No. 287.
Mr. De Long to Mr. Fish.
No. 20.]
Legation of the United States in
Japan, Yokohama,
February 10, 1870. (Received March
28.)
Sir: On the 28th ultimo the Japanese ministers
for foreign affairs came to this place for the purpose of holding an
interview with the foreign
[Page 473]
representatives on the Christianity question, but previous engagements
preventing a meeting on that day, the Japanese ministers returned to
Yedo and then made their statement in writing.
I transmit herewith inclosure No. 1, copy of their letter, covering a
memorandum on this important subject, marked “confidential,” as desired.
In pursuance of an agreement to that effect the Japanese ministers came
again yesterday, when a joint conference was held with them. On that
occasion the Japanese ministers in substance repeated what they had
already stated verbally and in writing. They promised that no more
native converts to Christianity would be deported from Nagasaki, but as
information had been received from foreign sources that diligent search
is still being made by the authorities at that port and its vicinity for
such native converts who are suspected of being concealed, their
promises did not appear to possess any appreciable value.
The Japanese ministers further requested that propositions for the
settlement of the Christianity question be made by the foreign
representatives, but in the absence of instructions that have been
applied for, I did not feel justified in venturing beyond the suggestion
that the native Christians already deported should be returned to their
homes.
The Japanese government assert that the action and the teaching of some
foreign missionaries have caused serious disturbances, and that they
regard Christianity only from a political point of view. They persist in
considering it an aggressive movement, and are apparently determined to
put down proselytism at all hazards and with all the means at their
command.
The result of the conference was finally embodied in a memorandum, copy
of which I herewith transmit, (inclosure No. 2.) This memorandum will be
submitted to the council of state, whose views will be communicated to
us.
C.E. DE LONG, Minister Resident in
Japan.
[Untitled]
To his Excellency C. E. De Long,
Minister of the United States, &c.,
&c., &c.:
We intended to have an interview with you to-day, but learning that
you are engaged and unable to appoint another day for the purpose,
we now submit the subject in writing.
We trust that the matter of the native Christians, whom the
government caused to be removed, has been fully comprehended by you,
as Sanjo Udarjin and ourselves made a full statement in this respect
the other day; still, as we think that our explanation may not have
been sufficiently clear, we transmit herewith a memorandum on the
subject, which we beg to inform you is not to be notified to our
people. And we therefore request you will communicate it in strict
privacy to your Government.
With respect and consideration,
the 27th day of the 12th month, January 28,
1870,
Sawa Jusaunei Kiyowara Nobu Yoski,
And Teraschima Jüskii Tiyiwara
Munenori.
[Confidential.]
memorandum.
They (the Japanese ministers) understand that the foreign ministers
are dissatisfied with the measures taken by the Japanese government
relative to the native Christians.
Appreciating friendly intercourse and the respect of the treaty
powers for Japan, they have deemed it their duty to explain their
motives for these measures; that the inhabitants of the village of
Urakami are wrong in worshipping a foreign religion is not the
question, but as co-religionists they formed a party and thwarted
the authorities. The government would not treat those people
severely, simply because of their worship. The government never
inquire what religious opinions people inwardly profess, and
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as long as they infringe
no laws or offer no resistance, though there may be many who profess
foreign religions, they will not be interfered with. And hence,
since the conclusion or treaties with foreign countries has the
government abolished the law of Fromi Se, (trampling on Christian
emblems,) which was established for the purpose of inspecting
people’s hearts.
The government have engaged in their schools to teach languages,
&c., those who come here as missionaries, and have permitted any
one to translate and sell publicly all sorts of books, even such as
relate to religions. This proves that the government intends to
change the law respecting religion, but when the people commit
wrongs and misdemeanors, infringe the laws of the country, or resist
the power of the government on the plea of being Christians, or when
they are told by missionaries that they will not be punished, as
foreigners will protect them, then the government must step in, as
such things cannot be permitted. Advice must then be given to such
people, and they must be brought back to submission to the laws of
their country.
The government carries out the treaty in allowing foreigners to
worship their own religions, and build churches in Japan, but they
are dissatisfied with foreign priests who induce the people to
worship with them. They use soft speech and science, or give money
to those who worship their religion, telling them that foreigners
will aid them, and the people consequently become so outrageous as
to insult the authorities, and this must be remedied. On
investigation, it has invariably been found that these so-called
native Christians are only so in name; their acts, however, are such
as would undoubtedly be punished in all other countries. They
conceal among themselves all sorts of criminals, whom the government
wants to have arrested; they always disputed with others, and caused
disturbances; insulted our ancient religion, destroyed images of
gods, and defiled the gods from whom his Majesty the Mikado is
descended. If these people were left alone they would cause great
trouble, the government might be weakened, and the country
endangered. It would have been quite proper to punish these people
severely, but as it was promised in January, 1869, by Higashi Kwse
to the foreign ministers, that they would hereafter be treated
leniently, the government had no other means in dealing with this
matter than to remove those people to other places and thus cut off
their communication with priests, whose desires of converting them
may not be bad, but unfortunately the Japanese misapprehended the
matter and insulted the authorities. The government removed them in
the manner as promised to the foreign ministers. No severe treatment
was inflicted, but all necessary aid was rendered. This the
government prepared to prove.
The foregoing are the reasons which led to the measure that has been
taken. Between two and three hundred years ago the Roman Catholic
religion was propagated in Japan, and the government was then almost
brought to ruin in consequence, and the government has taken care
that this shall not happen again. If the governments of the powers
in amity with Japan should deem the measure to be an unfriendly one
to them the government of Japan would regret it very much.
The Japanese government are faithfully carrying out the treaty, both
for commercial and political purposes, and they expect aid from
foreign governments in this respect. They hope that the feeling of
the people against the Christian religion will die away one of these
days, and they feel assured that the governments of the treaty
powers agree with them that everything that injures the relation
between nations must be removed.
The Japanese government will not be obliged to resort to such
measures as the unpleasant one referred to, if foreign missionaries
would exclusively apply themselves to the teaching of their own
people according to the treaty, instead of acting improperly as
hitherto. Then the Japanese government may not be obliged to cut off
the communication of those of their people who seek information on
religious subjects with the missionaries, and may further have no
objection to send back to their village those who have been moved
out of it.
The Japanese government are desirous that their people be instructed
in arts and sciences, in which your country is superior, instead of
being instructed in religion, and they are, above all, desirous that
the existing friendship between our countries may increase more and
more.
The 27th
day of the 12th month of the 2d year of Migi. (January 28,
1870.)
memorandum.
The Japanese government having declared that the action of some
foreign missionaries in preaching outside of the limits of the
foreign settlement has caused serious disturbances, and in one of
the reasons for which the government thinks the removal of the
native Christians from the neighborhood of Nagasaki is a political
necessity, the foreign representatives do not hesitate to declare
that they, on. their part, will do everything
[Page 475]
in their power to restrain the foreign
missionaries from such acts, and will punish them therefor if such
acts be persisted in; provided, that the native Christians who have
already been deported from Urakami are all brought back.
HARRY S. PARKES.
MAX OUTRAY.
C. E. DE LONG.
M. VON BRUNDT.
Yokohama,
February 9, 1870.
