the exclusion of privateers from Turkish ports, to the minister of foreign affairs. It will be to him and his sovereign a source of no ordinary gratification to know that the vizerial order on this subject has been received in .such a friendly spirit by the government of the United States. The 25th of June, the first anniversary of the accession of the present Sultan to the throne, was celebrated throughout the empire. It has been established as a public fête, never having been observed heretofore. The idea is a remarkably happy one, as it will be the only civil féte, all the other festivals being of a religious character, respected only by their respective sectaries. In this fête all the populations of the empire unite around the throne, and both sovereign and subjects are brought, as it were, into immediate contact with each other, without regard to creed or race. The diplomatic corps was received in person for the first time in the history of the government on such an occasion. The reception took place at the palace of Dolma-Bagtche, the residence of his Majesty. The following address was made to the Sultan, by Sir Henry Bulwer, on the part of the diplomatic corps. It was pronounced in French and immediately translated to the Sultan, paragraph by paragraph, by the minister of foreign affairs, who acted as interpreter of his Majesty on this occasion: As the interpreter of the sentiments of the diplomatic corps now surrounding the throne of your Imperial Majesty, permit me, sire, to assure you that it is our most earnest desire that every returning year may find the day we now celebrate consecrated by new benefits conferred on your people, and rendered happy by the spectacle of an empire owing its prosperity to the energy and wisdom of its sovereign. "We thank you, sire, for affording us this opportunity of uniting our felicitations with those of your subjects. If they regard your life as the most sure guarantee of their future, we entertain but one idea in the expression of our hope for the well being of Turkey and the long duration of your reign." After a short response to this address, the Sultan passed down the line, speaking to each member of the corps. When he came to me he inquired in quite an earnest manner as to the state of the war in the United States. I replied that it was a great calamity for us as well as for the world; that it was waged on one side for the destruction of a government which had been to the people living under it a source of countless blessings, and on the other for the preservation of the American Constitution; but that it would soon end with the maintenance of the Union and the free institutions of the country. His Majesty replied that civil war was an incident in the history of all nations, and he begged me to convey to the President his most ardent wishes for the prosperity and continued union of the republic of the United States. I thanked his Majesty for his kind wishes and assured him that both the government and people of the United States were gratefully sensible for his friendship and good will, and particularly so in this dark period of their history. The manner of the Sultan, while addressing me, was very cordial and manifested a perfect sincerity of purpose. * * * * * * Having been recently asked by persons connected with the leading European legations here my opinion as to the success of any propositions of mediation in the American war, I have uniformly replied that the President 'will never give his assent to any foreign proposition for the dissolution of the Union, and that any attempt to carry such propositions into effect would disturb the peace of the world. With great respect, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, E. JOY MORRIS. Secretary of State. Mr. Morris to Mr. Seward. No. 32.] LEGATION OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that Ahmet, one of the assassins of the American missionary, Rev. J. G. Coffing, who was murdered some months since in the vicinity of Alexandrette, was executed by decapitation at Adana on the 25th of September last. The proceedings, according to the report of the United States consular agent at Adana, were conducted with unusual solemnity, in order to make a lasting impression on the public mind. The firman ordering the immediate execution was presented and publicly read, after which the sound of a trumpet was heard, and the prisoner appeared in chains, followed by one hundred regular troops. Khoorshid Pasha, the governor of Adana, the consular agents of the United States of America, France, Russia, and Italy, followed in procession to the place of execution. After the criminal had been surrounded by the armed soldiers, the chains were taken from his neck and feet, a jug of water was given him to drink, and he was allowed to perform his prayers and ablutions, (being a Mussulman,) which lasted for about half an hour. Afterwards he was made to kneel in the centre, his eyes being bound with a white handkerchief; and in the presence of the above-named persons, and at least 5,000 spectators, he underwent the punishment of his crime. Not a single word was uttered by any spectator against the execution, and many, in sign of their approbation of it, exclaimed aloud, "Padishah sagh olsoun !"—"May the Sultan live!" The confederate assassin, Kaleel, is secreted in the territory governed by Mustapha Pasha, kaimakan of Payas. As he does not appear to be acting in good faith, in redeeming his promises to deliver him up, I have sent in a note to the Porte requesting his removal from office. I hope, however, that the efforts of Khoorshid Pasha, the energetic governor of Adana, to whom we are much indebted for bringing to justice the murderer Ahmet, will also be successful in securing Kaleel. I beg to repeat my acknowledgment of obligations to the government of the Sultan for the steady support it has given me throughout this case, regardless of expense and local and religious prejudices. The instructions sent hence, at my request, to the local authorities, were of such a nature as to compel them to the most active exertions, and they were enforced by the presence of Faik Bey, specially by the Porte to superintend these proceedings, and to see that they did their duty. From first to last, J. A. Johnson, esq., United States consul at Beyrout, despite the pestilential fevers of the country and the perils of secret_assassination, has pursued this case with most extraordinary energy. His conduct is of such a rare character, and characterized by such fearlessness and conscientiousness in the discharge of duty, that I deem it an act of justice to respectfully suggest that it is deserving of your especial commendation. Such an officer does honor to the government he represents. The persevering pursuit of the executed assassin through the mountains and wilds of Syria, and the summary manner in which he was brought to justice, will do much to enforce respect for the lives and property of American citizens residing in or travelling through the Turkish empire. It is the more striking because of the impunity which criminals have too often enjoyed who have murdered the subjects of other Christian powers. With great respect, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. E. JOY MORRIS. No. 41. Mr. Seward to Mr. Morris. