The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-11-17

we would not submit to this, but woul
drive them off. Here you have the basi
of my Instructions Thus armed, | too
Mr.. Mandarin and interpreter, with m
two interproters-Mr. Williams, i
Chinese, and Mr.. Postman, in Dutch
into the cabin.
After being seated moment, Nh
Mandarin arose, made a S0}dam K
japanese, and then extending his hand
we shook hands; then seated ourselves
using Mr.. Postman as interpreter as tht
japanese interpreter spoke Dutch fluent
ly. | thus opened; Tell the lieutenan
governor (for such was the mandarin
that | am the aid of our chief, the admir-
al, and am instructed to speak for him.
We have come here on q friendly mission
with friendly intentions, to deisver lettel
from the President of the United States t.
your sovereign, the emperor Japan; tha
the letteris ready for delivery by o'clock
/ tomorrow, to any mandarin sufficiently
high to receive it, To this was replied
1T must be referred to higher powers tc
know who can receive the letter. | ther
asked, How long will it take 20 give us
an answer?' They could not tell
said, 4 think the sooner the better, as We
are anxious to be off, The reply was, =
do not think it will take long; and it was
then understood that, in the morning, q
mandarin would be off to receive the let
ter.
I then emphatically said This ship
has aboard the chief-there is his penant
All messages from shore must come here
by high mandarin. No boats must 60
to the other rhips; their commanders
have orders not to permit intercourse;
they have no sight to think, and must O.
hey. We insist that no boats shall hang
around our vessels to watch them This
was not palatable, They said: 1T is Jap
anese custom, law, and we must carry
them out Says l: Tell him, sir, that we
too have our customs, and With n-of-
war one Of the laws is that DO boat is al
lowed to come within a certain range
There was no positive consent given Just
then as to what they would DO they
evaded it by asking questions. Where
are you from From the United States
Of America?' Yes; but what part, Wash
ington, New York, Boston?' My surprise
was SO great, that I smiled and told him
some from Washington, some from New
\ ork, all parts; that the President of the
United States lived in Washington.'-
What is the name Of the ship, how many
people, guns, &C. Tell him, sir, that
we are not traders, we seek no trade, we
are armed ships, and our custom is never
to answer such questions
The questions were again repeated in
pretty much the same way, when | told
Mr.. ?. to make the same reply, and to
add that have n0 curiosity to know how
many men are either in the emperor's
army or in his navy; and also that he
could see for himself that we had four
ships; that we had others in those waters.
when will the others comet 4 don't
know; it depends upon the answer to the
letter What are the contents of the
letter. Tell him, sir, that the letter is
from the President to the emperor Of ia
pan, and it would be most indelicate in
me to inquire into Its contents This re-
buke was received in an apologetic man
ner, and this questioning dropped. l
then again alluded to the boats which
were still clustering around our ship and
the other ships; told him that it was abso-
lutely necessary that they should be
kept off; that this must be done. 'We
shall be sorry, with our kind and friend
ly feelings to you, to do you any harm, or
to come into collision with you; but, if you
do not order your boats off, we shall fire in
to them and drive them off Our boats
are now armed and ready, and we can
not allow you more than fifteen minutes
to give your orders and to keep them off.
AT the end of that time you must suffer-
Mr.. Mandarin went out, told this to the
boats, sent word to the other boats, and
came in. Now | must have an answer.
What have you decided about the boats?'
Il have ordered them off from all the
ships, and with orders only to communi.
cate with this" eyes, from all the ships;
and if any come round you, send word to
the Governor, and he will punish them"
Thus was this point, never before yielded,
conceded. And few more remarks, [
bowed Mr.. Mandrian off, and away he
went on shore, taking the boats off with
him.
My interview with my friend was a :
gain renewed in the evening, and in rath-
er different phrase, which does not
promise to end so peacefully; but to-mor-
row will tell. At present am too tired,
having been up al day from an early hour
and here we are, too, our pistols loaded,
our swords ready at hand, armed men
and sentinels patrolling the decks, guns
loaded, and trained and cast loose; for we
lie down to sleep tonight in the neighbor-
hood of lO,OOO,OOO of men, brave, enter
prising, ready, never conquered. 1t be-
hooves us to be watchful So ] will 60 to
bed and rest.
SUNDAY, July II, II \. M-Tbis hall
lowed day Of quiet has again come a.