Mr. Seward to Mr. Pruyn
Sir: Your despatches, from No. 1 to No. 8, inclusive, of the series of the present year, have been received, and have been carefully read and considered. Some of these papers amplify our knowledge of the facts communicated in your telegrams, via San Francisco, of the 7th and 19th of January, respectively, the receipt of which has already been acknowledged.
In your letter of the 24th of December, to their excellencies the ministers for foreign affairs, &c., of which a copy accompanies your No. 2, you have [Page 592] faithfully carried out the instructions communicated in my No. 46, of the 1st of September last, both as to the demands themselves and the manner of making them. As stated by you, these demands—which the President hopes, and indeed confidently expects, have ere this been complied with by the Japanese government—are as follows:
1st. The payment of the sum of $10,000 for the public and private property injured and destroyed by the burning of the legation building.
2d. That diligent efforts be made to discover the incendiaries and bring them to condign punishment; also, that adequate guarantees be given for your safe return to Yedo, the permanent establishment of the legation there without delay, and the immediate rebuilding of your late residence.
3d. The full observance of the treaties between the United States and Japan, in all the particulars which have not heretofore been waived or postponed by the government of the United States.
4th. The payment of $20,000, in satisfaction of injuries sustained by citizens of the United States at the hands of the Japanese subjects during the late disturbances in the empire; also, that diligent efforts be made to bring the aggressors to justice, and to inflict upon them such punishment as will be calculated to prevent further outrages of the same kind.
5th. The return of George Horton to his residence at the Bonin islands, or the payment of the sum of $2,000 as an indemnity for his use.
I have attentively read the correspondence between Mr. Humbert, minister plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation in Japan, and yourself, a copy of which accompanies your No. 8, and am happy to express, without hesitation, my approbation of the frank and at the same time conciliatory temper exhibited by you throughout the controversy. To this disposition on your part the prompt correction of the unpleasant misunderstanding was no doubt largely due: and the department learns with satisfaction, though not with surprise, that your friendly relations with Mr. Humbert remain undisturbed.
With the expression of my approval of the course pursued by you in relation to the individual charged with the murder, at Shanghai, of Captain Mackennon, I reserve a further answer to your despatch No. 4, until the result shall be known of your efforts to have the alleged culprit arrested at Nagasaki, and sent to Shanghai for delivery to our consul there. The courteous offer of assistance in this matter made to you by Captain Sir Roderick Dew, of her Britannic Majesty’s steamship Encounter, is highly appreciated.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Robert H. Pruyn, Esq., Minister Resident at Japan, Kanagawa.