Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Third Session of the Fortieth Congress
Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, No. 1, copy of a letter addressed by the consuls of the treaty powers at Nagasaki to the governor general of Kiu Siu in relation to the treatment of native Christians, and No. 2, copy of the reply of his secretaries or councillors.
Though more than once informally requested to furnish me with information on this important subject, I extremely regret to say that our consul, Mr. Mangum, has not seen fit to do so, and for the copy of this correspondence I am indebted to the kindness of her Britannic Majesty’s minister.
The actions of the consuls at that port, several of whom are engaged in trade, cannot be expected to exercise much influence with the local government, and in the present disturbed state of the country the Mikado’s court or government is quite unable to attempt to put down Christianity by force.
I transmit inclosure No. 3, translation of a document giving the views of a Japanese scholar on Christianity. This document was procured by the English authorities at Nagasaki, and has been circulated among the Daimios of Kiu Siu and others.
I also transmit inclosure No. 4, translation of a decree of the Mikado’s court, showing the course adopted with the view of finally disposing of Christianity and of checking proselytizing, so extremely objectionable to the educated classes in Japan. The four thousand and ten converts, according to a census taken, are to be distributed among several Daimios and held to labor.
There appears to be no doubt that, under pretence of professing Christianity, those people who belong to the humblest and most ignorant [Page 767] classes neglected their avocations, held so called religious meetings at night, when often gross licentiousness prevailed; and hard labor in isolated places is the means adopted to cure them from immoral practices.
Whether the Daimios selected to take charge of these unfortunate people have been consulted in the matter I am unable to say. Neither has it been possible to discover whether they will accept the charge of these people as decreed, or object to the measure.
I am watching the progress of Christianity with deep solicitude, and hope that you will be pleased to approve of my action, taken in concert with my colleagues, who join me in believing that the Mikado’s decree will remain inoperative, and that no measures calling for the interference of the representatives of the Christian powers will be carried out by the Mikado’s government.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Untitled]
To his Excellency the Governor General of Kin Sin:
From different sources we have been informed that the Japanese government intends a general persecution of those Japanese subjects who have embraced Christianity.
We have not the least intention to interfere with the rights which the Japanese government have to exercise over these subjects, but think it our duty, in the name of humanity and in the most friendly spirit towards the Japanese government, to make earnest remonstrance against a step which certainly would prevent all civilized nations to regard Japan as heretofore, namely, a civilized nation.
The article VIII of the treaty, stating that—
“Neither Japanese or foreigner should do anything that may be calculated to excite religious animosity,” and that
“The Japanese government had abolished the practice of trampling on religious emblems,” shows that the question was taken in serious consideration when the treaty was made.
We hope that the new government will not retrograde by doing what has been done centuries ago, at a time when the highest authorities in Japan declare their adhesion to progress.
Again we beg to state that this letter is written merely in a feeling of friendship for the Japanese government and in the name of humanity.
Being most anxious to have these reports officially contradicted and trusting they may prove to be untrue, we will feel obliged by your favoring us with a reply at your earliest convenience.
We have, &c.,
[Signed] by the consuls of all the treaty powers.
[Untitled]
Gentlemen: We beg to acknowledge receipt of your dispatch of the 12th instant, with reference to reports which have reached you of severe punishments being about to be inflicted on those Jpanese subjects who have embraced the Christian faith.
We respect the feelings which dictated this letter, and we pity those perverse minded Japanese of the lower class who, in the face of an old established Japanese law, have committed the crime of apostatizing to a strange religion, the practice of which is strictly prohibited; but we shall have no alternative but to punish them according to Japanese law if our repeated remonstrances do not cause them ultimately to repent and retract their errors.
You further state that the VIIIth article of the treaty provides that there shall be no religious animosity between Japanese and foreigners, and that the practice of trampling on religious emblems had been abolished by the Japanese government. It is true that there should be no disputes with regard to the respective religions professed by each country—and both foreigners and Japanese are at liberty to follow their own, [Page 768] but the abolition of the practice of trampling on religious emblems had no reference to your country’s religion.
