The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-12-01
From tie Washington Sentinel.
Japan. { Om m odOre Perry's Expedi.
tiOu.


Japan zoe modore Perry's Expedi-
tiOn.
We are under great obligations Tor the privilege of
publishing the following extracts from etter written
by prominent and distinguished officer Of the United
States Navy, to his esnahG ssiie, resident in this
city, The extracts contain matters Of interest. aud
cannot fail TO arrest the atteutou Of readers al
though not intended for publication and written with
the freedom and minueness which always distinguish
snch correspondence; they will, therefore, be pc
rnsed with more avdiiy than il prepared purposey
for the press,
FnIDAv, July g. 1853.
"'Tis distance lends enchan,ment the view -
Here ia the habor of .eddo, after running
nearly 80, 600 miles OF seas and of
ous cmcs--here at ANCHOR four miles higher up the
bay than has We; anchored ship bearing Christ
ian iag. We anchored at : L. ~, and soon large
boats, rowed cheery with about twenty men, and in
each some mandarins, OF gentlemen, with two swords,
neat and we'll dressed swarMIng OFF 18th deter
n,in,tion fell TO or board, demand the names
the nation, and the intentions of the four crafts thus
coming boldly ia in JOY aud calm. They wero met
! with wave ot the baud, and keep off, al
lowed TO come Oh board save the highest mandarin -
This literally took them all a,ack, but they clustered
together aud insisted upon admitiahce. AT last u
voice said in Dutch, do You speak iol!andcse? Soon
the Commodore Clerk, Mr.. Postman, was in high
coniab.
er much pei sua-Ion their part, aud their Insist
nodoe ordered me to put on my uniform, and 10
ceive him and the Interpreter on board In the cabin,
and TO represent himself. saying that mission
friendly one. We the bearers of letter from the
President Of the United States TO bis Majesty Of ia
pan, that ii was necessary send on board a heli
mandarin TO receive tnis letter, and the sooner the
beter. Again. Was to luslst upon il that boats should
rot lie, by the hundtcd, near and around ships
thus guarding and watching has been their Gus
tom. (Ihe Columbus and NinCennes having from
five hundred To thousand boats around them con-
slantly, all linked togc,her) That we would not
submit to this, but would drive them OF. Here YOU
have the lasis Of my Instructions. Thus armed,
took Mr. Mandarin and interpreter, with nav two in.
terrrctc Mr.. Williams, in Chinese and Mr. Post.
man, ia Dutch into the cabin.
After being seated "A moment, Mr.. Mandarin arose
made saiaan, Ia Japueae, aud then extending hi.
hand, shook hands; then seated ON selves, using
MIR. Posman as interpreter, rs the japanese intcpre
ter spoke puich fluently thus opened Tell tn,
Lieut. Governor {ior such the mauJarin) tha,
am The AID oi ou chief. the ad,nIa aud dm Instruct
ed to speak Tor hun. We have come here on a friend
y mission, with friendly intentions, To deliver lciie
from the President OF the United States To ,our soy
ereign the imp peror Of Japan that the letter is ra
dy ior delivery by o o'clock Tomorrow to any man
DARN sufficiently high to receive it,. To this va:
replied: :" Ii must be referred to higher powers
know who receive The letter" then asked
" How long viii il take to give US answer!''--
sThey could tell.'' SAID, Z" think the sooner
the DETER, AZ We are anxious 10 be OH. ne rcpi,
was, " do not think it will take long, and II Ma.
then understood that in ihc morning, a mandari.
would be oil 10 receive the letter.
! then cmphaticay said: 6 This ship has aLoart
the chef-thcre is his ponnant. All messages fou
shore must come hcre bya high mandarin. No boat,
.ngst go to the other SLIPS their commanders have
orders no. to permit intercourse; they haye ,ish
10 thuh aud must obey. We insist that ~ boat.
shall hang around vessels 10 watch them.' Thi.
was not paiatabIe. They said: " 1t is japanese Gus
tom, law, and we must carry them out. Sans j
{" Tell him, Sir, that we too have our customs ano
with men Of war of the laws is that no boat !.
allowed to come within certain range" There
was positive consent given just then to wha,
they would do; they cvadcd it by asking questions
/" Where your Goml1 50 From the United State.
Of Amercar' ''les; but what part--W ashington
New Yotk, Doston!' My surprise was grca, ,ha
l smiled and told him, 6 Some f. ON Washington
some from New Yok; all parts; that the Pre>cn
Of the Cpited States lived IN Washington. . " ha
is the name of the ship. how nany nro?le, guns, 81
'sTeH him, Sir, that not traders, seek nc
trade, UWeI Sif@, aud our custom u Gcrcr tC
answer such questions"
The questions again reported in pretty much
the same way, when told Mr.. I. to make the same
reply, aud to add that ] have M ciu1osdy to know
how man, men either ia the Emperor's army 81
IN his navy; and also that he could see tor himsel
that had others IN these waters. " W hen " il
the others comel'' '' / don, know; it depends upor
the answer to the letter" What are the content.
Of the lettcr!" "TcIi him, Sir tha, the letter i.
from The President to the Emperor ot Japan, and i
would he most Indciica,c NJ Inc to inquire into II,
contents" This rcbuhe was received ~ aposU
ectic manner, and this question dropped. l thcf
again alluded To the boats which still cos te,inl
around ship and the other ships; told him that u
was absolutely necessary that they should be kcpt OF
that this must be done. . We shall be sorry, uitl
our kind and friendly feelings To you, Ia do yoU auS
r harm, coliiso 9TH you; but, If you
do not o,der your boats of, shall tie into then
and drive them of. Our boats armed aud
ready, aud cannot allow YOU more than h!leer
tuiuies give Your orders aud To- keep them od A
the END oi this tune you must sudcr.'
Mr.. Mandarin went out, told tbIs to the bOats, SEM
word 10 the other boats, and came in. :" Now l mus
have an answer. What have You decided :tIout the
boats!'' " have ordered them oil IRON all the ships
) and with orders ONLY communicate with this
:" Yes, from all the ships; aud i any come aronnd
you send word to the Governor, and he viii punish
them Thus was this point, never before yielded
conceded. After few more remarks, bowed Mr.
Mandarin on, and away he shore, taking the
boats OF with him
Nv interview with my friend was again renewed in
;he evening and ia rather different phase, which
does promise TO open peacefully, bu tomorrow
will tell At present | am too tired, having been uI
all day from an car hour-;,nd here are, too
pistols loaded, our ords ready at hand armed ncr
and seniineIs parong the decks, guns loaded and
trained and cast loose; for IIe down TO tlccp to-
NIGHT in The neishbolhood of 10 900 600 Of men,
brave ent rprisiur, ready, never conquered. Ia De-
hooves us to be watchiul. SO will TO bed and rest