Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-05-05
The Expedition to Japan--nIr. Web.
ster's Instructions to Com. Aulick.

tons from Secretary Webster to Commo-
dore Aulick, of the United States expedi-
ton to Japan. 1t will be observed that
the chief objects of the expedition are
simply to secure protection for the lives
and property of the American citizens
shipwrecked on the Japanese coast, and,
tpossible to effect an arrangement by
which American steamers may be sup
piled with coal The note from the
Dutch Minister, manifests disposition on
the part of the Japanese Government to
make some concession to the necessities
of commerce.
DEpARrMHNr OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, 10th June, l85l.|
Cox. JOHN H. AULrCK-
SIR THE moment is near when the
last link of the chain of oceanic steam ma
yipation is to be formed. From China
and the East Indies, to Egypt, thence
through the Mediterranean, around the
Atlantic ocean to England, thence again
to our happy shores, and other parts of
this great continent; from our own ports to
the southermost part of the Isthmus that
connects the two western continents, and
from its Pacific coast north and south
ward, as far as civilization has spread, the
steamers of other nations, and of our
own, carry intelligence, the wealth of the
world, and thousands of travellers.
1t is the Presidents opinion that steps
should be taken at once, to enable our
enterprising mechanics to supply the last
link in that great chain, which unites all
nations of the world, by the early estab-
lishment of line of steamers from Cali
fornia to China. In order to facilitate
the enterprise, it is desirable that we
should obtain from the Emperor of Japan
permission to purchase from his subjects
the necessary supplies of coal, which our
steamers in their out and inward voyages
may require. The well-known jealousy
with which the Japanese Empire has, for
the last two centuries rejected all over
lures from other nations to open its ports
to their vessels, embarrasses all new at
tempts to change the exclusive policy of
that country.
The interests Of commerce, and even
those of humanity demand, however,
that we should make another appeal to
the sovereign of that country, in asking
him to sell to our steamers-not the man
ufactures of his artizans, or the results of
the toll of his husbandmen-but gift of
Providence, deposited by the Creator of
all things, in the depths of the Japanese
islands, for the benefit of the human fa-
mily.
By the Presidents direction, l now
transmit to you letter to the Emperor
of Japan, with an open copy,) which
you are to carry to Jeddo, his capital, in
your flag ship, accompanied by as many
of the vessels of the squadron under your
command, as may conveniently be en-
plOyed in this service. A Chinese trans
lation of this letter will be furnished to
you by the United States legation at Can
ton, and sent to your anchorage at Hong
Kong or Macao.
AT one of the latter places you will
probably meet with national vessel, de-
tached by the Commodore of the squad
ron in the Pacific (as you will perceive
by the enclosed copy Of correspondence
between this and the Navy DEPARTMENT.
to carry to you number OF shipwrecked
Japanese mariners, who were some time
ago picked up at sea by the barque
Auckland. These men you will take
with you to Jeddo, and deliver them over
to the officers of the Emperor, giving them
through your interpreter, the assurance
that the American government will never
fail to treat with kindness any of the ma
tives of Japan whom misfortune may
bring to our shores and that it expects
similar treatment Of such of its own citi-
zens rs may be driven on the coast of ia
pan.
The letter of the President to the En-
peror of Japan you will deliver to such
of his high officers as he may appoint for
the purpose of receiving it. To them
you will explain the main object of your
visit.
Mineral coal is so abundant in Japan,
that the government of that country can
have no reasonable objection to supplying
our steamers at fair prices, with that great
necessary of commerce. One of the cas-
tern ports of Niphon would be the most
desirable place for this purpose, Should,
however, the government of Japan persist
in following out its system of exclusive
ness, you might, perhaps, induce them to
consent to the transportation of the coal
by their own vessels to neighboring is
land, easy of access, where the steamers
could supply their wants, avoiding thus
the necessity of an intercourse with any
large number of the people of the country.
1t is considered important that you
should avail yourself of every occasion to
impress on those Japanese officers with
whom you will be brought in contact, that
the government Of the United States does
not possess any power over the religion of
its own citizens, and that there is, there
fore, no cause to appehsnd that it will in
tcrfere with the religion of other coun-
tries.
The President, although fully aware of
the great reluctance hitherto shown by
the Japanese Government to enter into