You express a hope that the new government will not revert to obsolete practices at a time when the highest authorities in Japan have declared their adhesion to progress, and this gives us great pleasure. It shall be the earnest endeavor of the new government to avoid any retrograde step; but if we wish to maintain the integrity of our laws, it is impossible for us to be remiss in the care of persons who have disregarded the strict prohibitions which they contain, and the delay hitherto accorded has been from motives of humanity only.
In the last paragraph of your dispatch you ask whether the reports you have heard are true or otherwise. We hope you will clearly understand our answer from what is stated above.
We have, &c.,
By order of the Governor General.
Tales of Nagasaki.—The story of the evil doctrine,
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION.
At a village named Oieva, near Nagasaki, the French built a church, and five or six priests took up their residence there. They gave wages of a hundred to two hundred rios annually to about twenty Japanese readers, and sent them out in the disguise of traders or traveling students to Hirado, Shimabara in Hisen, to Fukabori and to Amakusa. To the poor they gave money, and to the superstitious they exhibited prodigies in order to proselytize them, or worked upon their feelings by conventicles. (A conventicle is a meeting of both sexes at night in a secret chamber for pleasure.) In a short time, therefore, one or two hundred fellows sprang up who disregarded the most stringent injunctions of the lords of the district, and neglected the social relations and the five virtues—a most fearful state of things, indeed! A certain spy, as he was concealed under the verandah of a house in Urakami heard a priest of the evil religion preaching who said: “Persons who enter our sect and believe its doctrines will be born in heaven and enjoy eternal felicity; while believers in Shintoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism will all go to hell and suffer torment. Should only a single person of a family enter our sect, the rest will all be born in heaven by his merit.” Then he showed them in a “Glory” palaces and mansions, and people enjoying themselves with beautiful women. Consequently they became desirous of dying at once, and being born into heaven, and do not care for the severest punishments. I will narrate further stories of prodigies performed.
THE JESUS OF PROTESTANT DOCTRINE.
In the same way the Americans and English have built Jesus halls, (churches,) and five or six priests coming, try to lead astray the talented and clever men of Japan. These priests of the Jesus doctrine live mostly in private houses, and under pretence of teaching astronomy, geography, and the use of fire-arms, and medicine, desire in actual fact to spread about the abominable poison of Jesus. Compared with the Roman Catholic religion, this is a very cunning doctrine indeed. Although they try to make out that there is nothing abominable in it, they are really foxes of the same hole, and it is really more injurious than the Roman Catholic doctrine. The priests say “the Jesus doctrine which I recommend to you does not practice magic; it advocates the observance of the social relations and the five virtues.” But in the matter of abolishing Shinto and Buddhism and of treating prince and father with contempt, it does not differ from the Roman Catholics, for which reason it is very hurtful to the state.
A Chinaman named Chang Chi-tsuo, in a letter to a friend of mine, says: “I find from my acquaintance with the retainers of Japanese Daimios residing in Nagasaki, that they all are studying western learning by command of their princes. The fact is the western barbarians practice murder instead of agriculture. Astronomy, geography, warlike weapons, and other toys of theirs are only fit to amuse the eye and ear. But there is not one of their books which does not praise the spirit of Jesus or of the Lord of Heaven, (God,) and persons who do not study those books with a profound appreciation of fundamental truth will find themselves respecting the doctrine before they know where they are. I sincerely hope that the doctrines of Jesus and of the Lord of Heaven may not spread all over Japan in two or three years.” Those words are [Page 769] perfectly true. Should it turn out so, Japanese will become enemies of their own country for the sake of foreigners. I pray most earnestly that benevolent men and superior men will not be led astray by the evil plots of these people, but will assist our countrymen with just laws, and keep the state as firm as Taisan.
ELEMENTS OF THE EVIL DOCTRINE.
