Mr. Bayard to Mr. Mutsu.
Washington , January 29, 1889.
Sir: In connection with the joint resolution of Congress, approved May 24, 1888, “to enable the President of the United States to extend to certain inhabitants of Japan a suitable recognition of their humane treatment of the survivors of the crew of the American bark Cashmere,” it gives me pleasure to say that I sought the President’s direction as to the best means in his judgment of carrying out the provisions of Congress in the premises.
In a report of the 22d instant, I represented in detail to the President the circumstances connected with the incident in question, including your acceptable suggestion that, instead of diverting any part of the appropriation to recompense individual subjects of Japan, the whole amount be employed for educational and industrial purposes for the benefit of the islanders in general.
The President fully agrees with the suggestions made that the best application which could be made of the donation of this Government would be to use it in furtherance of the educational advantages of the people of the island of Tanegashima. And by his direction an instruction has been addressed to Mr. Richard B. Hubbard, United States minister at Tokio, telling him fully to acquaint His Imperial Majesty’s Government with the subject, to the end that steps may be immediately taken for the employment of the fund in the manner indicated. Mr. Hubbard was also instructed suitably to express to His Majesty’s Government the pleasure we have in thus seeking to carry out in a permanent and conspicuously useful way the material expression of the desire of the people of the United States through their national lawgivers, to recognize the high service rendered to humanity by the inhabitants of Tanegashima, and our gratification at thus being enabled [Page 546] to add another proof of the lasting esteem in which we hold the people of Japan, and the high value we set upon their friendship and that of their Government.
I am, etc.,