The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-10
Vol. ~.

| eHorts OF that forbidden commerce against which
| kened. - - =
The squadron on the coast of Brazil ia command d.
| ed by Commodore McKeever, and Is composed
only Of his flag ship, the frigate Congress, Com
mander Pearson, and the sloop of war James.
town, Captain Downing, with the sore-ship Re-
| lief. Lieotenant Hitchcock. II has rendered use
fui service to the public interests in that quarter
| ana Deen found adequate to all the demands o
| our varied and extensive commercial intercourse
| there. -
Commodore McKeever will return in the spring
with his ship, and his place will be supplied by
captain Salter, who has received preparatory or
Gers 20 tne trigate Savannah, to be commanded by
Commodore Silas H. Strin CHAM has command OF
the mediterranean squadron in the frigate Cumber
land, Commander Turner. His force consists Of
| the steamer Jan Jacinto, Captain Crabb; and the
i sioops. OF war st. Louis, Commander Ingraham;
| and Levant. Commander Goldsborough. This
squadron will probably be reinforced hereafter by
me steamer Princeton or the Saranac. If either Of
1 these vessels may be spared from the service al
home, and the San Jacinto, which is now under
going repairs at Trieste, in that event may be or.
| dered back TO the United States.
! This squadron has been conspicuously engaged
| in various service connected with our importan,
commercial and political relations to the countries
bordering on the Mediterranean, and has per-
formed its duties with commendable zeal and the
best results. We have been able through the ex
ertions OF Commodore Strngbam, to obtain a per-
manent arrangement for the accommodation Of our
| ships at Spezzia by the good will of the King OF
SARDINIA; and all that the public interest and con
venlence require in safe and commodious naval
| depot we may now regard secured.
Inc squadron on the coast of the United States,
| or the home squadron, under the command Of
Commodore ]. r. Newton, consists at this time OF
the frigate Columbia. the flag ship Of the commo.
dore, and commanded by Commander Fender
grast, the steamer Saranac, Captain Long; the
G sioops.orf war Albany. Commander Gerry. and
| ton, Commander jackson. The steam frigate
Powhatan, Captain Mervine, wac short time ago
attached to this squadron, and Immediately de-
sPatched with the commodore on board. on special
service to the porte of Havana and Vera Cruz.
Upon his return from this voyage it found ne
cessary, in consequence of the disability of the
Princeton, to change her station and place her in
the East India squadron. liyt ,#. j. t..a4 "a
The steamer Saranac, detailed for duty in the
home squadron, sailed on the 4,h of October last
Tor Rio de Janeiro, under the command of Captain
Long, giving conveyance to the late Brazilian
Charge d'Affaires, the Chevalier de Sodre to the
seat OF his own government. Captain Long will
be back, s supposed, in few weeks, to reassume
ms position in the squadron from which he was
detached, or for such other service as may await
him. t.fa .s.-. !, T1. - = -
The Cyane has been recently ordered to cruise
IN the neighborhood of the Island of Cuba and to
visit the port of Havana. The Albany is ordered
main at Pensacola. ss2' la... 'g,rr- .',-as
The steamer Mississippi having been in condi.
ton Tor her cruise to the East Indies some time in
ADVANCE OF the rest OF the squadron, was employed
IN the month Of August last on visit to the coast
OF the British provinces upon our northern border
IN service connected with the question of the
Fisheries She returned early in the month of
september TO resume her allotted station, and to
await the period of her departure upon the long
voyage IN which she ia now engaged EN sala7
E Explorations and Surveys. # sa>
During the past year the attention of this De.
partmcnt, in conjunction with the Department of
state, mas been directed to the employment Of the
ment to the commercial interests OF the country
the endeavQr to establish relations of amity and
commerce with the empire Of Japan.
The long intcrdict which has denied to strangers
access to the ports or territory of that country,
and the singuiarly inhosptabe laws which It's
governmest has adopted to secure this exclusion
having been productive, of late years. Of gross op.
preston and cruelty to citizens of the United
States, II has been thought expedlent to take some
cHective measure to promote better understa nd.
ing with ths populous and semi bar barous empire;
to make the effort not only to obtain from them
the observance of the rights of humanity to such
OF our people as may be driven by necessity upon
their coasts, but also TO promote the higher and
more valuable end of persuating them to abandon
their Improbable policy Of seclusion, and gradu-
ally to take place in that general association Of
commerce in which their resources and industry
would equally enable them to confer benefits upon
others and the fruits of higher civilization upon
The extension of the domain of the United States
to the shores of the Pacific, the rapid settlement OF
California and Oregon, the opening of the high
way across the lsthmus of Central America, the
great addition to our navigation employed in trade
with Asatic nations, and the increased activity of
our whaling ships in the vicinity of the northern
coast OF Japan, are now pressing upon the consid-
GRAFTON Of this Government the absolute necessity
OF reviewing our relations to those Eastern COM
munities which lie contiguous to the path of our
trade. The enforcement of q more liberal system
Of intercourse upon China has met the approval of
the civilized world, and it's benefits are seen and
felt, not less remar kably in the progress of that
ancient empire itself than in the activity which it
has already impaired to the pursuit Of Eastern
commerce. China ia awaking from the lethargy
OF thousand years to the. perception of the spirit
OF the present era, and is furnishing her
quota TO the adventure which distinguishes and
stimulates the settlement of our western coast
These events have forced upon the people of
America and Europe the consdera ton Of the ques
ton how for ii il consistent with the rights oil the
civilized world to defer to those announcement and
unsoc!al customs BY which nation capable of con-
tributing to the relief Of the wants OF humanity
shall be permitted to rcnouncc that duty; whether
any nation may claim to be exempt from the ad-
mitted Christian obligation Of hospitality to those
strangers whom the vocations of commerce or the
lawful pursuits OF industry may have incidentally
brought In need OF its assistance; and the still
stronger case, whether the enlightened world will
tolerate the infiic,ion OF punishment or contune-
hous treatment upon the unfortunate voyager
whom the casualties Of the sea may have compelled
to an unwilling infraction of barbarous law.
These are questions which are every day be-
coHiiuB tuoTe bignlIlCdnt- mat oriental 6entl-
ment which. hardened by the usage and habit of
centuries, has dictated the inveterate policy of
national isolation in Japan, it is very apparent,
will not long continue to claim the sanctity OF a
national right to the detrimen Of the cause Of uni
versal commerce and civilization, at This time so
signally active in enlargng the boundaries Of hu-
man knowledge and the diffusion of comfort over
the earth. The day has come when Europe and
America have found on urgent induccmcnt to de-
mand Of Asia and Africa the rights OF hospitality,
OF aid md comfort, shelter and succor, to the men
who pursue the great higbroads of trade and ex-
poration over the globe. Chris,endom is con-
strained, by the pressure of an increasing nccess
~. to publish its wants and declare its rights to
the heather, and in making it's power felt will
bring innumerable blessings to every race which
sbali acknowledge its mastery.
Inc Government of the United States has hap |
ply placed itself in the front of this movement, |
aud IL may be regarded one of the most encour-
aging guarantees Of lite that the expedition
which has just left our shores takes with it the
earnest good wishes, not only of our own country,
but OF the moet enlightened communities Of Eu.
rope. The opening of Japan has become neoes.
sity which is recognised in the commercial adven-
ture OF all Christian nations and is deeply felt by
every owner of an American whalcship and every
voyager between California and China.
This important duty has been consigned to the