Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-04-20
The Expedition to- Japan.

The Expedition to Japan.
TheEpgHsh and French papers have been quite
eulogistic ofour Government for the projected en-
peditionto the Arctic seas and Japanese coast:-
They appear to entirely miseonceive its objects.
They suppose that it is the purpose of the Gov
ernment of the United States to force COM
neree with Japan by an exhibition of large
naval force. In the hope Of participating III the
advantages ofsuch an intercourse, while the ad-
vantages of such an intercourse, while the expense
and responsibility fall on us, the English Jour-
mails can see no crminality-no wrong in such
an enterprise, yet they read us frequently les
sons on our lust for terrtory,f in pursuit oflaw-
full purposes, we acquire dominion IN any other
part of the world. The annexation ofTexas and
the conquest of California were gross and irrepa-
rable offences against Mexico. But to compel
the Japanese to open their ports to the admis-
sion of foreigners does no violence to the equality
of nations. To compel them to abandon a long
3 cherished system Of policy does no national
wrong; T. -
We cannot comprehend such political ethics.
The japanese have the natural right to exclude
from their ports all whom they choose to exclude,
and to discriminate between one class of foreign
ers and another to admit Hollanders and refuse
to admit Englishmen and Americans. If this
right as theirs, there can be no Justification in
f)rcing them to abandon their peculiar policy
They are bound to treat the officers and crews OF
vessels cast on their shores 'conformably to the
usages Of civilized nations. The japanese Gov
ernmentsh should becompelled to conform to those
usaces. Further than this, there can be no
right to enforce on them our notions of CONNER
cal intercourse.
The English journalists would be glad of the
" support to their own plea, in the example of the
United States, as relatives to China. The Chi
nesewere enforced to admit foreigners to trade
with them, byEngfsh great guns. 1t was made
a question of power. Still we think that more
will be dore by bringing the Chinese, as well As
japanese, into perception of the benefits OF
commercial intercourse by the appliances of peace
than by those of war; The contact Of Chinese
with Americans where they meet on common
theatre of wide enterprise as they do in Califor-
MIA, will do more to spread the knowledge of
these benefits, than the law of the strongest de-
clared at the cannons mouth.
Now if this plea is good, in the case of China
or Japan; it is equally good in the case of Mex
leo or the Island of Cuba The ground of inter
ference in Chinese policy was its exclusiveness-
its injury to general commerce. 1t was not ur-
ged against the. Celestials that they entertained
schemes of conquest against other nations.-
They simply shut themselves up from intercourse
with other countries. There would be no right
to force an individual to surrender his misanthrop
ieal views if be fancied exclusion from all commun-
ion with society. He could not be rightfully
punished for his anti social disposition. So with
nations. And if China and Japan are to be visi-
ted BY the penalties of bomb and congreve rock
ets for refusing intercourse with the rest of the
civilized word-if freedom of commerce is to be
enforced by the cannon's mouth, and not accom-
plished by negotiation, in the case of countries
which have no naval means of.resistance, what
is the difference between the close monopoly which
Mexico and Spain have adopted in every portion
of their territories and the excusiveness of these
Celestials? Why is there not the same right to
make Mexico relax her commercial policy and
Spain to do the same as regards her colonies, as
to lombard the cities of China and Japan, for
the same end?
But, as we have said, there has been total
misconception as to the object ofour Government
IN planning this expedition. 1t is not to compel
the Japanese to ursed their ports-to reverse
their peculiar system of international, or rather
non-nationaI intercourse, but to make fuller en-
ploration than hitherto has been done of the Po-
lar Seas-to indicate the points of danger to
navigation from reefs and shoals that fill that
sea, and on which several of our whalemcn have
p been recently shipwrecked, attended by great
loss Of life. Another object is to induce the ia
panese Government to treat with humanity such
of our mariners as may be driven on the coasts
Of Japan, and as subsidiary to these purposes, to
effect by negotiation, not by force any arrange
ments by which intercourse can be establiehed br.
tween the islands Of the Indian Ocean and our
possessions on the Pacific coast, of the highest
importance since acquisition of California
: Charleston Erening Meas
PRESIDENTIAL CAUcUssING-The htter from
Washington in this mornings Murcnry, is a
forcible appeal to the people Of the State to keep
clear of the entanglcments of the Baltimore