New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-05-01
The Japanese Expedition.
The Instructions to the Comnodo
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The Instructions to the Commodore.
WASHINGTON April 20. 1852.
The President recently transmitted to the Senate
communication containing official documents relative to
the Empire Of Japan under resolution of the 4th Of
instructions given by the State Department to variovs in
aividuals since 1882 together with communication
from James Gynn to the President with reference to his
transactions in the Prebe copy of an extract from the
NewYork Herald Of the Sd January 1851 etc etc. toge
Their with instructions given to Commodore Auck and
letter from the President to the Emperor of Japan dated
10th May 1851 The letter Of the President has been pub
ished The important letter constructions to Com Aulick
has not however been yet given and will be found below.
1t displays the object of the visit to Japan far the
President has given instructions to the East India squa
dron, and is in reality the gst of the whole affair
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 10, 1852
| Commodore John Fl. .aulick-Sir The moment is
when the last link in the chain of oceanic steam naviga
tion to be formed From China and the East Indies
Egypt thence through the Mediterranean and the Allan
tic to England thence again to our happy shores
and other parts of this great continent from
ports to the southernmost part of the 1shmus that
meets the two western continents and from its Pacific
coast north and southward as far as civilization has
spread the steamers of other nations and of
carry intelligence the wealth of the world and thousands
| of travellers.
It is the Presidents opinion that steps should be taken
at once to enable our enerprising merchants to supply
the last link In that great chain which nnes all nations
of the world, by the early establishment of line of
steamers from California to China In order to facilitate
this enterprise it is desirable that We should obtain from
the Emperor of Japan permission to purchase from his
subjects the necessary supply of coal which steamers
in their out and inward voyages may require The we'll
known Jealousy with which the Japanese Empire has for
the last two centuries rejected all overtures from other
nations open its ports their vessels embarrasses all
attempts to change the exclusive policy of that
| try.
The interest of commerce. and those of humanity
demand however. that should make another appeal
to the sovereign Of that country in asking him to sell
the manufactures of his artisan the
results of the toll of his husbandmenbut gift of
Providence deposited by the Creator of all things in the
depths of the japanese Islands for the benefit of the
| human family.
| By the Presidents direction, transmit to you
letter to the Emperor of Japan with open copy
which you to carry to Jeddo his capital in your flag
ship accompanied by many of the vessels of the squad
under you command may conveniently be employed
this service Chinese translation of this letter will
be furnished to you by the United States Legation at
Canton and sent to your anchorage at Hong Kong or
Macao.
At of the latter places you will probably meet with
a national vessel, detached by the Commodore of the
squadron in the Pacific las you will perceive by the
closed copy of correspondence between this and the
Navy Department. to carry to you number Of ship
wrecked Japanese mariners, who some time ago
picked up at sea by the bark Auckland These you
will take with you to Jeddo and deliver them the
officers of the Emperor giving them through your inter
prefer the that the American Government will
fail to treat with kindness any of the natives of
Japan whom misfortune may bring to shores, and
that expects similar treatment of such of its cti
zens who may be driven on the coast of Japan
The letter of the President to the Emperor of Japan
will deliver to such of his high officers he may APP
point for the purpose of receiving it, To them you will
explain the main object of your visit
Mineral coal is abundant in Japan that the govern
ment of that country can have reasonable objection
supplying steamers, at fair prices with that great
necessary of commerce One Of the eastern ports of
Nphon would be the most desirable place for this pur
pose Should however the government of Japan persist
in following out its system Of excusveness you might
perhaps induce them to to the transportation of
the coal by their own vessels to neghborng island
of where the steamers could supply their wants
avoiding thus the necessity of intercourse with any
large number of the people of the country.
1t is considered important that you should avail your
self Of every occasion to impress on those Japanese officers
with whom you will be brought in contact that the gov
ernment of the United States does not
over the religion of its citizens and that there is
therefore, to apprehend that it will interfere
with the religion of other countries,
The President although fully of the great reluc
lance hitherto shown by the japanese government to
terng into treaty stpuations with any foreign natona
feeling which it is sincerely wished that you may be able
to overcome-has thought it proper in anticipation of
this latter favorable contingency to invest you with full
power to negotiate and sign treaty of amity and
merce between the United States and the Empire of
Japan.
transmit herewith the act of the President clothing
you with that power also copies of the treaty between
the United States and China with Siam and the Muscat
wch may to certain extent be of use to you as prece
dents 1t is important that you should secure to
vessels the right to enter of the ports of ia
PAN and there to dispose of their either by sale
by barter without being subjected to extravagant port
charges and even more important is it that the govern
ment of Japan should bind itself protect American
sailors and property which may be their shores The
second article of treaty with Muscat and the fifth
article OF the treaty with Siam embrace these objects
Every treaty has to be subjected to the Senate for rat
cation as In consideration of the great
distance between the two countries and unforeseen diff
ing the object proposed to fix the period for the exchange
OF the notifications at three years. am Sir respectfully
your obedient servant. DANIEL WEBSTER.
The accompanying note from the Minister of the Meth
erands here, will also be found interesting
TRANsLAroS-Note Perbde-It is matter of public
torety that foreign vessels excluded from Japan by
the government of that empire 1t nevertheless
termined in 1872 that fsuch vessels should be upon
the shores of Japan by storms there in of
provisions with view of asking for such commodities
water or wood for fuel those articles should be granted
to them request
For fear however lest this determination prompted as
has been by feelings of humanity should give rise any
false the of Japan has solicited
that OF the Netherlands to inform the other powers that
the above mentioned resolution not infringe upon or
otherwise imply any modification whatever of the system
of separation and exclusion which adopted than
two centuries ago by the japanese and since
the establishment of which the prohibition against allow
ing any foreign vessel to explore the japanese coasts has
been constantly in force
The Dutch government has made difficulty of
plying with the request especially the government of
Japan has no other means of making communication of
this nature and in pursuance of instructions from the
cabinet Of the Hague the Legation ohe Netherlands has
the honor to communicate the above mentioned facts
the Hon Secretary of State of the United States for the
information OF his government. [Cor n. Y, Herald.
April 80 1851