New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-09-12

and religion, renders some communication neces-
sary, and the Dutch. whose prudence and indus
Try. as well Is ihe.r knowledge OF the European
arts, retained Tor them the privilege OF CONNER
cial Intercourse. after ne expulsion Ct me Po'-
tucUese
The Dutch are allowed III al,lhcls. island al
Dsslma, To me harbor Of Nasasaki. whore thcy
are surrounded By guards and warehouses, ari
where ever step Is scrutnize5 The ships. or
then ARRIVAL. are most infinitely inspected. eve
~ WORD uttered ay the crew : weighed and COM
pared, End 'he powder belonging 20 the ship =
carefully kept under lock and seal. I'LL ne time
Of departure arrives. This astonishing system
u mstTust gives rise T. rules OF secresy which
are sometimes carried to the most Incredible
lengths. For instance, The burial-pl OF thr
founder Of the presen, imperial family Is careful
ly concealed. Il Is forbidden TO speaA of u,
while TO wrte abou. Il IS still more severely pun
ished
Under the operation OF this system. the laws
are. OF course, most cruel The revenge and lnhu.
man desire which belong 10 the characteristics
Of the nation. are no; diminished by the bloody
laws IN force, and a complete disregard Of life
Is the natural consequence \ criminal l. taken
to the place IF Justice, either with ms whole
family. or his next nelgh5orS. and those who con-
sider that they have been offended by him, has
ten 20 wash off the ofense in the blood of
their enemy. The japanese justify this course
by a proverb. which says the offender and the
one offended cannot both live al once" Re-
- lasfr.ya4
and he who 5 not able TO revenge himself, leaves
the duty as legacy 10 his children. such
thirst for revenge can only be cufbed by contln-
ual and bloody executions The prince of Sat
surma whose subjects are exceedingly quarrel
some and reyengeul. saw that 1t had become
a custom among the mechanics, labOrerS and
sailors 10 strike off without hesitation. the heads
OF those OF their fellows who did not revenge an
insult offered TO him IN order 70 abolish this
barbarous custom, there was but one means
left. without giving the other princes a danger
Gus example or shedding much blood. tie there
fore gave his subjects full liberty TO revenge
themselves, bur also proclaimed that he who
had 50 reyenCed himself, should immediately al
tetward take his own life, to propltIate the law
not only the Japanese but most of the nations
Of Eastern or Southeastern Asia, formerly lei
the servants Of prince to immediate themselves
upon his grave This custom was abolished IN
the year 1902 Many persons consider contempt
of death identical with bravery. That this IS
wholly Incorrect Is proven by the lack OF bravery
IN the japanese Nevertheless. IN their former
"a 81 al IA a.,
very CALAMITY, and those japanese. who. IN the
beginning of the seventeenth century, served I'M
der the Dutch at Amboyna. We're distinguished
for their bravery. For two centuries past the
country has enjoyed the most perfect tranquility
and the natural character of the japanese for
bravery has considerably declined.
There are three things which hinder the ia
pancse from satisfying his thirst for revenge
first, the manifold forms OF polIteneSs, none OF
which he ventures 10 violate second, the laws
relating TO the duties of his station, which he
cannot transgress and finally. the fear OF bring
ing ruin upon his next neighbors, or on the male
members Of his race. All these difficulties are ob-
waited bv the act of voluntary dIsembowellng
Many are so filled with a thirst for revenge that
~ the passion concealed IN their own breasts,
and make use OF deceit and cunning to accom-
pll,h their purpose. When the hour OF revenge
finally arrives and they have washed out the m
suit IN the blood Of their enemies they at once
dIsembowel themselves IN order to avoid all Of
fca inquiry, examination and penalty. No re-
preach follows him who performs this act or his
descendants. and his office Is thereby secured TO
his Oldest son. This last point IS certainly not
uniuporiant. and no doubt suggests the suicidal
policy in many instances Anotherreason Is, PROB
ably. the barbarous nature OF capital punishment
IN Japan. which makes a ,ountary death (Which
is not forbidden by the tenets OF their rehglon)
far preferable
In conclusion the japanese are as susceptible
to generosity, to noble deeds and elevated sacri-
fees as they are to their bewilderng code OF po-
likeness All writers on Japan, whether ancient
or modern have recorded many instances OF these
better traits Of character