Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-30

We find the following interesting notice of the ia
panese in the California True Standard, an excel
lent daily paper edited by Eugene Casserly former
" a member of the New York Bar
more singular race than the Japanese is not to
be found on the surface of the globe. AS people,
intelligent and cultivated in high degree, they yet
submit to despotism more complete than any other
known. Ingenious and skillful the most advan-
ced nations vet from all we know they very de-
fcient in invention, adhering with remarkable, and
what may be called obstinate, pertlnacity to the
forms and models which have existed among them
for centuries. Shrewd inquistive and penetrating,
and remarkably fond of novelty, still they maintain
most rigorous non-intercourse with nations whose
people, manners, habits customs inventions, riches,
commerce. and possessions as reported amongst them
by the few who have ever left their shores, must
have excited their curiosity to the highest point
Remarkable for the spirit of commerce which their
people possess, they conne their adventures almost
exclusively to the domestic trade
Possessing in great abundance gold, silver, copper,
pearls agates iaspers and other substances, which
have for ages been the object of the keenest desire to-
and have stimulated to the utmost the acqulsltlve
ness of the people of other natonsin the pursuit OF
which they have dared the dangers of the SEAS the
heats of the tropics, the cold OF the snow clad noun
tain peaks and defed the fear of the pestilence and
plague and the savage races of both man and beast
to acquire which they have negotiated and fought
and conquered, and civilized, and christianized-n
spite of all this, the Japanese have succeeded IN
maintaining their non-ntercourse and retiring with
in themselves have kept themselves in great meas
ure unknown to the world.
But the progress of events seems to forbid thai
this state of affairs should continue much longer
The eyes of the commercial world have long beer
turned towards that country as very promising
field for mercantile adventure and it is hardly doub
full that with the increased vigor and daring which
is continually displayed by its voaries, there will
some way be found by which to obtain access to it
favored highly cultivated and populousisl The
chief question which agtates the minds of those VIII
reflect on it is by whom is the commerce of Japar
to be opened to the world Will it be by the Brit
ish or by the Americans
The answer to this question is that if it is dom
peaceably it will be by the Americans if by violence
by the British. The Americans know that willing
trade is the most profitable and agreeable-they
afford to wait little while: in the long run, the
will gain thereby. The British must have new open
ings for their peaceably, if they can
forcibly if we must. If the Americans do not sue
coed now in insinuating an opening with the oppor
tunity afforded them, they wait for another, ant
will wait. The British, if the trade is not opened
will, on some pretext another forcibly open it.
If they do this it will nevertheless rebound to tn
advantage of the Americans The Japanese viii
never be willing traders with nations that compe
them to deal with them and the Americans witt
their superior energy, enterprise, and commercial
acumen, will speedily supplant the British mer
chants.
These remarks have been drawn out by the re
port that the seventeen shipwrecked japanese
brought to our shores in the Auckland to be re
turned to their own country by means of vesse
specially chartered, and laden with goods suitabl
for their market. The opportunity thus afforded
and which may result in the accomplish ent of tn
so long desired end of peaceable opening of com
mercia relations with the Japanese nation is YER
favorable one and we hope may be successful.
not at this period the safe restoration of so
of their people, to their shores must propitiat
them people in our favor, and increase the pre-
liability of successful result to the unceasng effort
which will be made to open commercial relation
with them, as our lines of steam vessels which wi
shortly cross the Pacific Ocean open up more FIRE
quent and regular intercourse with China, and tn
adjacent Islands (including the Japanese) lying 0
the eastern and southern coast of Asia