Mr. Seward to Mr. Van Valkenburgh
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 23d of August, No. 44, with its accompaniment. In these papers you have given me an account of the arrest and imprisonment at Nagasaki of sixty-three persons, men, women, and children, native Christian Japanese, under an old and, as was supposed, an obsolete law which prohibits the Christian religion in the Japanese empire.
You have also mentioned a subsequent imprisonment of two other persons, as was understood under the same law, but in which case the governor of Nagasaki assigns different grounds for the imprisonment.
You have properly remonstrated with the governor of Nagasaki and have obtained stipulations for a discontinuance of that practice, and for the safety, support, and comfort of the prisoners. You have also, with commendable promptness and urgency, appealed to the Gorogio for the release of the prisoners and their restoration to freedom. It is gratifying to know that although you have received no official answer, it was nevertheless understood at Yedo that orders were promptly issued for the discharge of the accused from imprisonment.
You will prosecute these measures, if it shall be found necessary, so as to secure the release of the unfortunate persons concerned, and to prevent any renewal of religious persecution at Nagasaki.
I have only to add, by way of instruction, that the transaction furnishes what seems to me to be a suitable occasion for appeal by the representatives of all the treaty powers to the Japanese government to repeal and abrogate the law which prohibits Christianity throughout the empire. You will therefore diligently confer with those representatives, and while treating the Japanese government and authorities with perfect respect and conciliation, you will, with the concurrence of your colleagues, which is confidently anticipated, press the application, if possible, to a successful conclusion.. Such a result would greatly contribute to the harmony existing between Japan and the western nations, while it would immediately redound to the welfare and greatness of the Japanese empire.
A copy of this instruction is communicated for information to each of the other western treaty powers.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
R. B. Van Valkenburgh, Esq., &c., &c., &c.