War Department. Many anxious hearts could thus be relieved. I have repeatedly taken the liberty of addressing myself to the adjutant general directly for information; but I now desire to respectfully urge the matter upon your attention. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. H. KREISMANN. Mr. Seward to Baron Gerolt. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 14, 1861. SIR: A clause of the third article of the treaty between the United States and Japan, of July 29, 1858, gives American citizens the right, after January 1, 1862, to reside in the city of Yedo for the purposes of trade. Mr. Harris, our minister resident there, so long ago as the first of last August, addressed to this department a despatch recommending that the exercise of that right should be postponed another year. His argument is, that the hostility of the population of the capital to foreigners renders it hazardous for Americans to dwell there for the purposes indicated. The treaties made by Japan with France, Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Holland, contain, it is understood, exactly the same stipulation in favor of the subjects of those countries. The minister from France, in January last, informed this department that his government had had under consideration the same question of postponing the day for the opening of the port of Yedo, and requested a conference and comparison of views with us on that subject. The late administration for some cause omitted to take up the matter. It has therefore devolved upon the present one. The President might, perhaps, have yielded to Mr. Harris's suggestion if the circumstances which surround the subject had remained unchanged. But we learn by recent despatches that Mr. Heusken, secretary of the American legation at Yedo, was, on the night of the 15th of January last, waylaid and assassinated in the streets of that city, probably without other cause than his being, as a foreigner, obnoxious to the prejudices of the population. Of this violation of the rights of an American citizen and representative the government of Japan has made no satisfactory explanation. On the other hand, it has virtually confessed its inability to bring the offenders to punish ment. The Japanese government would infer that we are unwilling or unable to vindicate our rights if, after that transaction, we should frustrate the effect of the treaty stipulation to which I have referred. The faction opposed to the policy of opening the country to foreign commerce would be encouraged by such a measure at such a time, and would, perhaps, precipitate a revolution which would result in a loss of all the advantages of the treaty. The other powers, holding the same relations, would be involved in the same misfortunes. For these reasons the President is of opinion that no postponement of the day for opening the port of Yedo, assigned by the treaty, ought to be conceded. But the emergency renders it necessary to make some demonstration which will render the residence of foreigners in Yedo safe. Even the diplomatic representatives there would be seriously exposed if there should be a popular outbreak, attended by timidity, on the part of the Japanese government. The government of the United States thinks that this danger can probably be prevented by a very simple procedure of this kind, namely: Let all the other powers which have treaty stipulations of the same effect as those of the United States announce to the government of Japan their willingness and their purpose to make common cause and co-operate with this government in exacting satisfaction if the Japanese government shall not at once put forth all possible effort to secure the punishment of the assassins of Mr. Heusken, and also in making reclamations with signal vigor if any insult or injury shall be committed again st any foreigner who shall be residing in Yedo after the port shall have been opened in January next, according to the treaty. I pray you to submit these suggestions to your government, and if they shall be favorably received the despatches for executing their design shall be promptly prepared and laid before you. I avail myself of this opportunity of renewing to you the assurance of my high consideration. BARON FR. VON GEROLT, &c., Sr., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Baron Gerolt. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 6, 1861. SIR: Since our interview the other day concerning the relations of our respective governments with the government of Japan, a letter has been addressed by the President to his Majesty the Tycoon of Japan, and by myself to his Majesty's ministers for foreign affairs, in answer to the communications which were submitted for your perusal, at the conference referred to, on the subject of the proposed extension of the time stipulated by treaty for the opening of certain cities and ports in that empire. I enclose for your information transcripts of these replies, and avail myself of the occasion to offer to you renewed assurances of my high consideration. BARON VON GEROLT, &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. AUSTRIA. Mr. Seward to Mr. Motley. No. 9.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 10, 1862. SIR: Your despatch (No. 2) of November, no day named, has been received. The account you give of your reception by Count Rechberg, and also of your audience with the Emperor, is exceedingly gratifying. The observations made by you on those occasions were, in the main, very just and apposite, and we cannot doubt that they will produce good effects. Events crowd each other, and the question raised in a despatch gives place to a more urgent if not more grave one before the reply can be received. I have directed a copy of the general diplomatic correspondence of the year, a copy of the correspondence on the Trent affair, and, finally, a copy of the correspondence between Count Rechberg, Mr. Hulsemann, and myself, relating to the same subject, to be transmitted to you. These papers will give you all that is understood here of our relations with foreign powers at the present moment, and will enable you, perhaps, to anticipate the future as well as we can. Our arms continue to be steadily successful, and when we shall have completed our financial arrangements I trust that the cause of the Union will become as hopeful as it is just. I am, sir, your obedient servant, J. LOTHROP MOTLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Vienna. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Mr. Motley. No. 12.