The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-12-25
JAPAN.

.i;.ct Of Japan, the character of its inhabt-
,r,, and its resources. This article was ev-
3.,,y written in consequence Of the long
.,,,l Of expedition to that country from the
United States. The reviewer is disposed to
-.,arl the expedition with favorable eve,
All expresses astonishmcnt that vigorous at
.err. have not heretofore been made bv
some European power to bring about com
.nerraI intercourse with .Japan-a powerful
and lntclIigent nation which has remained
mystery for two centuries, lie says: 1.-The
,,y,rnmcnts of the world have for so long
time respected a mystery which they had at
ans momelt right to dispel; but The reason
,.,hi. torbcarance must be attributed rather
% any cause than an acquiescencc in the
.hnrli,h system" Again he says:
1T is impossible To believe that the system
,oIld have been maintained many years long
e- even had not the government of Washing
ton determined to despatch powerful expe-
d,ion. under the command of Commodore
Z, Perry. to demand satisfaction of the authori=
ties At Jeflo. for various acts of outrage and
inbumanity pcrpctrated BY the japanese, on
the crews of United States ships engaged in
!, the whale fishery. The sailing of that expo
. d'on has been for short time deferred. in
consequence Of the recent singular misunder
( Standing between the cabinets of Washington
. and St James, but whether that particular
armament is deferred, or even abandoned,
matters but little. Now the question has
"nrr been mooted, he How is not the less GER
4 mo''p oboh 10 .taU upon he Lapane<e Comca
} ot >I'e'
W the difficulties in the way of compeliinq
The japanese to establish friendly commercial
. relations with this government, the reviewer
saws.
Its not for us to predict the exact results
that NAV follow from the particular expedi-
ton which has been announced as about 20
; ''ll from the ports of the United States AGAINST
n" shores of Japan. Before doing this We
should require to know a little more of the
condition of the attacking armament, as well
a' of the actual means of resistance at the
command of the /iogoons ministers. 1t would
tr madness 10 affect a donb. as 10 th. result
II The warikc skill and discipline of Enrorc
-or The United States are once fairly pittrd A.
canS' the resources of anv Asiatic power
he military genius and hardy frames of the
= mountain tribes of Upper India conld not
save them from defeat when opposed to the
'"rr'"f ranks and powerful artillery of the
British army. The same thing NAV happcn
IN III" case Japan. All human prcsump-
tons wonld seem to indicate that if Commo-
r dor" P'rry's expedition is conducted in the
sam" spirit Of prudence and courage which
ia' hitherto presided over the warlike opera
! |''on> Of the United States Government the
hours of japanese seclusion are already num-
'"T'l We have. however, the authority Of
s1"g'I>h officers who have served with great
rdI'tInctIon in those distant waters for STATING
sthat they place wide difference between an
ia'ark upon Japan and anv similar operat;on
which has been carried out either in China
sr IN any other district of the Indian Seas
ne japanese are a proud and warikc race.
hey are careless of danger and inditfarent
70 hfe; where one combatant falls another
sl take his place, and another. and another
though the only object of their assault was
70 exhaust the fire of their enemies. and tho,
lO'erPowcr them by sheer numbers. We can
s"r'rIy think. if Commodore Perry sbouId
"ec'H' to advance into the interior with tbo
''"a'I iorre at his disposal, that the first Al
s'"'p' Will end IN favor of the expedition. The
'a'm! OF Japan consists, bv the latest accounts
20 "'''o'o foot soldiers and 30, 900 calvary
n. "'''''ery they of course are miserablv de-
i'n'' and their powder is of most inferior
"'''y' Still they have at their disposal an
''''nS population, proud Of their traditions
"''' "l theIr native land, and determined. we
.''''i imagine, to defend it to the last Iron
u '',''r blood against the invaders from be-.
E'nd the dark sea"
,t ~" wrong inflicted by the japanese on
'''''he' world by keeping their country
a'e"'ed book to the other nations oftbe earth
w "''''F no'ds the following strong Ian.
tna9e' IN which he adopts sm;I,, on;s:o m
or;n,,. '>'' several Years since by John
sl.I adams and of the strict Justice Of
1!nr~i well oe enter
w., I ,., moment is rapidly drawing near
lac" those who have anxlouslv looked for
"''s Of this sealed book NAV hone to
~, o' The strange customs and fashions
't'''' But ii is not from purely literary
">"c Considerations of this kind tba,
>,. -''i with satisfaction the speedy rcsto-
,...., Japan 10 tn" comfy of nations. The
r-,, '..,''' serlusIon of the japanese is a
not only to themselves. but to the c;v
b., ,'F'1. Every one is so far master =,
...- mat the Law Of Nations has been hirb-
r., tender of au'horising country to
- - p, commerce or its society upon anorh-
,, ~, 'ne rights Of independent sovereign
-. Construed as to be reconcilabIe
co.. 'F'8f IrInriples upon which all titles
/. 1.''E 1,' or jurisdiction ultimately lerepd
r,-n - 10 entertain doubt that. after