Henrique de Castes to Señor Don Aurelio Garcia y Garcia, March 11, 1873

Mr. De Castes to Mr. Garcia.

Most Illustrious and Excellent Sir: His excellency the governor having to absent himself from this colony by virtue of his office of minister of plenipotentiary to the court of Siam, directs me to answer the dispatch which your excellency addressed him dated the 27th of last month, announcing the arrival of your excellency in Japan and offering him your service in the capacity of minister plenipotentiary of the republic of Peru to that court.

The expression of friendship with which your excellency addresses him was very, pleasing to his excellency the governor, and on his part he hopes to return it by giving all the aid to your excellency to accomplish the mission with which you are charged.

The close relations of friendship which bind our countries impose on his excellency this duty.

Concerning the principal object of the dispatch of your excellency with regard to the question of the bark Maria Luz, the governor of this province had decided before the arrival of your excellency to furnish you with all the documents which illustrate this affair, and it concerns not only the dignity of the country which he has the honor to represent, but also the good name and reputation of the authorities of this colony.

In the separate copy which I have the honor to forward, your excellency will see the way in which the emigration is made from this port. This document is signed by the authority which especially watches and superintends the affairs of the emigration, and is beyond all suspicion, and the veracity cannot be permitted to compare with the witnesses of the Coolie emigrants who testified at the tribunal of Kanagawa. If this question did not involve the national dignity, and that of the officials of this colony, which all the citizens should look to, his excellency the governor would not have cared to answer the accusations so devoid of truth as those uttered at the said tribunal. For your excellency to estimate the credence which the testimony of the emigrants of the Maria Luz deserves, the circumstances are sufficient of their giving false names, and the affirmation that they signed the contracts on board, when by the regulations, which I have the honor to forward to your excellency, such contracts are signed at the superintendency, and often even after embarkation, some of the coolies have been disembarked, not wishing to proceed on the voyage.

By the bulletin herewith, your excellency will see that the month in which the Maria Luz was dispatched 702 coolies were distributed to the country of their nativity. Equally by this same document is seen that some of the coolies of the Maria Luz, said to have been deceived, returned to Macao to emigrate, and of these dishonest men a good many are now on the way to Peru. In the month of May, when the Maria Luz left, 3,520 coolies were embarked in several ships, 790 were distributed, 58 taken by their parents, 22 preferred to remain in Macao, 21 waited to go to other countries, 11 disembarked after signing their contract—making a total of 902; or out of 100 colonists embarked 28.4 had the destination above mentioned.

Only those who are completely prejudiced by passion against emigration can say that it is not made from this port with the greatest liberty and spontaneousness on the part of the emigrants. The numbers I have marked are most significant, and against undeniable facts no arguments can be possible.

We can with bold front say to civilized nations that the Asiatic emigration, as it is to-day managed in the colony, is more spontaneous and more free than that which takes place from Europe to America. The governor of this colony has devoted a serious study to this branch of administration, and has succeeded by its regulations in accomplishing the desired object which he has in view. My scruple has been carried to excess, and the diatribes of the foreign press against the emigration have been responded to by giving the colonists new guarantees and new advantages, and enacting new measures of greater vigor against abuses.

The documents and regulations which I have the honor to place in the hands of your excellency, are more than sufficient to show the injustice of the tribunal of Kanagawa, and to manifest its false foundation.

I avail of this occasion, sir, to assure your excellency of my highest and distinguished consideration.

God preserve your excellency.