New-York tribune., 1873-05-03


Judgment. and even omit calling more than
casual attention to such actuai perversiohS ol
public facts as have brought about no serious
and lasting injury. or these KINDS are niS
communication to the State Department. de-
claring that he had been invited TO accom-
pany the Embassy of Iwakura, when In truth
no invitation Of the sort was ever onereu, hnu
the ambassadors were especially anxious 10
avoid his companionship his unseemly quar-
rel with Mori, at Washington, over the ques-
ton of the disposal Of o few Japanese girls
which threatened at one time to interrupt the
entire business of the delegation; his selec-
ton of a near relative for the position OF sec
retary of Legation, whose ignorance anu III
competence are the scoff of the Foreign ohlce
at YedO his endeavOrs TO secure an appoint
ment in the service Of the Japanese Govern
ment while protesting to represent the uniteu
States in that Empire, and other similar
lapses Upon these we do not now propose
to enlarge, but only to point out certain dere-
Lotions of so fragrant nature that the COM
mission of any one of them by Minister is
nothing less than an official crime, and the
condonation of which by a government wouid
be public scandal
/. Mr.. De Long is appointed to represent us
in the capital of Japan. He does not reside
ard has never resided, in that capital, giving
as a reason that his life would not be safe II
he attempted to do so "a foolish slander,
which is an outrage equally upon the people
among whom he resides and their rulers. Ihe
fact that he is actuated by this feeling of
cowardce is known to almost every foreign
resident in Japan. The evidence OF it exists
in his own dispatches to the State Depart
ment.
III. He has presented claims made by Ameri-
can citizens against the Government of Japan,
knowing and privately declaring them to be
unjust, and has caused them to be paid. The
Japanese officials have openly avOwed their
understanding of Mr.. De Longs actions and
purposes in this respect, but have expressed
the belief that it was better to sacrifice the
amount demanded than to risk offending the
envoy of powerful nation.
III. Although his instructions expressly for
bid him to recommend appointments under
the japanese Government. he habitually sug-
gests Americans for responsible positions,
some of whom are of notorious unfitness-
having in one instance gone so far as to urge
the employment of professed cOolie trader,
whose purpose in visiting Japan was the ex-
portatiOn of native labOrers. AT Mr.. belongs
request the appointment would have been
made, but for the accidental discovery of his
prOt6ge's identity.
". He has tarnished the reputation Of the
United States in every Eastern land by estab-
fishing himself as virtual protector and de-
fender of the cooie traffic. His action in the
case of the Maria Luz can never be made to
assume any other aspect. Not having stood
against the participatOrs in that transaction,
he was and is, in the eyes of Asian author
itcs, their friend and abettor.
V. While accredited to the existing Govern
ment of Japan, he has always declared himself
the admirer of the extinct administration OF
the Tyco0ns, and has maintained sympathetic
communication with its still unreconclled
adherents. His letters to the State Department
give abundant testimony of his views on this
point; but they probably do not supply the
interesting information that he has actually
participated in a conspiracy for the overthrow
of the MikadOs sovereignty and the restOra-
ton of the Tokugawa family to the control of
the empire participated to the extent of hold
ing consultations with the agents of the pro-
posed rebellion, of visiting by indirect and
deceptive routes in order to blind the imperial
officials to his real purposes, the region
in which the scheme was planned and
the outbreak was to take place, and
Of giving assurances of his INTEREST," and, so
far as would be possible, his cooperation in
the movement. The plot was never fully ma
tured; but the japanese Government are ac-
quainted with all its circumstances, including
the journey and the intrigues of Mr.. De Long
Here again, however, they prefer suffering in
silence, inasmuch rs no positive evil befell
| them, to exasperaUing this fiery ambassador,
who threatens them with the displeasure of
the United States whenever they oppose him.
If the above facts, every one of which can
be promptly established by ample evidence,
are not sufficient TO enlighten the community
as to the character of our present representa-
tiOn in Japan, there are others which lie be-
| hind.
The story given ont by the Department of
| State, that Mr. De Longs chief or sole oifense
has been that of making presents to the Mi
kado, is fully in keeping with the frivolity and
lack of seli-respect which have characterized
all their dealings with him.
BEGGARS.
One of our reporters details this morning a