John Lothrop Motley to the Earl of Clarendon, May 22, 1870
Mr. Motley to the Earl of Clarendon.
My Lord: Referring to the conversation which I had the honor to have with your lordship on the 9th instant, in reference to the persecution of native Christians by the authorities of Japan, I have now the honor, in accordance with my understanding with your lordship at our interview, to call your attention to the facts as communicated to me by Mr. Fish.
It appears that these converts to Christianity wore residing at Urakami, a settlement at the head of Nagasaki Bay, where they were peacefully and prosperously pursuing their avocations, giving obedience to the temporal authorities.
The late revolution in Japan, however, brought into power the Mikado, whose partisans claimed for him ecclesiastical and spiritual, as well as temporal, power.
Because the native Christians could not consistently comply with the established ordinances and observances which they regarded as idolatrous, it was determined to transport them from peaceful homes, to seize upon their properties, and to distribute them and their families through the different parts of the Japanese empire.
The representatives of the treaty powers, hearing of this meditated cruelty, took prompt measures te prevent it, if possible, by energetic protests. The Japanese authorities met their protests by evasions, and while holding the conferences with the European ministers, transported their Christian subjects, to the number of about three thousand, and when at a subsequent interview the reasons for this course were demanded, they replied, “We do not remove this people on account of their professions of the Christian faith, but on account of their actions, and this government would have pursued the same course with any other people, and unless we do this we don’t know how we will govern them.”
The protocols of these conferences have been transmitted to Washington by the United States minister, Mr. De Long, and doubtless have been communicated by the British minister in Japan to your lordship.
The course of Mr. De Long in taking part in these conferences has been entirely and cordially approved by the President, and he has been instructed to make representations to the Japanese government in the same spirit, when occasion requires.
It has seemed to the President that under these circumstances it will be well, before further instructions are sent to the diplomatic and consular officers of the United States in Japan and to the naval officers in the Asiatic squadron, to ascertain what the cabinets of London, Paris, and Berlin propose to do in the premises, in order that should there be an apparent unity of purpose in Europe, the policy of the United States may be made to conform to it so far as their interests will allow.
I have accordingly the honor respectfully to inquire of your lordship whether the facts relating to the deportation of the native Christians have been reported to the government of Great Britain; if they have been reported, whether it is proposed to make them the subject of any instructions, and in that case what is the nature and purport of those instructions.
I am also further directed respectfully to ask whether her Majesty s government contemplates giving any new instructions or taking any new steps to secure the safety of foreigners residing in Japan, the better protection of the interests of its subjects there, or the maintenance of the policy inaugurated by the government of the Mikado.
I pray your lordship, &c.