In connection herewith, I respectfully refer you to my No. 844, dated the 2d
ultimo, inclosing the memorandum of the Lew Chew officials.
I beg leave to inclose a copy of my reply to the Chinese ministers.
[Inclosure No. 1 in No.
886.—Translation.]
To His Excellency Mr. Bingham,
Minister of the United States
of America:
Sir: The relations between our respective
countries have always been those of peace and concord, and since the
interchange of treaties, have gone on increasing in intimacy. The first
article of the treaty (of Tientsin) contains the following words:
“There shall be, as there always has been, peace and friendship between
the two countries, * * * and if any other nation should act unjustly or
oppressively, the United States will exert their good offices on being
informed of the case.”
Hence, from the rulers above to the people under them, the intercourse
has been invariably characterized by sincerity, and there has never been
a single word of discord. Ever since our first arrival in Japan your
excellency has bestowed upon us, the (Chinese) ministers, the greatest
regard, and has treated us with unbounded cordiality, by which we have
been most deeply impressed; and have repeatedly represented to our
government our sense of the sincerity of the friendship (existing)
between our two countries and of the great courtesy shown (to us) by
your excellency; and our government has evinced great gratification
thereat.
Now that your excellency is about to return home on leave of absence, we
have still a subject of importance which we desire to lay before your
excellency, namely, the memorial of the Lew Chewan commissioners, Mao
Fung-tai and Ma Kien-tsai, in which they state that—
“Japan has within a few years (enforced its) oppressive rule upon our
little state, and has taken upon itself to change our old established
regulations. The treaty which Lew Chew, in the 5th year of Mien Fung,
entered into with Commodore Perry, of the United States Navy, Japan
forcibly constrains us to deliver up to the department of foreign
affairs (of Japan), and the tribute hitherto paid (by us) to the Chinese
Empire Japan has perversely prohibited and stopped. We (the Lew Chewan
commissioners) have already represented the state of the case to your
excellency and begged you to exhort Japan to allow Lew Chew to remain in
every respect as heretofore, and having been favored by your excellency
with a personal interview, we (the Lew Chewan commissioners) beg to
memorialize the supreme authority of your honorable country in reference
to the case as we have stated it, that suitable action may be taken,”
&c.,
Your excellency, seeing the equity of the case, will, we are confident,
act with magnanimous public spiritedness, which will be looked up to by
Lew Chew with the deepest (gratitude) for the condescension, and will be
regarded by us, the (Chinese) ministers, as a most distinguised evidence
of neighborly kindness.
We earnestly request that your excellency, upon arriving at home, will
personally memorialize the supreme government of your honorable country
with reference to the present state of the affairs of Lew Chew, and will
explain them minutely to their excellencies the members of Congress, to
the end that the nationality and the (internal) government thereof may
remain in every respect as heretofore, and we the (Chinese) ministers
shall deem ourselves inexpressibly favored and happy. In sending this
special (communication) we respectfully wish you present happiness.
Kwangsei, 4 year, 9th moon, 26th day (21st
October, 1878).
- HO JÜ CHANG.
- CHANG SZ-KWEI.
A true translation.
Attest:
D. BETHUNE McCARTEE,
Foreign
Secretary of Sis Imperial Chinese Majesty’s
Legation.
[Inclosure No. 2 in No 886.]
Mr. Bingham to the
Ministers of China in
Japan.
United
States Legation,
Tokei, October 21,
1878.
No. 673.]
Your Excellencies: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellencies’ note of this day, which
you were pleased to address to me, invoking the good offices of my
government in accordance with Article I of the Tientsin treaty of 1858
in the matter of Lew Chew, now the subject of controversy between the
Imperial Government of China and that of Japan, and also requesting me
to represent this matter to my government upon my return presently to
the United States.
I beg leave to assure your excellencies that I will, upon my arrival in
the capital of my country, take great pleasure in calling the special
attention of my government to your excellencies’ request, and
representing to the same your wishes, as expressed in
[Page 608]
your communication, a copy of which,
translated, I will also immediately forward to my government.
Accept, I pray your excellencies, the renewed assurances of my high
consideration,
Their Excellencies Ho Jü. Chang, and Chang Sz-Kwei,
His
Imperial Chinese Majesty’s Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers
Plenipotentiary in Japan, &c.
