The Sun. — 1863-02-18 (London, England)

POST.—On the night of the 26th of July last an at tempt was made by one or more assassins to enter the building occupied by the British Legation at Jeddo. Several hundreds of Japanese troops were posted round the house, and it was their duty to de fend it against intruders. Throug la these troops, however, the assassins made their way into the buildiug occupied by Col. Neale and the other members of the legation. A couple of marines, who were posted as sentinels at the door, were murdered. But, fortunately, the alarm had been given by one of those victims of Oriental perfidy, and there was no further bloodshed. The Japanese officials expressed their profound regret at the occurrence ; but they stated that only one person had been concerned in it, and that he had committed suicide. It is remarkable that the outrage took place on the anniversary of that which the year before was made upon the legation, when some of its members were seriously wounded. Since the last attack on the British Legation another savage onslaught has been made on the public highway, and in the open daylight, upon a party of unoffending Europeans. On the 14th of September three English gentlemen, accompanied by an English lady, while riding out in the neighbourhood of the capital, met one of the great nobles, or daimios, of Japan, accompanied by a eetemerous escort, without which, it appears, they never travel abroad. As the English party approached, the foremost of the daimio's retainers called upon them to stand aside. They were immediately afterwards attecked in the most savage manner. One of the party, Mr. Richardson, was cut down and murdered on the spot. Both the other gentlemen, although severely wounded, escaped with their lives, and the lady who accompanied them seemed to have owed her life to the swiftness of her horse. The survivors all declare& that neither by word nor gesture did they give the slightest provocation to the bloodthirsty miscreants -who assailed them in this unexpected manner. It is not probable indeed that, without any object whatever, they should have risked an encounter with several hundred armed men. The news of this fresh outrage, of course, created immense excitement and indignation among the European residents in Japan. It was even proposed that, as the Government either could or would do nothing to put down such violence, the Europeans should take the law into their own hands. It was ascertained that, on the second day after the occurrence in question, the daimio in whose presence and by whose retainers Mr. Richardson had been murdered was to pass along the same road where the encounter took place, and it was proposed that he should be seized and detained a prisoner until full reparation should be made. The plan was a bold one, and with the marines and sailors at the disposal of the different Powers it might easily have been executed. But the attempt would certainly have led to bloodshed, and in all probability to war, and it was finally and wisely decided it should not be made. The daimio and his fierce retainers were allowed to pass on their way unmolested, and recourse was had to the proper quarter, namely, the authorities at Jeddo. But we now learn that it is very doebtful whether they can interfere in the matter. Atter a delay of several weeks, the Japanese Minister, in a despatch to Colonel Neale, dated the 21st October, states that .-..." Although our Government examines the crime, and inflicts the punishment on the criminal, yet when the retainer of any daimio commits a crime, the old established law of the country de mands that our Government shall instruct the prince to arrest him, and hand him over to them." In other words, these great feudatories, like those of the middle ages, are independent within their own territories. We should like to know under these circumstances what are the chances of the murderers of Mr. Richardson being given up. It is abundantly clear that if our countrymen are to remain in Japan, this state of things cannot be allowed to continue. They may be, as they have been, the victims of the most frightful outrages, without the prospect of a remedy. ,Two marines posted at the door of the legation are butchered in cold blood, and we are told by way of reparation that their assassin has committed suicide. An Eng lish merchant is murdered on the highway in broad daylight, and after a delay of five weeks we are told in effect that it depends upon the pleasure of the feudal chief in whose service the murderers are, whether or not they shall be given up. We repeat that the present state of things cannot be suffered to continue. Either the Government of Japan must be made responsible for the acts of its subjects, or Englishmen must cease to reside in a country where every crime may be perpetrated with impunity.