Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-04-01
The Expedition to Janan

sist of the steam vessels Mississippi. Sus-
quehana and Princeton, and frigate soop-
oG-war, and storeShp. Besides their usu-
al armament, these vessels will have on
board light field pieces and other offensive .
arms suitable for any emergency. Commo-
dore Perry will command the squadron
The causes which have led our govern
rnent to this step are not officially explained,
nor is the precise object of the expedition
declared. 1t is understood, however. that
Commodore Perry will demand the liberia
tion OF a number of American sailors, whom, !
it is reported the japanese are exhibiting in
cages, like wild beasts lie will also de-
mand that American vessels shall be per-
mittcd to enter japanese harbors, when in
distress, or when obliged TO make repairs.
Our whale fisheries, in the ncighborhood
Of Japan, are very extensive. Many YES
sells in going to or returning from the wha-
ling seas are obliged to pass between two
large japanese islands; and when any one
is unlucky enough TO be cast ashore, the
crew are seized and either Gagged or killed,
/, or something outrageous is done with them.
The whalers have TO sail all the way to the
Sandwich Islands to make the necessary re-
pairs. Within the last year one hundred
and twenty y-cnc Of them were in the har-
Dor of those islands AT ,,one time. They were
thus put to an enormous expense, merely
because the japanese are determined TO hold
no intercourse with foreigners.
These are the special complaints that
have been uttered against the unSocial Isl
anders, and if they are true they are heavy
enough. Our sailors, in their arduous ser
vice, do not merely run the ordinary risk Of
shipwreck, but have the additional terror
before their eyes of vast Archipelago, the
inhospitable shores of which it is death to
touch, either Intentionally, or when driven
by the relentless fury of the elements.
We repeat, that if all the stories now cir
culatng arc true, our Government should
hasten to demand redress; but some partic-
S ular case of violation of the law of humani-
!, ty should be taken as the subject Of rcmon-
STRANGE. If it is known that American sal
lors, who have been shipwreckcd, arc now
imprisoned in Japan, demand should be
= made for them, and with this demand pro-
. test should be made against the inhumanc
regulations Of the Empire. This is moro
consistent and justiliablc than TO make I
sudden protest, backed by an armed squad,
ron, against 4 policy TO which all the worlC
i has thus far quietly submitted. We think il
'' more than probable that Commodore PER-!
= is instructed to demand-iirst, the Liberation
, of certain sailors known TO be IN Japan, ant
% afterwards, 70 insist upon more hospltab!c
y treatment In future.
" 1t is asserted, however, that Cummodor,
Perry's instructions take wider field
d The New York Courier and Enquirer say ;
= If we are correctly informed, Commodore
Is Perry will not only demand readers for pas
d offences against US. and the release Of AL,
% who may be held i'll bondage merely Tor hav
h ing been east upon their shores by Provi
/ dencc-no matter 10 what nation they ma,
10 belong. And he will insist, too, that in flI
At ture all the nations Of the world shall hay
re the right to seek the hurbors Of Japan il
re stress of weather, and to repair damages
and that they shall be hospitality receive
g and their wants be supplied by such as ma
at be disposed to aid them, istead of punishin
le with death, as at present, whosOeycr dare
n succor the distressed. So far as commerc
ly is concerned, if anything can be accomplish
&c ed, it will, Of course, be the result Of peace
- full negotiation; and he will not negotiate fo
c, the L. States only. But he will claim an
ar insist that all nations Of the people Shal
d have the right to use the ports of Japan i
III distress, and be protected by the Govern
st ment. We do not suppose that he will At
e, tmpt forcbly to interfere with any of thei
IN police regulations, or demand the right I
as land men, if the wants Of commerce ar
lie freely supplied without landing.
( A great deal has been said since this eXpc
\ dition was first spoken Of, concerning tn
c, right TO force these refined barbarianS int
"A the family Of mankind. As the Japanes
1- do not Interfere with the rest of the worlt
j." and are probably quite as happy as the ay
&c erage Of nations, it would be hard TO dis
n prove their right TO maintain their exclusiy
Il policy; but whenever this exclusyenes il.
ir terfere with the rights Of others, as in III
,c cases mentioned above, the whole face c
e. the question is changed. From all we ca
ID gather, we feel convince led that nothing NOR
t, than demand for justice is intenoed in III
Y, paesent instance, and that the reports of
at design TO force the Japanese to trade wit
us, are utterly groundless. Such an attelRl
would be no trifling one, as Japan boasts
5; population greater than our own, has som
Y, idea of war and has all her forts Strongl