The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-28

pie, their great commerce, manufactures, agri-
culture, and general industry count as no.
thing compared with the Utopian schemes of
abolition which these purblind devotees of an
archy seek to substitute for the federal consti-
tuition.
The News from Representation Test OF the
Value OF Commodore Perry's Treaty.
When the value of our recent treaty with
Japan received such curious exempli6cation
in the case Of the Messrs. Doty Co., we were
told that the treaty was not q commercial one,
and that we were entitled to no trading privi-
leges under it. Recent advices from Nagasa-
XII, published in the Friend Of China, under date
of Nov. II, state that fleet of twelve sail Of
American whalers, which visited Simoda in the
hope of receiving supplies, were treated in the
most uncourteous manner, and the supplies re-
fused. The crews, indignant at such conduct,
helped themselves by force to what they want
ed, paying in hard cash, and on the terms
stipulated by the treaty, for whatever they
took. In the resistance made to them some Of
the Japanese were shot-a result to be de-
plored, but which, nevertheless implies no CEN
sure on our countrymen. If there is any value
in the Perry treaty at all, they visited Simoda
in the clear exercise of right, and the Japa-
nese have themselves alone to blame for the
consequences of their bad faith 1t will not
be asserted, we presume, that the treaty is to
be regarded entirely as a dead letter. II so,
all we can say is that great cry has been
made about an exceedingly small amount Of
wool.
Notwithstanding the evident intention Of the
Japanese government to give as narrow an in
depreciation as possible to their compact with
us, we have yet gained much in other respects
by this effort to break down their jealous sys-
tenn of exclusiveness. This singular empire is
no longer sealed book to us. If the great
guns of Commodore Perrys expedition have
not secured us all the commercial advantages
that we anticipated, the literary aids whom
some degree for their shortcomings. We have
been interested and instructed by their letters,
their books, and their social narratives of what
they have seen, and we have touched and in
spected the curiosities which they brought
home. In addition to this, Commander John
Rogers has surveyed much of the Japanese
coasts, his intercourse and correspondence with
their population exhibiting all the character
istic tact and discretion of that able officer.
With all these lights before us, land to which
Commodore Perry's Forthcoming book can add
but little that is new) it will be asked,
what, in a political and commercial sense,
has been effected by the expedition? We
answer by q paradox-nothing, and yet much.
Commodore Perry told the japanese that
he had been ordered to go to Jeddo, and go
there he would" Yet he did not 60 there.
We were Informed that two ports, and ten miles
around them, were open to all Americans, and
that ships in distress and shipwrecked Ameri-
can seamen would be kindly treated and re-
turned to their countrymen, wherever found in
the dominions of the Emperor of japan.
That there had been no treaty of commerce
with japan, we all know; but we trade with
many nations without such treaty; and when
Capt. Adams, u. S. N, exchanged the ratifca-
ton of the treaty, the great anxiety of the
Japanese was to know "when the merchant
and trading vessels would arrive" SO anxious
were the people to commence traffic The
roline L. Foote-arrived at Simoda very soon
after, laden with ship chandlery for our whal-
ing feet employed in those seas; but it met
with most unfriendly reception Messrs. Doty
& Co., with their families and merchandise, be-
ing expelled both from Simoda and Hakadoda.
Since then American whalers and American
merchant vessels have been to the same ports
To- al III I, H.
treatment. The loss sustained by the owners
of the cargo of the Caroline Z. Foote ought
clearly to be paid by our government; the lat
ter looking for compensation to japan. All
this might have been anticipated. From Col.
Spaldings book, we learn that some officers of
Com. Perrys squadron, who returned to Simo-
da, late at night, from pedestrian excursion,
were not permitted to sleep on the floor of a
temple, and that the Japanese officials, who
were urging them to 60 on board ship, only de-
sisted under the potent influence Of "a revol-
YER" And this occurred after the treaty of
Kanagawa had been signed, and in the pre-
sence of Com. Perry's powerful feet.
Again retrograde move was made by Com.
Perry on his second visit to Simoda, when, in
his " additional articles" he stipulated that all
goods purchased from the japanese must have
the price marked ON them, and the payment
made to government officer; and that no
American should enter any house or building
without permission Could any other means
more efiectually exclude us from trade or from
the people?
Had little more energy and foresight been
exercised in the management of this treaty,
American influence might have been usefully
employed for others, as we'll as ourselves. We
deeply regret the fate of those two clever and
enterprising Japanese students-Isag Kooda
and Kivansu Manji-who came on board the