Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-12-16

whicn foreign nations have been hereto
fore almost wholly excluded.
The correspondence Of The late Sec
rotary Of State, with the Peruvian Charg,
d Affairs, relative to the Lobos Islands
was communicated to Congress TOWARD
the close of the last session; since tina
time, on further investigation of the sub,
ject, the doubts which had been enter.
tanned of the title of Peru to those Is.
lands have been removed, and / have
deemed il just that the temporary wrong
which lad been unintentionally done hel
from want Of information should be re-
paired by an unreserved acknowledge
ment Of her sovereignty.
| have the satisfaction of informing
you that the course pursued by Peru
has been creditable to the liberality OF
her government. Before it was known
by her that her title would be acknowl-
edged at Washington, her Minister OF
foreign affairs had authorized our Charge
d'Affairs at Lima, to announce to the
American vessels which had gone to the
Lobos for guiana, that the Peruvian Gov
eminent was willing to freight them on
its own account. This intention has
been carried into effect by the Peruvian
Minister here, by an arrangement which
is believed to be advantageous to parties
interested.
The settlements on the shores of the
Pacific, have already given a great ex-
tension, and in some respects, new di.
rection TO eur commerce in that Ocean.
A direct and rapidly increasing inter-
course has sprung up with Eastern Asia.
The waters of the Northern Pacific, and
even into the Arctic Sea, have of late
years been frequented by our whaIemen.
The application Of steam to the general
purposes of navigation is becoming daily
more common, and makes it desirable to
obtain fuel and other necessary supplies
at convenient points on the route between
Asia and our Pacific shores. Our un-
fortunate countrymen, who from time to
time, suffer shipwreck on the Coasts Of
the Eastern seas are entitled to protec-
ton.
Besides these specific objects, the gen.
eral prosperity Of our States on the Pa
cific requires that an attempt should be
made to open the opposite regions Of
Asia, to mutually beneficial intercourse.
1t is obvious that this attempt could be
made by no power to SO great advantage
as by the United States, whose constitu-
tional system excludes every idea of CO.
lonial dependencies. have accordingly
been led to order an appropriate naval
force to Japan, under the command of a
discreet and intelligent officer, of the
highest rank known TO our service. He
is instructed to endeavor TO obtain from
the government of that country, some
relaxation of the inhos pitable and anti
social system which it has pursued for
about two centuries. He has been d-
rected, particularly, to demonstrate in
the strongest language against the cruel
treatment to which our shipwrecked
mariners have often been subjected, and
to insist that they should be treated with
humanity. He is instructed, however
at the same time, to give that Govern
ment the amplest assurances that the OBJ
jects of the United States are such only
as l have indicated and that the Expe-
dition is friendly and peaceful. Not
wiihstanding the jealousy with which
the governments OF Eastern Asia regard
all overtures from foreigners, am not
without hope Of beneficial result of the
Expedition. Should it be crowned with
success, the advantages will not be con-
fined to the United States, but, as in the
case Of China, will be equally enjoyed
by all the other maratime powers.
have much satisfaction in stating that in
all the steps, preparatory to this Expedi-
tion, the government of the United States
has been materially aided by the good
offices of the King of the Netherlands,
the only European power having any
commercial relations with Japan.
To BE CONCLUDED.