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 17, 1862. SIR: your despatch of January 20 (No 3) has been received. I am very glad to learn that our disposition of the Trent affair is regarded with so much favor by the Austrian government and in the diplomatic circle at Vienna. We have not been insensible to the impatience which you describe as existing in Europe for a speedy termination of our unhappy civil war, and to the possible danger of foreign intervention if it should be unreasonably protracted. It has seemed very obvious to me that this foreign impatience is most unreasoning and most unjust. Yet I have felt no disposition to complain of it. It was only a reflex of the same popular impatience exhibited in our own. country. In Europe it is naturally enough aggravated by the absence of those weighty political interests which at home have so unavailingly counselled prudence and patience in a conflict in which not merely partial or temporary interests are involved, but in which the national integrity and even the national existence are at stake. Military and naval successes, however, are in good time rewarding the careful and elaborate measures of the government. Popular apprehension and distrust have already vanished before these triumphs so signally indicative of the complete restoration of the national authority, and we may therefore justly expect similar results in Europe. The toleration that could not be allowed there to a republic that seemed unfortunate, will perhaps not be denied when it is seen that it can, when it becomes necessary, defend itself with powers surpassing those of a limited monarchy or despotism. Under no other form of constitution could any nation have encountered with so much resolution and vigor a revolution so formidably instituted for the extension of human slavery. Perhaps just now, in the light of our more cheering prospects, this extraordinary feature of our cause may again be recognized in Europe. I am,sir, your obedient servant, J. LOTHROP MOTLEY, Esq. &c., &c., &c., Vienna. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. No. 13.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Motley. [Extract.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 4, 1862. SIR: Your private and unofficial note of February 1 has been received, though not until this very late day. In regard to the condition of our affairs in Europe, it may, perhaps, upon the whole, be considered fortunate that the Trent affair occurred, even with all its exasperations. Passion is as natural a condition for nations as for individuals. Secession is a popular excitement, disturbance, passion. It must needs have occurred here, for this country had submitted itself to the counsels of prudence and reason, in regard to disputed points of administration, as long as even so very practical a country as this is could submit. Human nature, it is now seen, could be content no longer. It was needful that the new popular passion should culminate before it could be expected to subside, and to do this it must have time. As no one could tell how high the passion must rise, so no one could tell how long it would require for culminating. The culmination would be the point of danger, the crisis. All other nations being in some sort related to us, must be affected by the passion which disturbed us. The more intimately related, the more profoundly they must be disturbed. Great Britain and France, most intimately related, must be the two states most vehemently excited. Excitement would rise later in those countries than here, and would subside more rapidly. The culmination at home or abroad could be hastened or delayed by accidents. The Trent affair was such an accident. It has served to bring on the crisis. The crisis has been reached and passed at home, and, of course, abroad. Reason is beginning to regain its control here, and with it the government is beginning to recover its authority. We are having, and we shall continue to have, successes at home, and so we may reckon on peace abroad. I send you a copy of an instruction I have given to our representatives in London, Paris, and Madrid, concerning the new aspect of the Mexican question * * * * I am, sir, your obedient servant, * J. LOTHROP MOTLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Vienna. * * * WILLIAM H. SEWARD. No. 14.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Motley. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 10, 1862. SIR: Your very interesting despatch of February 12 (No. 4) has been submitted to the President. The just and generous sentiments expressed by Count Rechberg, concerning the unhappy domestic contest in which we are engaged, are welcomed by us with sincere satisfaction. That satisfaction is enhanced by the fact that the friendship now expressed, when it may be seen that we are beginning to emerge from these troubles, is remembered by us to have been expressed with equal frankness and fervor at former periods, when many other powers seemed to assume that our struggle to save our country and its precious institutions from destruction was hopeless. The views you unofficially expressed concerning the intervention of Spain, France, and Great Britain in Mexico seem to me to be very just and wise.. As Austria has not been a party in this intervention, we have not thought it necessary to explain to her the position we have assumed in regard to that transaction, and we do not instruct you to do so. Nevertheless, we have no concealments, and, on the contrary, we desire to practice perfect frankness on that as on all other subjects. The disposition of the Austrian government is now incidentally brought into discussion by authentic reports of a project of the establishment of a throne to be occupied by the Grand Duke Maximilian in Mexico. You are, therefore, entitled to information of the views of this government, and Austria may desire to know them. For these reasons, I send you a copy of a communication heretofore addressed by us to the allies, which you may, if you think proper, unofficially submit to the perusal of Count Rechberg, if he should express a desire to see it. The House of Representatives has called for the whole correspondence of the government on this subject. A copy will be transmitted to you when it shall have become public here. I am, sir, your obedient servant, J. LOTHROP MOTLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Vienna. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Mr. Motley. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, No. 19.] Washington, September 16, 1862. SIR: Your despatch of August 25 (No. 7) has been received. I am not aware that you can give any other answer than you have been in the habit of sending to offers of military service. Propositions for employment as |