Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 1, 1879

No. 315.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Evarts.

United States Legation,
Tokei, Japan, October 10, 1879. (Received November 4.)

No. 988.]

Sir: Referring to my No. 125, dated September 26, 1874, it gives me pleasure to say that by the amended code of this government trial by torture is altogether abrogated in the Japanese Empire.

I have the honor to inclose herewith the notification on this subject of his excellency Sanjo Saneyoshi, the prime minister of His Majesty, as published in the Japan Daily Mail of this date.

I have, &c.,

JNO. A. BINGHAM.

[Inclosure in Mr. Bingham’s No. 788.—Extract from the Japan Daily Mail, October 10, 1879.]

Notification No. 42.

It is hereby notified that as ever since the revision of article 318 of the Keitei Ritswiei (amended code) notified by notification No. 86, in June, 1876, torture to extract confession is not to be used; all laws and regulations relating thereto (torture) have all been abrogated.

SANJO SANEYOSHI,
Prime Minister.