Mr. Low to Mr. Fish
Sir: On the evening of the 10th instant a Corean junk came alongside, and from the actions of those on board we concluded that they desired to communicate with the ship. The interpreter whom I sent to ascertain their business, reported that the people on the junk were Christians; that three Catholic priests were looked for on the coast, and hearing that a foreign fleet had arrived, they naturally expected the [Page 125] priests would have availed themselves of the opportunity to come. Their business was to ascertain whether any priests were on board our ships, and if so, to put the junk at their service, to convey them to any point they might choose. The coming of these people naturally excited my suspicion, but subsequent questioning fully satisfied me of their good faith. The zeal and religious enthusiasm which had induced them to run such risks to find their priests, impressed me profoundly with the power which the Romish church is able to exercise over an alien and ignorant people. These men evidently belong to the peasantry, as but few of them have any education. They were quite free to communicate any information they possessed, but owing to their ignorance and the difficulty of acquiring authentic information in such a country as this, their statements cannot be relied upon, except concerning facts that have come under their personal observation.
They represent that there is great discontent among the people generally, caused by the tyrannical conduct of the government and the exactions of the local authorities; that the will of the officials is the only law, and that summary executions is the universal penalty adjudged for its violation. They represent the number of Christians in the country prior to the persecutions of 1866 at 30,000, of whom 10,000 were sacrificed at the time the French priests were massacred; that not only the remaining 20,000 Christians, but a large minority, if not a majority, of the people beside, desire the overthrow of the present despotic and tyrannical government, and would join any movement foreign nations might make which would accomplish the result. As failure would involve the certain destruction of the natives who might join foreigners, it could not be expected that the standard of revolt would be raised until success could be reasonably assured. From them we gained considerable information in regard to the principal cities and their relative importance. The most important intelligence, however, was a connected and apparently truthful account of the destruction of the American schooner “General Sherman,” in the Ping Yang River, in 1866. (See Dip. Corresp. 1867, Part 1, pp. 426, 427, 428.) One of the Christians affirms that he resided near the scene of the disaster, and was perfectly familiar with the whole proceeding. His story appears so reasonable when tested by the other information I have been able to gather concerning this people and their acts, that I feel bound to say that in my opinion it is substantially true. He says the people on board the schooner were enticed on shore by fair promises of civil treatment and trade, were entertained and treated to drugged spirit, during which they were fallen upon suddenly, seized and bound and all massacred. Some were beheaded, and the others were beaten to death with clubs. The cargo was taken out, and the vessel burned to get the iron used in her construction. They further say that the cannon found on board were taken out and sent to the capital, from which patterns were made and guns manufactured. This story was told in a plain straightforward manner without undue questioning. On the contrary, the interpreter endeavored to obtain a voluntary statement of the “General Sherman” affair, in order to test the good faith and truthfulness of these people. It corresponds so nearly with the account given by the French priests at the time, that I consider it more entitled to credence than the report of the officials made to the commander of the “Shenandoah” or that to the board of rites, Peking. It is unreasonable to suppose that the persons on board the schooner, the owner of which was largely interested in the cargo, would inaugurate hostile proceedings to force the natives to open trade; it is to be presumed [Page 126] rather that, as they were bent on trade and gain, they would endeavor by conciliation to induce the people to purchase the cargo. To be sure, the attempt to open commercial relations with this people had not the previous sanction of treaty right, or the permission of the government of Corea in any way, the entrance of the vessel into Corean waters being in violation of the laws and policy of the country. And while this is the fact, it affords no justification for the action of the government or people in the destruction of the vessel and cargo, and still less for the massacre of the people on board. The statements of the officials which have been reiterated so often and with such persistency are scarcely worthy of credence, and should be received with great caution. Were they honest in the belief that their action can be justified, or the truth of their statements substantiated, why did they oppose so persistently and prevent the “Shenandoah” and “Wachusett” from going to the spot where the vessel was wrecked, and making inquiry of the people who witnessed the whole affair, and thus satisfy the Government of the United States of the real facts? And why are the officials of all grades so profuse in their protestations to me of the primary offense of the people on board the schooner, and so anxious lest I should desire to make further inquiries into the facts? The Government, in its communications to the board of rites, Peking, you will observe, takes great pains to throw the whole responsibility for the disaster upon the foreigners, and insists that its statements shall be received and accepted without question by that of the United States. In view of all the evidence, direct and circumstantial, which I have been able to gather, the conviction is forced upon me that the statements of the Corean government in regard to the “General Sherman” case are unreliable and unworthy of belief, and that if the exact facts could be known, it would be found that the vessel was plundered and then burned, and the men on board wantonly and treacherously massacred.
It remains for the Government of the United States to say whether further efforts shall be made to ascertain the facts, and, if the government of Corea is found to be culpable, to demand and enforce means of redress, or whether the statements of this semi-barbarous and hostile people shall be received without question in justification of their acts of robbery and murder, committed upon the property and people of the United States.
I have, &c.,