers at this port, moved by sympathy for the victims of such barbaric treatment, united in a letter to the governor of this port, copy of which I have the honor to transmit, inclosed herewith. No explanation of the joint note is needed.

At a conference, which all the consuls of the treaty powers attended by invitation of the governor of Nagasaki, in pursuance of their joint note, the representatives of the Japanese government verbally announced to us that in this matter of the deportation of Japanese Christians he simply carried out the instructions which had been sent him by the Mikado government, and the execution of those instructions he could on no consideration delay or suspend.

Neither the remonstrances of the consuls against this barbaric measure, though couched in friendly and courteous language, nor the reference to judgment, which the civilized world will not fail to pronounce in regard to it, had the slightest effect whatever, either in obtaining a postponement of this severe and inhuman purpose or a modification of its execution. Several vessels, foreign and native, also steamers, have sailed from this port and from the Bay of Tokitu, on board of which the Japanese Christians have been sent to places which, notwithstanding my best and repeated endeavors, I have found it impossible to ascertain. All questions in this respect the Japanese authorities answered evasively by saying that those people would be sent to different provinces.

The deportation of the Christians has taken place without creating the slightest disturbance among the remainder of the population.

The Japanese Christians chiefly resided at Urakami, a village situated at the head of this bay; at Ipongi, another village, and in the vicinity, and also the town of Nagasaki.

J. P. TOMBRINK, The Consul of the Netherlands.
  1. Sanjo is mistaken, the promise was made at Yokohama.