The Jesus doctrine and the doctrine of the Lord of Heaven are the same in origin, and merely branches of one. Three hundred and fifty-two years ago a division of the Roman Catholic religion was founded, which, professing to observe the true meaning of Jesus, called itself the Jesus doctrine. They say that the Roman Catholic religion consecrates wooden images and practices all sorts of prodigies. The Jesus doctrine does not even consecrate images of Jesus; it merely instructs, and does not practice prodigies. They derive their doctrines from the Old Testament in thirty-nine books and the New Testament in twenty-seven books. The commencement of the Old Testament says that five thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight years ago the Lord of Heaven made the heavens and earth, the sun, moon, and stars, herbs, trees, birds, and beasts, in the space of five days, and on the sixth made a man and a woman, who are the original ancestors of all mankind. Wherefore the Lord of Heaven is also called the Creator. He is also called the Great Prince, and the Great Father; (natural) princes and fathers being distinguished as little princes and little fathers. In that case what is said in the classic of Poetry, that “the whole of what is under the heavens there is no place which is not royal territory; in the whole earth there are none who are not royal subjects,” comes to nought. And when they say “that the Lord of Heaven made human bodies which were of earth, and that the Lord of Heaven put life into them,” what is said in the classic of Filial Piety, “that we have received our bodies, hair, and skin from our fathers and mothers,” comes to nought.
They look upon prince, father and mother, as nurses, who merely nourish us, and say that if we worship our ancestors we shall be hated by the Lord of Heaven. This is treating prince and father with contempt, and entirely destroying the natural relations of prince and vassal, father and child, which is a great evil to the state.
The Old Testament contains the ten commandments of the Lord of Heaven. The first of those says, “There is no other Lord but me.” Consequently the evil confederation of Urakami-mura near Nagasaki threw the tablets of Tenshôko Daijin, (the sun-goddess,) and of Kasuga Hachiman and the rest, into the water, into the fire, and into the privies. The sixth says, “Thou shalt not kill;” but this means. “Thou shalt not kill people of our religion;” but they murder the most virtuous persons and superior men, if they do not belong to the religion. The seventh says, “Thou shalt commit no abominable lechery;” but there are many cases in the Old Testament of persons who are said to be beloved by the Lord of Heaven, becoming united in the bonds of parent and child, brethren, husband, and wife; and besides, at Urakami, near Nagasaki, lately, under the name of conventicles, men and women meet secretly in the depth of the night, which is abominable lechery. The eighth says, “Thou shall not steal;” but they seize on other countries, and make them subject to their own. Is this not flagrant robbery?
In the New Testament is written the history of Jesus from his birth to his death by crucifixion. This person called Jesus was originally very poor. In his fifteenth year he was banished, upon which he traveled through many countries learning magic arts, curing the sick, and stopping floods, and other magic. He deceived the ignorant lower classes, making them follow himself until his evil design of murdering the sovereign of the country and seizing the country and people for himself, being discovered, he was put to death by crucifixion. He was a most traitorous animal. It is, however, written, that he was crucified to atone for the sins of all men; that after death he came out of his grave and preached for the space of forty days to his disciples, and ascended to heaven alive. This is the invention of those fellows, and entirely unfounded.
Considering that the foundation lay in such violent wickedness, it is impossible that any of his believers can be either filial or loyal. They say that the most unfilial and disloyal can go to the very top place in Heaven, if they only love the Lord of Heaven. The disasters of Simabara and Amakusa may be looked upon as warnings to avoid. The love of novelty is unfortunately such, that if divine tickets and images of Buddha are caused to fall from Heaven, as they have been since last autumn, there are plenty of common people, who, under the pretense of worshipping the gods, dance and sing drunken songs, and forget the principles of the social relations. Such would be the misfortune of the state were people to be sunk in this evil doctrine.
What I pray for is that patriotic Samurai in this country shall learn how these people offend against the principles of fidelity and filial piety; what ambitious designs they have against the state; and fortifying men’s minds with good principles, block up every chink by which the evil doctrine might creep in and perform one act of good service to the sovereign.
I do not aim here at describing the thing in detail, but only to speak a bit of my mind and narrate a story for the benefit of the ignorant and young.
