The Right Honorable Earl of Clarendon to John Lothrop Motley, May 27, 1870

Earl of Clarendon to Mr. Motley.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st instant, recapitulating the circumstances attending the dispersion, by order of the Japanese government, of the colony of native Christians at Urakami, and requesting to be informed whether these circumstances had been reported to her Majesty’s government; and if so, whether they proposed to make them the subject of any instructions; and, in that case, what would be the nature and prospect of those instructions.

I must request you, in the first place, to convey to the government of the United States the thanks of her Majesty’s government for the friendly spirit by which your communication has been dictated, and to assure them that her Majesty’s government will always be glad to find themselves in a position to coöperate with them as far as possible in matters in regard to which, as in the present case, the two governments have a common interest; and I think I cannot better enable you to explain to your government the views of her Majesty’s government than by placing you in possession of the inclosed copy of the instruction which I addressed, on the 20th of April, to her Majesty’s minister in Japan, on these matters. This instruction, coupled with the dispatches to her Majesty’s ambassador at Paris, of which I also inclose copies and extract, set forth so fully the policy which her Majesty’s government think should be pursued in regard to the case of the Christians in Japan, that I have but little to add to their contents; although I would call your attention to the letters of the late French minister in Japan, of which copies are inclosed in my dispatch to Lord Lyons of the 23d of May.

You will gather from all these papers, that her Majesty’s government, although desiring to use their influence on all occasions in favor of the native Christians in Japan, would not think it advisable to put upon the Mikado such an amount of pressure as might, it successful, serve to imperil his position with his subjects in general The sovereign of Japan, in his endeavor to reconcile his subjects to institutions in accordance with the principles of Christian nations, has many difficulties to contend with and it would be unwise to add to these difficulties, by urging him abruptly to set at defiance the religious prejudices of his people. It is the opinion of her Majesty’s minister in Japan, that by dealing with the Mikado and his government for a time in a spirit of forbearance, they will be enabled to regulate or overcome the prejudices of the Japanese against Christians; and the more readily if the latter show by their general conduct that their profession of Christianity does not imply a renunciation of their subjection to their national authorities, and the substitution of a foreign foe for native allegiance. Her Majesty’s government learned, with much satisfaction, from her Majesty’s minister at Washington in a dispatch dated the 18th of April last, that Mr. Fish had expressed himself entirely opposed on grounds both of principle and expediency to the employment of force in behalf of the Christian converts in Japan, stating that the government of the United States would confine, themselves to addressing strong remonstrances on the subject to the Japanese government. The views of our two governments do not, therefore, present much difference; and the instructions addressed to Sir Harry Parkes, on the 20th of April, will, it is hoped, enable him to act in concert with the minister of the United States.

With reference to the concluding passage in your letter, I have the honor to state to you that her Majesty’s government does not at present contemplate giving any new instructions or taking any new steps for the safety of the persons or properties of British subjects in Japan, or for the maintenance of the policy inaugurated by the Mikado. They repose full reliance in the judgment and discretion of her Majesty’s representative, and are well assured that he will neglect no means for securing those ends, to which he is well aware her Majesty’s government attach the greatest importance.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient servant.