The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-13


island will be selected in their stead.
On the 9th ult sitter the treaty had been signed,
Commodore Perry had signifed his intention Of
giving an entertainment to the four Imperial Com
The railroad and electric telegraph taken by the
squadron to Japan were in successful operation
when the Susquehanna left.
The Japanese utterly deny having made any treaty
or concessions whatever, to or with the Russian
government.
After the treaty was concluded, Captain Adams
would Immediately leave in. the Saratoga for
America, via San Francisco, with full dispatches and
intelligence.
The officers of the steamer speak in high terms Of
the reception they have met with, all the arrange.
ments having been OF q most pacific nature.
FUNERAL OF AN AMERICAN SAILOR,
[Prom the China Mail April 81
One of the standing opinions about the Japanese,
destined to be thrown down by Commodore Perry,
has been, that they were invincibly intolerant Of
Christianity Indeed, this has generally been assign
ed as main reason for their exolusveness. To the
emblem of the cross they still object, but the story
of the expelled Portuguese, that every Christian
landing at Japan was required to trample on 1t, or
on representation ofthe Virgin and Saviour, must,
If true have been almost entirely confined to them
selves and their coregonists. More recent writers,
who have been able to deny that such Ia now the
custom, tell us the practice Of religious rites is
prohibited by irrevocable japanese laws" but the
following narrative Of the funeral Of marine Of the
United States squadron shows that there as little
foundation ff the one statement as for the other
On the 9th Of March, the day following the first
meeting between Commodore Perry and The Impe-
of commercial treaty, a soldiers and Christian
burial was given to q marine, Robert Williams, who
had died few days before on board the steamer
Mississippi The party detailed for this purpose,
lain in his gown, an escort of eight marines in
charge of corporal, and four marines bearers Of
the corpse Two boats left the ship; one containing
the officers and the other the body and escort.
rooch no no tn mat nv
veral Japanese officials, ready to conduct them to
the grave. The escort landed first, and received
the body with the usual honors. The little process
sion was then formed; first the escort, followed by
the music, drum and fife; next the body borne the
shoulders of four messmates and then the Chaplain
with the other officers, and few sailors from the
boats bringing up the rear In this order with the
music playing Q dead march, the party moved to
the grave winding through the streets Of village
q distance Of nearly half mile. On either side Of
the road, and on the surrounding hills, at the foot
of people, men, women and children, could be seen,
all manifesting eager curiosity to witness sight
entirely novel in their land.
l could not but think as we passed along how
strange, not only the procession, but each of in
dividually, must appear to that eager throng, not
one Of whom probably had ever before looked upon
the face of stranger from foreign country; and
yet there was no undue noise made, or apparent
alarm on the part Of any of them-only intense in
terest in observing what was passing before them.
/ As we neared the grave (Which occupied q very
heard"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the
Lord; he that believeth In me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live and whosoever liveth
and believeth in me, shall never die" As we
gathered round the grave and the reading Of the
beautiful and touching burial services proceeded,
the scene was one Of unusual interest for the
time and place, and circumstances, all c0nspired to
make it, as incident honorable to short sooum
in land where for centuries it Is said the symbol Of
our religion has been trodden under foot The
church burial service ended, the escort fired three
volleys over the grave. had expected that on this
there would have been some commotion among the
crowd, but noticed only, at the first discharge,
that for moment there was slight movement, "a
Of surprise, and then all were again quiet and atten
tive observers.
Having now committed to Che earth, with all due
honor, the remains Of our deceased shipmate, the
procession was reformed, and with music to the
front, again passed through the village and the
Here we took leave Of the officials, who throughout
the entire ceremony had conducted themselves with
great proprety, and extended to Us every cvility,
and returned to the ship pleased with the conscious
ness OF not Only nay-s w.s,ssseu, vu, asslsred IN
giving such honors, in such place, to deceased
brother. W. Is.
From the Hong Kong Register, April Ill
ON THE OPENING OF JAPAN.
The next mail viii carry hence one Of the most
important pieces Of intelligence that has ever left
this Of late years-the opening Of the empire Of
the tale is the ease with which 1t has been DONE 1t
reads like some story Of enchanted adventure re
served for one true knight alone to accomplish, all
Ss1e Ssas assn S ts Sns the real
walls fall away by magic and the victorious knight
enters with ease the hitherto forbidden precincts
not only no one saying him nay, but, on the con-
trary, every one meeting him with hearty vel
| come.
Such in sober reality, has been the result Of Com
modore Perys expedition; all doubts are at an end,
| and Japan, with the easiness with which it has
- - -
nations, seems only not to have done 20 before,
from not having been asked. Now that the way has
been shown we will doubtless shortly have an
English and French ambassador on the spot, to
ed by the Americans. This win crave wary walking
to avoid collision with the Japanese on that most
important point with them, religious interference.
Commodore Perry has expressly pointed out. or
his government has nothing to say TO the religion
Of Its subects and Is therefore not likely 10 inter-
| fere with the religion Of the subjects Of other
st,tes: w,eat n.sin can make the same statement
ment OF France, however, can give no such salts
factory assurance she claims to herself the parti
cular mission Of protecting Romanism, in Rome,
in Siam, in China, and in general among all barbar
rous nations. mi, Annuairs de Dur Mondes; AnnSe
l651-l852, the fact is explicitly declared a 70
China; at the same time the following more sensibe
remarks under the head Japan" would lead rs to
infer more reasonable and moderate measures:
On salt que le cathoncisme, ntrodut Il suite dss
Portugais par les missionaries jesutes await
mencement du KYLE steele, opere de nombreusea
sions psrmi les populations jspanaises mails reaction
tut terrible, une persecution generate stoua complete
men les premiers germes du christiAnisme qu jusqui
ce jour ma pu franchir dc lss barrsres que
pcltique oppose propaganda des d6es ct dss cultes
Dc rEurope On w plus haut svec quei soin dams h
eitre quil Went decrre SrEmpereur do Yedo e Pr6si
dent des Et.s Uns expque que pagent envoye lui
Ia tate de lexpedon smericaine est nulemsnt
desperer que Ia fol chreticnne DOVE prochalncment
ressaisr Japon linnuence qu'ele perdue toute
tentative de &c genre sers aujourdhui prematuree ct
compromsttrst pavenir.
This Ia good sound common sense, but yet all
three countries, whatever their governments pub
lie writer's may say, have within Thorn the elements
of disturbance OF peaceful relations with Japan.
The Protestant missionary will exercise his right Of
doing what he conceives his duty, by preaching the
4. al