I have the honor, &c.
[Translation.]
Ministers of Foreign Affairs to
Mr. C. E. DeLong
Yokei,26th of 12 month of 3d year Myi.
Your Excellency: We have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s dispatch of January 20. Our
government has actually, and in accordance with your excellency’s
request in that dispatch, instructed the strictest and minutest search,
with the object of arresting the perpetrators of the attempt to
assassinate the two Englishmen in the streets of Yokei, on the night of
the 13th ultimo. They have already been apprehended and are being
interrogated.
Your excellency in that dispatch declares it to be your opinion that, in
order to insure that the measures to be taken by our government for
preventing the recurrence of such acts of violence in the future may be
effective, unofficial persons and the lower class of officials should
cease to wear swords. This proposal has been suggested by your
excellency’s desire to insure the permanence of the friendly relations
which exist between our respective countries, and, from a foreign point
of view, we agree that the belief that order easily could be kept by
adopting a principle which strikes at the root of the matter is a natual
and a just one.
The wearing of the sword by the Japanese Samurai, however, arose
originally out of the lawless condition of the middle ages, when every
man made fighting his business, and distrust and uneasiness were so
great that it become necessary to wear a sword in self-defense. Since
the power of government has been in the hands of the military
[Page 586]
class, the sword has become a
thing demanded by etiquette, and the practice is one of gradual
growth.
Even at the present time it is the ingrained habit of every soldierly
heart to look upon the absence of the sword as a breach of etiquette.
The proof of its being a thing of etiquette is, that farmers and
tradesmen distinguished for eminent services have come to have the
privilege of wearing the sword, and this being considered a special
distinction, is in accordance with the theory of the government which
has existed for many years. If we were to suddenly revolutionize this
practice, without creating some distinction to replace the sword, and
making the Samurai class discover and accept the reasonableness of not
constantly wearing these weapons, the Samurai and the common people
would be discontented, and we have great fears that they might resort to
other weapons for malicious purposes. For these reasons, we are of the
opinion that it would be very difficult to adopt at the present moment
the proposition contained in your excellency’s letter.
We shall, of course, carefully remodel the arrangements for the
preservation of order in the three metropolitan cities and at the
different open ports, and especially strict laws will be enacted for the
arrest of Samurai or others who commit lawless acts. Although
prohibitory laws exist already against those who are a nuisance in the
streets, who get drunk or incapable, or wildly make an improper use of
their swords to kill animals or frighten women and children, we intend
to increase the strictness of these laws, and to punish, in proportion
to the offense perpetrated, any Samuria of the upper or lower classes,
and even persons of high rank, by taking away the sword in certain
cases, never to be returned, and generally to put in force all the
legislation by which such acts may be prevented.
We have lately commenced to take a census, but have as yet been unable to
complete it throughout the country.
We intend to begin with Yokei, and inquire into the origin and
antecedents of every person residing here; and as there are many persons
who wear swords without being entitled to do so, we shall, without
admitting any representations, strictly inforce the discontinuance of
the practice in their case. And in this way our government is of the
opinion that before long the result will be successfully obtained, and
that the streets will be quiet, and men will be able to walk them by day
or by night with a perfect sense of security.
With respect, &c.,