[Page 770]HISTORY OF THE EVIL DOCTRINE AT NAGASAKI.
Since the opening of the port of Nagasaki, the French among the western barbarians have mainly preached the Roman Catholic religion, and the English and Americans the Protestant religion. In addition to these there are the Greek religion, the Mahometan religion, &c., all of which resemble the former, and are as injurious to the state as they are.
In Oura, at Nagasaki, Roman Catholic and Protestant churches have been built, and the Japanese are secretly induced to join these religions. The Roman Catholic religion preselytizes from the middle down to the lowest classes of the inhabitants; the Protestant religion chiefly proselytizes those of a higher position than the middle class.
The proselytes of the Roman Catholics are as follows: In Urakami, near Nagasaki, above two thousand people; in the territory of Omura, above one hundred persons; in the territory of Fukabori, in Hizen, above fifteen hundred. Iakahama, Shimabara in Hizen, Amakusa in Hiogo, Hirado in Hizen: in these last four places proselytizing is going on, and it is not known exactly how many thousands there are.
On the evening of the twenty-third day of the sixth month of last year, (July, 1867,) the governor of Nagasaki sent to Urakami, seized the evil ones, and threw them into prison. The images in the church, which had been built at Urakami, were seized at the same time and intrusted to the charge of the mayor of the village. The officers who were sent to apprehend them brought them all, seventy-odd in number, to the governor’s official residence. Six or seven men were left to guard the mayor’s house; but the remainder of the evil band, to the number of several hundred, attacked the place, and repossessed themselves of the images, &c. They also seized two officials and two of their subordinates as hostages, declaring, with violent language, that they would not give them up unless the prisoners were set at liberty. In consequence these hundreds of other offenders were left alone and not apprehended.
The people of the next village, called Nishi, were all of a resolute disposition, and always observed the principles of loyalty and filial piety. Although built in a continuous line with the village of Urakami, it did not contain a single one of those evil fellows. When the evil fellows of Urakama were apprehended, the officials were very much afraid and did not like to force an entrance; but the people of Nishi, thinking that now was the time to do their duty, forced their way among the enemy, and did good service.
In Urakami there is a place subject to Omura. As that place contained some of the evil band the authorities of Omura arrested more than a hundred in the commencement of the seventh month, and committed them to prison.
The evil ones who had been apprehended by the governor of Nagasaki and cast into prison were daily summoned by him and remonstrated with on their evil conduct, but they remained obstinate and gave no signs of repentance. On the contrary, they actually begged that they might be openly permitted to join the Roman Catholic sect.
As the governor and collectors could do nothing with them, on the fourteenth day of the eighth month, the priests of nine temples—seven being of the Sinshin sect, and two of the Tenshin sect—were summoned to the governor’s official residence, and asked if they could suggest a plan for bringing back the evil fellows of Urakami.
The priests replied that they would give in their answer after mature consideration, and retired. Next day they sent in their reply, which was to the effect that they would do their best in exhorting those people to change their hearts.
On the 19th day the collector and judges set out to Urakami with the priests of the nine temples, and tried to exhort those people; but they were obstinate and refused to be convinced in the slightest degree. The fact being that as they had not been severely dealt with up to that time, the evil bands only increased in their obstinacy.
In the middle of the ninth month, the people imprisoned by the governor of Nagasaki falsely pretended to have repented and were released from prison, but they only collected together again and increased in numbers from day to day.
As the affair of those who had been released from prison ended only in their village being made responsible for them, the evil fellows thought they had found a capital opportunity, they took a quantity of money out of their church, with which they went secretly to all parts, giving money to the poor, performing magic and wonders, proselytizing the people. Consequently, in a short space of time, large additions were made to their numbers—ten in one place and a hundred in another.
The fourth commandment of the evil religion ordains the observance of a day of rest. Japanese began gradually to keep this day, by which their having entered the sect became apparent.
As the Roman Catholic religion had spread so widely, it behooved those of the Protestant doctrine also to take their measures to increase the circle of their sect also. A person called Maria, wife of one Verbeek, a priest of Jesus, left her child at the breast and went to China in a steamer. She went as far as Shanghai and Hong Kong for the purpose of getting the priests residing there to come with her to Japan.
