<論説>パークス非難論争 : 条約改正史の一齣

Abstract

明治初期外交史上に於て、イギリス公使パークスが極めて重要な役割を果していたことは周知の事実である。しかるに、従来彼の北京転出の経緯に関しては、深くその淵由を追求されることがなかつた。本稿はその間の経緯を新たに渉猟しえた内外の史料に基づき解明し、条約改正運動の先駆的な性格として規定せんとしたものである。彼に対する喧々たる非難の声は、我国の近代史の歩みに於ては裏道のことであつて、外交史の表面に出て来る事態にまでは至らなかつた事情があつたが、論争の形成経過には、正しく井上外務卿の条約改正交渉の一齣として位置付けせられるべき性格があり、そこには又当時のイギリスの極東外交の実態、並びに我国をめぐる国際関係が浮彫りにされていて明治初期外交史上の転換点と目されると云う点にある。勿論本稿に於ては、当時に放けるイギリス議会の議事録や政界上層部のうごきを明かにしえなかつたし、非難論形成に関連する国民的な動向の究明を他日に譲らざるをえなかつた。

It is well-known that Sir H. S. Parkes, British Minister to Japan during 1865-1883, took a very important tôle on the stage of diplomacy early in the Meiji Era. But as far as his removal to Peking is concerned, there has been little attempt to bring to light its true, actuating motives. This thesis aims, from the referred materials newly collected from both within and without our country, to illustrate some of the circumstances around him as well as possible. The deafening denunciations against Parkes might, indeed, be too trifling and obscure amid the great currents of our modern times to bring themselves on to the diplomatic surface. But the affair must be placed in its proper position in the negotiation for the Treaty Revision led by K. Inoue (井上馨), the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In so doing we can relieve the contemparary British policy of the Far East and our international relations of that age: it proves, after all, to be a noticeable turning-point of the Treaty Revision. I observed, in this article, the process of the denunciations from three different directions. After surveying the contemporary British foreign policies, I want to point them out, first of all, of the private letters to Gladstone and Salisbury by Sir J. Hope Hennessy, Governor of Hongkong, who came to our country in July 1879, and had given a almost fatal blow upon Parkes' position in Japan. Secondly, I will remark the hidden, strong influence of Edward Mandell House's opinion, Editor of the Tokio Times, through examining how the invectives against Parkes was brought about by Sir Edward James Reed, a British m. p., who also came over Japan in the same year. and that behind all this did the Japanese Government playa wire-pulley. The change in the political conditions of the year of 1881 brought these denunciation affairs to an end. Thirdly, an attempt was made to find out a possible clue in the very confessions of Parkes to make unveil the obscure and complicated state of the things.