The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-18
Our Relations with J' Ipan-Neccssity for =
New treaty.

New Treaty.
The Hon, Townsen'l Harris was announced to
leave. in the Pacific. for Siam. His mission ex-
tends to several Estate States; among others,
to the Empire Of Japan where il is expected that
he will shortly conclude treaty of commerce
With the Emperor. That he has been sent
abroad with such instructions is alone sufficient
evidence that the administration does not in
tend to sustain Messrs. Doty and his friends in
their claim to reside and trade at Simoda.
Whatever the intention Of President Fillmore
may have been, and whatever the desire Of
the American people, it seems certain enough
that the treaty concluded by Commodore Perry
is open to the Interpretation placed upon it by
the Japanese. 1t does not contain any specific
stipulation in favor of the residence of foreign
ers at Japan; and in the absence of any such
provision, it may be fairly argued that the
common law Of Japan cannot be assumed to
have been superseded by implication. Com
mander Rodgers reasoning is all very well !;
but the Japanese may certainly claim the right
Of interpreting temporary residence" to
mean residence for five or six days. or at most
a few months, just as reasonably as Mr.. Doty
interpreted it to mean residence for half life
time.
There is no use in regretting what has been
done. The treaty is not what it ought to be-
every one knows that but it's omissions can
not be honestly supplied by stretching the
sense Of the words it does contain. If the ia
panese authorities had been anxious to trade
with Americans, they would not have raised
the objection they have but being loath to
depart from their old policy, they have con-
strued the treaty strictly; and it is greatly to
be feared that they cannot in any way or shape
be called to account for what has been called
breach of the treaty.
The thing now to be done is U follow up the
loose convention made by CommSdore Perry by
sensible commercial treaty. 1t is with this
object that the Hon. Townsend Harris will re-
pair to JAPAN and seek open intercourse with
the authorities under the treaty. 1t is hardly
to be expected that he can fail in his design.
Without commercial treaty, the intercourse
with japan would be q mere empty form,
which would have been dearly purchased at a
1.-THE Of the cost of Commodore Perry's expe-
diton. To be allowed to land and buy water
and coal-on the condition that every move
ment on shore shall be watched by government
officials, and Reconciliation compelled the
moment the work of necessity is completes
a privilege certainly; but it is one which no
nation of bowling savages has yet denied to
mariners in distress. It is no credit to Japan
that it's government should attempt to narrow
the treaty of Kanagawa within such limits. 1t
is not from any want of intelligence that they
do this. The japanese, we know, are remarka.
bly, shrewd, and even enlightened. There is
no occasion to waste time in explaining to
them that unless they follow up the treaty of
last year by new one, under which permanent
residence shall be granted to Americans their
gift will have been barren, and their conduct
towards Perry will even bear an appearance
of duplicity. What they seemed to grant, in
fact, they will really have withheld Should
this case be presented, the United States gov
ernment will be bound to give consideration to
those topics which were discussed some time
back, when the possibility of total rejection of
Perry's overtures was foreseen The old ques-
tion-whether any race or set Of people have
right to set apart q portion of Gods earth
for their exclusive use, and to refuse to suffer
it to perform the office allotted to it in the
distribution of natural wealth over the world
will be revived. In such discussion even
the hardships of Doty and Richardson would
not be ignored, and the paramount duty of
teaching the Asiatics that an American citizen
cannot be wronged' with IMMUNITY would he
allowed full weight.
The ARCTIC ExPEpuIoNs-CoNuANDER HART
srEiS.-Among our telegraphic dispatches