[Page 771]This is a summary of the doings of the evil ones at Nagasaki. I do not know what may be the state of things at Yokohama and Hakodadi. As there are several priests residing at those places also, it is pretty certain that they will entice Japanese gradually.
Since Hiogo became an open port last winter, no doubt the priests will gradually make their entrance there, and I fear they will pour their abominable poison in a short time into Osaka and Kioto also. But as they have not commenced working at those places yet, I hope that a plan for protecting us against them will be matured while there is yet time.
As the evil ones of Nagasaki who are fully convinced are not at all likely to be converted again, I think they ought to be visited with the severest punishment. But the persons who have been merely drawn in by others will probably repent if they are exhorted in the proper manner.
In the above I have given a brief account of the rise and spread of the evil doctrine.June 8, 1868.
The Christian religion has hitherto been strictly prohibited by the late Bakufu, (Tycoon’s government;) but an old custom cannot suddenly be abolished.
Recently the people of the village Urakami, near Nagasaki, began secretly to profess this religion, and the numbers of those worshipers gradually increased.
Now it has been magnanimously determined (by the Mikado) in council that those persons shall be placed in the charge of Daimios in the manner as follows:
The Christian religion being strictly prohibited by the law of the empire, the violation of this law is considered a serious matter; therefore, after the people shall have been placed in charge of the Daimios, care should be taken to induce them to renounce their evil ways, and if there be any who refuse to repent, severe punishment must be inflicted.
These people shall be rigidly excluded from social intercourse until it shall have been proved that their hearts are purified.
They shall be employed as laborers on ground requiring improvement, such as mines, coal mines, &c.
They shall live in forests. For a period of three years one ration for each person per day shall be allowed to the Daimios.
These people will be sent from Nagasaki, and the Daimios shall send their agents to receive them at the landing places named as soon as preparations shall have been made.
Orders accordingly have been issued as follows:
To Maeda Shioshio, for 250 persons; to Yanagisawa Kainokami, for 100 persons; to Todo Idsuminokami, for 150 persons; to Tokugawa Motochyo, (Owari,) for 250 persons; to Iye Kamonnokami, for 130 persons; to Todo Wünemenosho, for 80 persons; to Sakai Wakasanokami, for 80 persons; to Matsdaira Etshisennokami, for 150 persons; to Awoyama Sakio Daibu, for 50 persons; to Hongo Hokinokami, for 50 persons; to Ku Tshünagong, for 250 persons; to Matsdaira Idsunokami, for 50 persons.
The foregoing numbers shall be sent to Osaka, and delivered at the Yashkis of the Daimios, as above stated.
To Ikeda Inabanokami, for 150 persons; to Matsdaira Dewanokami, for 150 persons; to Kami Okinokami, for 30 persons; to Ikeda Bizennokami, for 150 persons; to Assano Akinokami, for 150 persons; to be sent to Onomichi.
To Matsdaira Mikawanokami, for 80 persons; to Abe Tortoni no Kami, for 80 persons; at Tomots.
To Hatshisuka Owanokami, for 130 persons; to Matsudaira Sanukinokami, for 100 persons; at Manegame.
To Date Totominokami, for 80 persons; to Yamawutshi Tosanokami, for 130 persons; at Mitshama.
To Nakagawa Shurinodaibu, for 50 persons; to Naito Bingonokami, for 50 persons; at Tsurosaki.
To Mori Daisenno Daibu, for 150 persons, at Simonoscki.
To Ogasawara for 50 persons, at Kokura.
To Okudaira Daisenno Daibu for 80 persons, at Nakats.
To Kuroda Minonokami for 150 persons, at Hakata.
To Arima Nakatskasa Tayu, for 130 persons; to Tatshibana Hidanokami, for 80 persons; at Wakats.
To Shimadju Shunnodaibu, for 250 persons, at Kagodima.
To Hossokawa Etshünokami, for 150 persons.