The King of Corea herewith send a detailed account of the circumstances connected with the disturbances caused by the American men-of-war.
　On the receipt of the sealed letter sent by the Board of Rites on the 22nd of March last from the American Minister, I took up the propositions in it and gave my reasons fully and clearly as possible why there was no need of our discussing their details, as there was no desire for any intercourse and could be none between us. This letter I earnestly requested might be made known to His Majesty, to the end that a special decree might be issued for the direction of the American Minister and that each country might attend to its own affairs.
　After my reply had gone I thought that he might have already left in his ships for this petty country, and there would no doubt be much anxiety in consequence: so I ordered all the officials along the coast that if any strange vessels appeared they were on no account to provoke a quarrel with their people, but instantly report everything. And so it was, for on the 29th of May, Puh Ying-pu, Intendant of the Metropolitan Circuit and Chin-Ki-yuen, Colonel of Kang-hoa, sent up a courier with a report from Li-Ki-tsu, the Prefect of Fu-ping, as follows: “On the 21st of May five foreign ships came in from the Southwest and having anchored in this Prefecture, sent a letter on shore in which they say. The American Plenipotentiary and the Admiral have arrived to treat upon and arrange matters and wish to meet a high officer for this purpose: they have no sinister intentions, so that no one need feel any apprehension on their account.”
　I immediately ordered the high chancellor to designate some officers of the third rank to go and make kind inquiries of these men about the hardships of their voyage, and ascertain in a general way the purpose of their visit. They subsequently reported through the chancellor that a Secretary named Drew had come out to receive them, who told them that their rank was inferior and they could not have an interview with the foreign envoys: he therefore waved them away without saying another word, and doggedly went on up stream into the river.
　After this, the Intendant Puh and Colonel Ching sent another courier with a report saying, “Two sailing vessels with two masts have suddenly forced their way into Sun-shih Passage. As this is a most important pass leading up into the river, ever since the attack on our troops in 1866, we have increased the guard, and done everything to make it secure: even our own public and private vessels, if they have no view pass, are not allowed to go through that way. How much less, then, can foreign armed men-of-war, which have not yet apprised us of their intentions, be allowed to go rushing about. It was impossible for us to fold our hands and just look. The forces stationed in the Pass accordingly opened their guns to prevent them going by and they immediately retired and are now anchored off Fu-ping.”
　On my part, carefully reflecting on all the circumstances of this affair and looking at all the precedents, and weighing all the reasons for our proceedings, I am sure that any other country would have acted in just the same manner. When these American ships arrived they first sent us a sealed letter followed soon after by an open note in both which they reiterated their assurances that they had come with peaceful intentions, that nobody need harbor suspicion, that they certainly would hurt no one and there was therefore no ground of fear this was the sort of bragging words that filled their mouths.
　Now, if I had treated them with courtesy, they would have only the more increased their demands. Had they come in a good spirit I would have received them in the same way and met them courteously if they had acted so for such is the dictate of human nature and the usage of whoever call themselves a nation. But if they came with peaceable intentions why then did they come in ships fill of soldiers? If they wished to have their requests politely received why did they rudely wave off those who came to inquire for their welfare? Their own knowledge ought to have suggested to them that an important pass would surely be provided with a guard to defend it: and therefore all their earnest talk about people not harboring suspicion and that they certainly would hurt no one, and such like, was simply a device to put us off our guard, a crafty scheme to take advantage of our negligence, and get into the interior.
　All this was not their design, then the evidence goes to show very strongly that they regarded us with utter contempt, as if this was a country without anybody to take care of it. Do people that have friendly feelings act thus? Do those who understand courtesy conduct themselves thus? My opinion is, from what I can infer, that their special object in making this cause of strife was that they might therefrom have a reason for afterwards making a treaty. The whole country was startled and indignant at their repulse of the officials who went to inquire of their health and at their forcing a passage into the river. This country lies on your eastern frontier seaboard, a ship of land off in the corner of the sea: and while we are ashamed that we are so weak, so wholly unworthy to be its outer defense the reward of the realm of the Son of Heaven, yet how can such a vassal as I am, to whom all my people turn their eyes for guidance, consent to run about like a lacquey to these new corners of a strange speech and uncouth manners showing such haughty pride and pushing intrusiveness? As soon as they asked that a high officer might be sent to meet them, I resolved not to allow such a thing, but distinctly ordered all the maritime authorities to convey to them my orders to this effect, so that they might straightway pack up and be off.
　On the 11th of June, another messenger arrived with a report from Ching Ki-yeun, the Colonel at Kang-Hoa, stating as follows: “The American ships have again entered the river and attacked and taken Kwang-ching-chin past: Yu Tsai-yuen, the generals’ aid, is dead from his wounds, and a great many officers and men are destroyed. The enemy encamped near Tsao-chi-pu, but Major Li-Lieu came upon them by surprise in the night, whereupon they retired and have anchored below.”
　The Metropolitan Prefect Puh Yung-fu had also received a report from the Prefect of Fu-ping, Li Ki-tsu, in which he said: “Their soldiers conducted like brigands in the forts and villages thereabouts, burning and robbing until not even an owl or a knife was left behind. I have also learned from spies that many of our people are on board their ships, rebels and mean traitors they are, who have shown them the way up the river. This conduct surprised and irritated me so much that I have sent them a letter severely blaming them.”
