settling this question; and I trust that my action in this matter will meet with your approbation and receive the approval of the President. I have delivered your letter to the ministers for foreign affairs, and requested them to appoint a day when I can have an audience of his Majesty the Tycoon, for the purpose of delivering the President's letter. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington. Minister Resident. No. 52.] Mr. Harris to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of a correspondence had with my colleagues on the subject of the postponement of the date fixed for the opening of the city of Yedo. The French and English ministers are both awaiting new instructions, which are daily expected to arrive. Mr. De Witt, the Netherlands consul general, is now at Nagasaki, but I shall no doubt hear from him in the course of the next fifteen days. The enclosures above referred to consist of, No. 1, Mr. Harris to Mr. De Witt, Netherlands consul general; No. 2, Mr. Harris to Mr. Alcock, British minister; No. 3, Mr. Harris to Mr. de Bellecourt, French minister; No. 4, Mr. Alcock to Mr. Harris; No. 5, Mr. de Bellecourt to Mr. Harris. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Minister Resident. No. 115.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: I have the honor to inform your excellency that my government has been pleased to give me full powers to act according to my own discretion in the matter of postponing the opening of the cities of Yedo and Osacca and the harbors of Hiogo and Neegata. I have already expressed to you verbally my opinion that it was not desirable to open the city of Yedo, at the time fixed by treaty, for the purposes of trade. On reviewing that opinion I do not find any cause to alter the view heretofore taken of this subject; but, on the contrary, I see additional reasons for thinking that the present opening of this city would be attended by complications that would seriously embarrass the diplomatic agents resident here, and possibly might compromise our friendly relations with this country. The case of Yedo is pressing, and requires immediate action, and I much regret that you are not here to give your valuable counsel in this emergency. I pray you to inform me of your views, not only in respect to the city of Yedo, but also in reference to Osacca, Hiogo, and Neëgata. The Japanese government have promised to pay me the sum of ten thousand dollars for the benefit of the widowed mother of Mr. Heusken, late interpreter to this legation, who was murdered in this city on the 15th of last January. As soon as this money has been received by me, I shall cause it to be remitted to Amsterdam for Mrs. Heusken. I avail myself of this occasion to express to you the sincere esteem and regard with which I have the honor to be your excellency's most obedient, humble servant, TOWNSEND HARRIS, Minister Resident of the United States in Japan. His Excellency J. K. DE WITT, His Netherlands Majesty's Consul General in Japan, Nagasaki. No. 116.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that my government has been pleased to authorize me to exercise my own discretion in reference to the requests of the Japanese government, that the period fixed by treaty stipulations for the opening of the cities of Yedo and Osacca, and the harbors of Hiogo and Neë gata, might be postponed until the 1st of January, 1867. During the summer of 1860 I had the honor to confer with you in reference to the opening of the city of Yedo, and I believe there was an entire accordance of opinion between us that it was expedient that the opening of this city should be postponed. Since that time the subject has frequently been anxiously considered by me, and after carefully reviewing the opinions I have hitherto formed on this subject, I am unable to discover any cause to change them, but, on the contrary, I have found additional reasons for thinking that the present opening of this city would be attended by complications that would seriously embarrass the diplomatic agents resident here, and possibly might compromise our friendly relations with this country, while only a trifling benefit would arise from the city being opened even under the most favorable circumstances. The time fixed by treaty for the opening of Yedo is so near at hand that some immediate action is required; and if your opinions on this subject remain unchanged, I would respectfully propose that you, the French minister, (to whom I have addressed a counterpart of this note,) and myself, should at once issue notifications to our respective citizens and subjects that this city will not be opened on the 1st day of January next. After this, the question as to how long the city shall remain unopened may be leisurely considered. In reference to Osacca, Hiogo, and Neëgata, I will give you my views at large whenever you inform me that you are prepared to consider the subject; and in the meantime I do not conceal from you that I am inclined to view the Japanese proposition favorably. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, TOWNSEND HARRIS, Minister Resident of the United States in Japan. RUTHERFORD ALCOCK, Esq., C. B., H. B. M.'s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary No. 117.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: I have the honor to inform your excellency that my government has been pleased to authorize me to exercise my own discretion in reference to the requests of the Japanese government that the period fixed by treaty stipulations for the opening of the cities of Yedo and Osacca, and the harbors of Hiogo and Neegata, might be postponed until the 1st of January, 1867. During the summer of 1860 I had the honor to confer with your excellency in reference to the opening of the city of Yedo, and I believe there was an entire accordance of opinion between us that it was expedient that the opening of this city should be postponed. Since that time this subject has frequently been anxiously considered by me, and after carefully reviewing the opinions I have hitherto formed on this subject I am unable to discover any cause to change them, but, on the contrary, I have found additional reasons for thinking that the present opening of this city would be attended by complications that would seriously embarrass the diplomatic agents here, and possibly might compromise our friendly relations with this country, while only a trifling benefit would arise from the city being opened even under the most favorable circumstances. The time fixed by treaty for the opening of Yedo is so near at hand that some immediate action is required; and if your opinions on this subject remain unchanged, I would respectfully propose that your excellency, the British minister, (to whom I have addressed a counterpart of this note) and myself should at once issue notifications to our respective citizens and subjects that this city will not be opened on the 1st day of January next. After this the question, as to how long the city shall remain unopened, may be leisurely considered. In reference to Osacca, Hiogo, and Neëgata, I will give your excellency my views at large whenever you inform me that you are prepared to consider the subject; and in the meantime I do not conceal from you that I am inclined to view the Japanese proposition favorably. I avail myself of this occasion to renew the assurance of the distinguished consideration with which I have the honor to be your excellency's most obedient, humble servant, TOWNSEND HARRIS, Minister Resident of the United States in Japan. His Excellency DUCHEME DE Bellecourt, H. I. Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary in Japan, Yokohama. No. 90.] YOKOHAMA, November 30, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th instant, acquainting me that your government had authorized you to exercise your own discretion in reference to the requests of the Japanese government that the period fixed by treaty stipulations for the opening of the cities of Yedo and Osacca, and the harbors of Hiogo and Neegata, might be postponed until the 1st of January, 1867. I cannot enter fully into the subject, which is one of grave interest and importance, until I have had further communication with the French minister, and also with the ministers of foreign affairs at Yedo. But as there is a whole month intervening before the date fixed by treaty for the opening of Yedo, little inconvenience, I conceive, is likely to result from any delay within that limit; and I will lose no time in forwarding you a statement of my views, and the course I may be prepared to follow, as soon as I am in a position to write definitely on the questions at issue. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, H. B. Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary TOWNSEND HARRIS, Esq., Minister Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., in Japan. Minister Resident of the United States. LEGATION OF CONSULATE GENERAL OF FRANCE AT YEDO, JAPAN, SIR: I had the honor of receiving your excellency's letter of the 27th instant, relating to the instructions of the government of the United States in regard to the postponement requested by the Japanese government of the opening of the ports and cities mentioned in the treaties of 1858. In the course of this month, which intervenes before the time fixed for the opening of the city of Yedo, I hope to receive the directions of the imperial government on this important subject; and I shall be truly pleased, sir, should these directions not reach me within a few days, to communicate the plan which I shall have adopted to your excellency, as well as to the minister of England, with whom I intend to confer on the subject at an early day. I thank you sincerely, sir, for informing me of the instructions which you received, and of your personal views; and it will give me much pleasure, as soon as I shall be able to do so to some purpose, to also come to an understanding with you, sir, upon the means of benefiting all interests by the joint action of the diplomatic agents in the present circumstances. Be pleased to accept, sir, the assurance of the distinguished consideration with which I have the honor to be, your excellency's most obedient, humble servant, DUCHEME DE BELLECOURT. His Excellency TOWNSEND HARRIS, A true translation. A. L. C. PORTMAN. No. 16.] Mr. Pruyn to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: I have the honor to inform you of my arrival at Kanagawa on the 25th instant. On the following day Mr. Harris had his audience of leave of his Majesty the Tycoon. The arrangements for my official reception were soon completed, the government placing the steam yacht "Emperor," presented to them by her royal Majesty's government, at my disposal, to convey me to this city, where I arrived to-day, and entered upon the discharge of my duties. At the landing place a governor for foreign affairs, with a numerous staff, bade me welcome in the name of his government, and escorted me to the legation. The ceremonial on this occasion was of marked courtesy, and in every respect to my entire satisfaction. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, ROBERT H. PRUYN, Secretary of State, Washington Mr. Pruyn to Mr. Seward. No. 18.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that to-day I had an interview with the ministers for foreign affairs, members of the council of state, and other dignitaries, on which occasion I was assured that an early day would be fixed by his Majesty the Tycoon to receive me, for the purpose of presenting my letters of credence. The cordiality with which I was received induces me to hope that the friendly relations with this government, as established by the gentleman who has so ably and honorably represented the United States, will remain in their present sat isfactory condition. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, ROBERT H. PRUYN, Minister Resident in Japan. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington. Mr. Pruyn to Mr. Seward. No. 19.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: On the 13th instant I received a letter from the ministers of foreign affairs, informing me that the ceremony of the audience with his Majesty the Tycoon would take place on the 17th instant. I was surprised as well as gratified by this prompt action, because in some instances long delays had occurred. I returned to Yedo, having escorted Mr. Harris to Yokohama, and this day was waited upon by two of the governors of foreign affairs, who were charged with the preparation for the ceremonial. I was assured that this would be the same as had been observed in the audiences granted Mr. Harris, with which I expressed myself entirely satisfied. I refer to this particularly, because the ministers of foreign affairs had stated that the government were embarrassed by the claims of the ministers of England and of France to some privileges greater than those accorded to the minister of the United States-the one holding the rank of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, and the other that of minister plenipotentiary. It is understood that the British envoy had refused to take his audience of leave, because the government were not then prepared to admit his claim. It was quite agreeable to me, therefore, that the government did not seek relief from their embarrassment by proposing a diminution of the privileges heretofore accorded to the American minister. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, ROBERT H. PRUYN, Minister Resident in Japan. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington. |