New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-26
sNou.Intervensien i'm Japan.

sNon.Intervention' i'm Japan.
The Courier and Enquirer was among
the earliest and has been the most consis.
tent of the traducers of Kossu.h and Opposers
of all effective exhibition by our Country Of
sympathy for the down.trodden Masses of
Europe. That we should attend strictly to
our own affairs and rigidly refuse to inter-
NEEDLE with those of other Nations, no
matter how many despots combine to crush
the life out of hapless Rome, Hungary
or Switz erland, is set forth by that journal
as the established policy of our Govern
ment, which should be rigidly adhered to
by all who revere the memory Of Wash
ington. Yet that same Courier and En-
Quirer exultingly announces that Com.
Perry, with a powerful U. s. fleet, has
been ordered 10 the Indian Ocean with
view to the overhauling of Japan, and the
compulsory opening of her ports to our
vessels in certain cases, and thus lays down
the law of the case
"Now We deny the right Of any Nation situated
upon and occupying a portion OF the sea-coast OF
the world, to refuse all commercial interccu4e wltn
other Nations. Such a course may be tolerated Dy
civilized Nations so long ii does not tafeere Wih
thsiy commerce and the welfare OF the human race
but we insist that it IS the right Of clu1azed and
Christian Nations to compel Bartarons thus sltua-
ied TO submit u the general Law OF Nations ana 20
a certain degree of intercourse and especially 1t is
the night of all the Nations OF the world to have
free access to every port and every part OF the
cCa st OF the whole world, in times OF distress ana
dspser, and to demand at the hands OF the people
occupying such harbors and coast, protection, AID,
and hospitality.
"And we nope and trust that the day is near at
hand when, under judicious Protective system, we
shall be sending quantities Of cotton goods,
IRON, &c. &C., to Japan, anc receive In Return hei
he commerce Of the word viii find in her numer
ports safe aid hOspitabe asylums instead OF the
barbarism row extended toward it by one OF the
most populous kingdoms Of the earth"
If Japan imprisons and maltreats our
seamen, we think it very proper that our
Gov eminent should seek to convince her Of
the wrong and induce her to amend
Whether the riddling and firing Of her sea-
coast towns with red hot cannon balls is the
most or only feasible way of effecting this,
remains to be considered But we do trust
that no assumptions of right to sell Cot
ton, Iron or other Products in Japan will
be set up or in any way cOuntenanced by
our Government. If Great Britain waged
her late war with China on any such ground
as this, she merits eternal infamy; i. be-
comes us to avoid imitation of wrong
which we have so vehementy condemned.
We will not presume that our Govern
ment intends any injustice to Japan; we
believe that the rescue of our imprisoned
ceuntrymen and the protection of any who
may hereafter be shipwrecked on the coasts
of Japan from like Imprisonment are all
that it contemplates. But let it be careful
of the doctrines it propounds in the prem
ises, and especially of casting longing eye
on the profits of prospective trade with
Japan's unnumbered millions. We believe
all computations of profit from such trade il.
lusory-that Japan, lying in similar attitudes
with the greater part of our country, needs
very little that we have to spare and could
profitably send her. But be that as it may,
she has perfect right to live within her
self if she sees fit, and we have no right 10
force her to open a trade with us. If her
ports were freely opened, we believe Eng
land would long menopolize them, so far, at
least as Iron and Cottons are concerned,
her commercial facilities being greater and
her command of the trade of that remote
quarter of the globe so decisive. We
would far sooner send Japan Industrial mis-.
sionaries, to teach her how to make Iron
and Cloth advantsgeossly for herself, than
to seek profit from supplying her with these
oecessares of life. But the notorious fact
that Japan wants nothing of US precludes
all discussion on this head. Letus be care
full that no faint of selfshness, no lurking,
sneakiDg hope of increasing our own
wealth or extending our donnoion, shall
qualify any exertions We may put forth in
the abused names of Justice, Civilization
and Humanity.