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 18, 1862. SIR: Your despatch of October 16 (No. 32) has been submitted to the Pres ident, and is approved. You will take an early occasion to express to the Sultan the satisfaction which the President has derived from the good faith which his Imperial Majesty has so manifestly shown in bringing to just punishment one of the felons who so cause lessly and so mercilessly assassinated the revered American missionary, Mr. Coffin. The President sincerely hopes that the efforts which the imperial government is making to secure the arrest and punishment of the accomplice, who is yet at large, will prove successful. Painful as these examples of justice are in themselves, they are nevertheless humane in their character, since there is no other means of securing the safety of innocent and unguarded men in their journeyings through certain portions of the Turkish empire. The fidelity, zeal, and perseverance which Mr. Johnson, our consul at Beyrout, has exercised, are highly appreciated by the President, and you are au thorized to express that approbation to the consul. I am, sir, your obedient servant, E. J. MORRIS, Esq., &c., &c., fr. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. JAPAN. No. 26.] Mr. Harris to Mr. Cass. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: The clause of the third article of the treaty of Yedo, which gives American citizens the right of residence in this city for the purposes of trade, after the 1st of January, 1862, has occupied much of my thoughts for some months, and has caused me not only solicitude, but anxiety. The population of this city is widely different from that of any other place in the world. Its chief clements consist of the hereditary princes, the nobles, and the high officers of the government, with the retainers of the princes and nobles, and the followers of the high officials. The aggregate number of these retainers and followers, all of whom are armed, is very great. It is said to be over 300,000 men. The character of this class is an important consideration. They lead a life of idleness, and many of them are exceedingly dissolute. Towards those whom they regard as being their inferiors, they are arrogant and aggressive. They haunt the streets in great numbers, frequently in a state of intoxication, and, being always armed, are not only prompt in taking offence, but ready to seek it. The feelings of these men towards foreigners are a mere reflex of the opinions of their masters, and as a majority of the latter are opposed to the presence of foreigners here, it may be fairly assumed that an equal proportion of their followers are hostile to us. I cannot conceal from you my serious apprehensions that, with the present state of feeling, very grave difficulties might arise from the presence here of American citizens for the purposes of trade. I have no cause of complaint for myself, but whenever I leave my residence I am attended by a retinue that commands respect; and, in addition to this, my official position is well known. But the merchant could have no such protection; he could not afford to support such an escort, and even if he did retain one, his social position would deprive him of nearly all the benefit of it. If all the foreigners in Japan were prudent and discreet men, the danger arising from their residence in this city would be diminished, but not entirely averted. Unfortunately, a portion of them are neither prudent nor discreet, and they are numerous enough to imperil the safety of the orderly and well-disposed, and seriously endanger the amicable relations that have been established with so much difficulty and labor with this government. Yedo is neither a commercial nor manufacturing city; the imports are confined to the supply of the inhabitants, and of exports there are none. The manufactures are limited to the production of the coarser articles for common use, which are of too little value to allow of charges for transport. Kanagawa is and must remain, the seaport of Yedo, as, after leaving Kanagawa, vessels can nowhere approach the shore nearer than three miles, and at Yedo they must anchor at the distance of five miles from the shore. now, The business of this city is exclusively a retail. one, and it is carried on in a manner which would apparently prevent a foreigner from conducting it. The class of persons who would be the principal purchasers of foreign productions never enter a shop to make purchases; the vendor carries his goods to the residence of his customer, and there, kneeling on the ground, he exhibits his wares. The trade already developed gives a promising hope of the ultimate establishment of a large and beneficial commerce with this country, but these hopeful prospects may be seriously damaged, and possibly utterly destroyed, by a collision between the foreigners and Japanese, and I greatly fear that the indiscriminate admission of foreigners, at the time fixed by the treaties, to the right of residence in this capital, will lead to the most deplorable consequences, and to a state of affairs fatal to the best interests of all. I have endeavored to lay before you a concise statement of the prospect before us in reference to this matter, and I respectfully request your serious consideration of it. I have had frequent conferences with my colleagues, the English and French ministers, and we are united in our opinions on this subject. It has been agreed between us that we should write to our respective governments asking for discretionary power to postpone the opening of this city for one year, with the power of renewing the postponement from time to time as actual exigencies might require. I address you thus early, not only on account of the importance of the subject, but also in view of the great delay that frequently occurs in the transmis sion of my despatches to you. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State, Washington. TOWNSEND HARRIS. Mr. Harris to Secretary of State. No. 20.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES IN JAPAN, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from his Majesty the Tycoon to the President of the United States, and a letter from the ministers for foreign affairs addressed to you. I have enclosed English translations with the foregoing. These letters express the desire of this government that the opening of the cities of Yedo and Osacca, and the harbors of Hiogo and Neegata, should be postponed, for reasons that are set forth in the letter of the ministers for foreign affairs. In my despatch No. 26, dated August 1, 1860, I expressed my opinion that it would be judicious to postpone the period fixed by the treaty for the opening of the city of Yedo, and not having found any reason to alter my views since writing that despatch, I respectfully request you to reperuse the same. I have never been able to visit Osacca, and am therefore unable to say what may be the actual state of feeling in reference to the permanent residence of foreigners in that city; but I am aware that it is in the district called Tien, or Heavenly, by the Japanese, from the fact of its being the residence of the Mikado, or spiritual ruler of Japan, and it may well be that the residence of foreigners in that district would be regarded with dislike by a portion of the Japanese people. Hiogo is simply the seaport of Osacca, and its opening naturally depends on that of the city, and Neëgata is a minor consideration. The present action of this government would seem to be a retrograde move |