New-York tribune., 1891-05-18
1-vvAPRAyTED LIBELs on JAPAN.

To the Editor Of The TIL u II e
sir. Whenever an act of violence from which
foreigner suffers Is committed IN Japan tne news
naners Of America and Europe are suddenly filled
with references to long series Of outrtges ana
murders, alleged TO have been perpetrated by japanese
asssIns in spite Of repeated demonstrations that the
outrares and murders in question are In the main
purelv mythical some years ago. it became my duty
o investigate these imaginary offences, the records o
the Japanese Foreign Office, as well as those OF
certain legation In Toxic being placed at my dis
nosal for the purpose 1t decsively proved that
during period Of not less than quarter OF century
the number Of aliens killed, in quarrels or other
wise did not amount to dozen altogether that III no
single Instance was the evidence sufficient to Iustfy
a charge Of wanton assassination; and that III the
majority Of eases the victims had brought their fate
upon themselves by brutal acts OF aggression TWO or
three of the assalants were, however, discovered 10
have been insane fanatics, and few Others were
criminals Of IA very common type-burglars and the
like There was scarcely particle Of ground to sup
mort the assertion that the attacks due TO any
general feeling Of hatred toward foreigners. Ihe
famous Kagoshma imbroglo. In which an Engllshmah
named Richardson was slain, and OF which an eX-
haustlve report Published in 1879, stands as
fair example Of the disputes into which the natives
Of Japan goadel by the gross insults and
malevolent abuse VI their prosecutors
To all who are familiar with the international rela-
lions Of the japanese, it is we'll known that the In
in1Ous charges perssteny set forth against that race
are inspired by the desire to hold them I'm political and
commercial sublugaton, and TO retard the execution
of treaties under which they may recover the National
rights and prerocatves Of which they uniustly
and iorciby deprived at the beginning Of their inter
course with Western countries. These accusations
Invariably from parties whose material pros
poets depend upon their power to pr0onS the present
anomalous condition OF affairs, and are effectively
contradlcted by the unanimous testimony OF disln-
t.re,ed residents and traveller.
Among the singular comments upon the recent
lamcntabe assault In Kioto, l observe that the
" -amurai7 are spoken OF sect; as Identical
with ~yakunn7; without means OF sup
port: a. forbidden 10 labor, and a. peculiar
chs especially animated by a detestation OF
strangers / beg YOU TO give accuracy reasonable
chance. The samurai neither sect, are they
the same a. yakunin. They may, and do, labor as
dllget0ly as they please. They destitute
Of the means Of support than citizens generally and
they are IN no sense distinguished by anmOsity toward
aliens The samural simply japanese gentlemen
bv birth ard station The Emperor l. a samurli. so
are ali OF his subjects. mobiles cOmmoners, whose
families were not in eudal times, Of the aborng
mercantile classes. The average tradesman or me
chanir has no hereditary claim 10 the designation Of
samural but any smurai may become (as many have
teoome) a farmer. q shopkeeper, or what he likes
best In this particular the old distinctions Of caste
have almost entirely disappeared +. II. HOUSE
New-York, May IA, 1s9l.