　The Prefect of the Iin-chuen, Ku Wan-chih, also forwarded to the Intendant a report in which he says, ― “There were two men, Li Lien-Kwei and Li Yun-hioh, grandsons of the arch-heretic (i.e. Roman Catholic) Li Ching-hiun, who were lurking about, and skulking on shore near the ships’ anchorage, whom I seized and on examination learned from them that they too were trying to get on board to act as guides. This was their free confession but they had not further evidence to give.”
　On learning this, I directly ordered their heads to be exposed as a warning to others, and bade the officers in Fu-ping and Iin-chuen on no account to presume to send or receive any more letters from the ships.
　On the 1st of July, Puh Yung-pu, the Intendant of the Capital, sent in a report which had been received from Li Ki-tsu the Prefect of Fu-ping, stating: ― “On the 14th of June, a letter sealed carefully was received from the ships, with a request to forward it to court: I knew nothing of its contents, but the address savored of much presumption, and, how therefore, as an officer of this government could I venture to forward it? I accordingly refused it, but the foreigners were exceedingly persistent in urging me to receive it, saying, that if I would not send it, they would find some other means by which it would go: and so I had no alternative but to reply and argue against their assumptions, I do not, however, fully understand what they meant by saying, that they would find some other way of sending it to court, nor what their designs are. But on the 22d of June, one vessel sailed away and returned on the 30th, and all these movements certainly mean something.”
　On the 3rd of July, another report was received by the Intendant from the same Prefect, stating, that a sealed letter had been received from the American ships, and not long after they weighed anchor, and had all now sailed away.
　I am told that these vessels were at anchor in our waters altogether more than forty days, during which time they caused our civil and military officers continual trouble by their correspondence and fighting. I also as I write out this detailed account of the transaction, must not fail to enclose a complete copy of the despatch which they left behind them, and I now respectfully submit it for the examination of the Board of Rites.
　The real purpose and the pretended character of this document can be seen on the slightest examination. On its face it speaks of peaceful intentions, and every expression in it is a honeyed phrase; while it really cherishes the most dangerous intentions, and conceals the most crafty scheme. This is proven by the rude repulse of those who went to enquire after the welfare of people, who said they wanted a high official sent to meet them a strange reversal of decorum; and also by their forcing their way up into the pass, just as if all our defenses were to be counted as nothing. Whoever heard of such presumption and audacity! And it is all the more impudent too, because they had privily obtained the aid of a lot of seditious fellows to show them the way into our country.
　Just look at it. When they declare their peaceful purpose, it is not I alone who do not trust them, for from the first they themselves knew that I would not consent. This paper left by them is like the empty growl of a tiger, just so many spiteful threats: foreseeing that they could not accomplish their designs, they were of course bound to explode their angry vexation. I fin all that I say there are any false statements and slanders which would mislead those who hear them, and cause the people of other lands unnecessarily to suspect that I would not treat them with kindness if they came. I shall really feel deeply mortified. I know that this is a petty state, a mere handful of earth lying on the remotest bound of the eastern sea, whose productions, revenue, soldiers and arms, are not to be compared to those of other nations: but still our commonwealth is well ordered, and it depends on its own resources, which indeed is owing to the fact kindness of His Sacred Majesty’s protection, reaching in its wide influence far off to us in these eastern seas.
　Its educated men observe and practice the teachings of Confucius and of King Wan: its common people cultivate pulse and millet, and get their wealth in silk and hemp: and this studying frugality in its poverty the country preserves its supplies, and its government reposes in safety on its own basis.
　Supposing that one day our people should have their eyes dazzled with the rare and novel things which should be brought here, or be deluded or vitiated by the strange doctrines poured into their ears (meaning those taught by the Catholics) they would then reject the old wars, change their usages, and daily become more thriftless and unproductive: the waste of their means and misuse of their substance would continually approach utter exhaustion, till at least the best interests of people and government would be involved.
　Oh! in what imminent danger!
　The ostensible object which the American Minister put forth as the purpose of his visit, was solely to confer together and arrange for the kind treatment and rescue of shipwrecked people: but as this is a settled law of this country, which needed no particular intreaty to have it observed, there were no doubt other intentions involved in his words.
　A petty kingdom like this must think of the most remote consequences of its acts and policy, and it certainly ought not to hastily listen to and promise this and that. If he had shown no hauteur, and had injured no one, and I had deputed my officers to meet and confer with him, I could not at any rate have granted the various demands made: but when he acted so insultingly, and to his insults added such grievous injuries, I was all the more set against doing so.
　I therefore humbly request the high officers of the Board of Rites to represent all these circumstances to the Throne, and that it may please His Majesty taking my answer sent in the Spring as his basis, to issue a special decree, clearly informing the Minister of that country fully of the merits of the question: ― telling him that neither he nor we will get the least benefit from intercourse, relieving all his anxiety about the rescue and treatment of distressed seamen, and urging him to quiet his mind about any other matter, and not make it a reason for exciting angry strife. It is my most earnest desire above all others that each of our countries may attend to its own affairs.
　Our state having for generations been the guard on your eastern border, has enjoyed the greatest kindness. His Majesty even looking on it as within his borders.
　Whatever troubles it has had have never failed to call forth his far-reaching solicitude in devising relief: and if he feared that it would receive injuring the curtain of his protection illimitable as the heavens and earth, has been stretched over us. We are now involved in a trouble like those who have got into a pit or among thorns, and I cannot but raise a cry of anguish from afar, even at the risk of troubling you greatly, for deep indeed is my alarm.
　I have now in this despatch detailed every point, and confided it to a special messenger, Li Ying-sium: a junior secretary of the Translating office, who will present it. I humbly request that the Board will examine it and memorialize the Throne it grant my application.