The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-19

mand the release Of numerous Europeans and Anne
rcans captured by the jealous and cruel natives and
exhibited in iron cages in various parts of the Japa-
nese territory. A polity similar to that which SO
long closed to other nations the and cities Of
China, and which isolated that people from the uni
yersal world, has co-exsted, with but little reaxa-
ton. in Japan. Spreading over an area gilmore than
100000 square miles, having population Of at least
SO,6OO, 600, rich in many agricultural and mineral
productions, and possessing considerable manufac-
turing Skill it is sealed kingdom to all nations
but the Dutch and the Chinese, who enjoy limited
exchange Of commodities with one or two Of its
cities. It's revenue amounts to forty millions ster-
ling. It's people are spirited, and trained to rude
military discipline. The whole coast is a continued
chain of fortifcations, and custom and law shut it
up in cold and mysterious separation from external
intercourse. We also know it is governed by an
Emperor, who commands an immense standing
army, and that its capital city is Jeddo. But fur
Their, our knowledge has not penetrated.
America has undertaken to break, if possible, this
immemOrable isolation; and not without just plea.
The interests of her whale trade, which is daily
growing into an enormous branch Of enterprise, re-
quire that her aeets should have free access to and
secure shelter along that immense line of sea-board
which lies opposite her Pacific coast And she has
that the harbors ofthe Japanese territory
shall not continue to be more destructive to her
commerce and her crews, than the storms which
drive her ships from the open to the dangers Of
more barbarous shores.
Three war steamers, frigate, a sloop of war; and
. storeship, under the command of the first naval
officer in the United States service-Com. Perry
have started on the expedition, commissioned to
seek amicable arrangement, the release of the
tortured captives, the freedom Of the seas and har
bors to the whole world, and to propose the estab-
shment of commercial relations between the United
States and Japan. The proposal for commercial re-
laton is left to the free choice of the country and
government; but the other propositions are to be
vigorously enforced by the whole strength of the
squadron, If force be necessary. The American
press claims for this project the sympathy Of Europo
and certainly, as far Of the objects of the
expedition 60, they should have the appreciation of
all men, for it is ntoerable that the lives of nnu-
merabe mariners are sacrificed because the laws Of
Japan lnterdict its coast to the fleets Of the world
and that its batteries are opened to murder those
who land upon its Shores not from choice but
from the ycissitudes of career which should excite
commisseration, and command help, above all hui
man occupations. But we confess we are not learned
enough in the abstraction called the laws of ma
tions to admit that it is competent any one coun-
try absolutely impose relationship and intercourse
upon another against its will, and in contraventon
OF its peculiar constitution The interests of civil
cation and Of religion are the ready and habitual
pleas with which the advocates of such sspropaga-
tons silence all directors. But if crueties similar
to those which disgrace the British name in India,
are the only benefits to be derived by civilization,
and if apocryphal conversions, similar to those
achieved tor the Gospel in Southern Africa, be the
only vineyards" to be gained for religion we doubt
the morality and value of such bloody and unholy
conquests.
Let America vindcate and defend the involabili-
OF her seamen and exact protection for those adven
turers of all the earth who live upon the wide and
periious waters; but let her statesmen remember
warning, the infamy which the atroeious opium
war with China brought upon England, and let her
government shrink from forcing upon strange in
dependent, and weaker people, an intercourse which
they do not DESIRE and which may be the fatal pa
rent oftheir subjugation and destruction. She, the
pioneer OF the worlds progress, the sentinel of hui
man liberty, should not push her legitimate de-
mands beyond the exact limits ofrighteousness-s
nerate into gigantic piracy. Let her demonstrate
and arbitrate but let not her unstaned banner wave
above conquered nationality.
From the London Examiner, April II
THE AMERICAN EXPEDITION TO JAPAN.
The great Atlantic republic is about to come into
collision with the empire of Japan, and is sending
an expedition to claim redress for fragrant violations
Of the law Of nations, as well as with the hope to
effect ultimately the grand object of obgng the
japanese to renew that intercourse with the rest of
mankind on which they have virtually laid
an embargo for two centuries. By the laws
of japan, no native of the country can quit
1t, nor foreigner enter it, under pain of death.
or at best of perpetual imprisonment. This law
was enacted in consequence of the intrigues
OF the Portuguese and Spanish priesthood, who ac-
cording to the view taken by the Japanese Of their
conduct, were, under the mask of religious CONVEX
sion, sappng the foundations of government
Before the edicts of secusion and isolation took
ELECT, the Japanese, as do now the Chinese. had
carried on trade with the islands of the Indian
Archipelago and even as far west Malacca and
Bantam their merchants were found in the begin
ming of the sixteenth century, by the Portuguese
on their first arrival in those seas and there
distinguished above all other Asiatic traders for
their integrity. Even ms late as the commencement
OF the subsequent century, we find them employed,
as what we should now call Sepoys, by the European
insular governments, being chosen such from
among many nations, for superior and fidelity
The law OF exclusion has continued to be carried
into effect by the japanese government to the
length of inhumanity; and, indeed, to be effectual
at all, il could hardly be otherwise Foreign ships
in distress approaching the shores Of JAPAN instead
Of being assisted, are repealed by force end insult
shipwrecked mariners are imprisoned, exhibited in
cages put to death and cargoes arc confscated.
There certainly can, in this case be question of
a palpable violation of the law of nature and
nations for independent of the crimes perpetrated
and which amount to virtual piracy, the Japanese
have no more right to preclude access to their
than to bar q similar extent of the ocean, both
being equally the common inheritance of mankind
The subjects of the American republic have of late
been the chief victims of this barbarous and in
toerable law the fishing grounds of their whalers
being close to the Japan islands, which afford,
naturally, their most convenient ports of refuge,
and several hundreds of them passing yearly through
the strait which divides the great island of Niepon
from the more northern large one of jesse.
The Americans, now planted on the shores Of the
Pacific, send force to demand rcparation for uju-
ries done to themselves by such fragrant violation of
the laws OF nature and society-to compel the Japa
nese to renew their intercourse with the rest Of
mankind, ard to iorbear from the practice Of n te
rociors inhespitality. For the common good of the
world and for the sake Of civilization and justice,
we wish them every success, although we have
own doubts whether the means they propose to APP
ply be adequate to the end they contemplate to attain
Let us see. Tho area of the Japanese empire is
said to DO 266,000 square miles, which makes it
larger than France and England put together. The
population is reckoned by the American writers,
and probably without undue exaggeraton, at thirty
millions; less civilized no doubt, shan the Chinese,
but good deal more hardy and warlike. Japan
does rot contain, as China docs, great navigabe ri
vors by which an invader can penetrate into the in
terior nor does one part of the japanese empire de-
pend for food on another, as the northern provinces
OF China dc on those OF the southern, so that the
japanese cannot be starved by en- invader into ca
pituatien, as we starved the Chinese, by carrying
our operations 10 tho head Of the great artery that
feeds the Chinese capital. JAPAN moreover, does
not contain. like China, two distinct races of una
malgamatod men-eonquerors aud conquered-the.
last ready to rise in revolt against the FIRST, md
fer outnumbcring them. The Japanese who rule
and are ruled are, The contrary One and the same