Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-04-08
FOR the Standard.
UNITED STATES JAPAN EXPEDITION.

For the Standard.
UNITED STATES JAPAN EXPEDITION.
No true American can read without blush the
account Of Commodore Perrys visit to Japan, which,
by authority of Congress, has receatly been pub
lished in quite an imposing form. It cannot be
otherwise than humiliatng 70 his pride and his
sense of true manliness, to have published to the
world the apish dignity, silly manouvring idle
bravado and pompous formaty which that function
airy displayed throughout his intercourse with that
people, with the apparent sanction Of our govern
ment Apart from his conduct to obtain the per-
mission, the ceremony he exhibited on his visit to
the palace on the Island of Lu Chew was ridiculous
in the ex RENE, and We beg the world not to regard
it as meeting the sanction of our people, or in any
degree reflecting their habits or their taste. The
sedan of State which he fitted up for the OCCASION
gorgeously painted and still more gorgeously deco
rated" and upon which he was borne by eight
Chinese coolies to the palace, is not even known in
our country. The idea of being borne on the Shout
ders of eight men, with all the pomp and circum-
stance of war; attended by pages and an armed body
guard with long train Of marines marching to
military music and in military order, startes the
plain Democracy and excites the enquiry: why
is this thing? 1t strikes US that an American ought
to act like an American and ought to reflect the
t.ltnt and genius of an American in Japan as well
as at home. Our national habits, our national
toms, and our national feelings should be truly and
Enthusiastically displayed by every foreign fnnc.
tonary. In matters solely of diplomatic character
the directnoss of Democracy Shout be unlnstakca-
bly, exhibited Democracy seeks no ends but by
tru h, simplicity and justice. The of trckery
and cnia cry which, under the imposing name of
dip onacy, characterized former periods and other
nations has passed away before the holy and sacred
bidding of Democi attic TRUTH No treaty can now be
permanent or even obligatory otherwise obtained
We hazard no reputation in Predicting that the
Commod RS efforts i'll Japan vii! prove as aborve
as his d m,cy was at ance wi h he genius Of
our insttut"n> and the inspirations of Democracy.
DR.. Hawks, the chosen compiler of this work. had
his sersiblies severely tried in the discharge of
that duty that he deemed it necessary than
one occasion to offer apology Oh behalf of the
Commodore's conduct; and page 235 makes
laborcd d,fense of it, and points to the successful
result pro # of its correctness. The Commodore
himself, after change Of Administrator and the
Democracy were in power in anticipation of censure,
page 33S, nstirctivey admitting his culpability
declared that his experience admonishcd him THAT
with people OF forms it is necessary either all
ceremony aside, or to out-Herod Ilerod in assumed
personal consequence and ostentation.'
We know nothing of Commodore Perry personal
"; structures intended to have person.
al bearing. He may be justly alive to the require
ments of Democracy, and may for aught we know,
be perfectly inspired wnen home by its teachings.
Of these things We know nothing. His "outiicc
toring Hector sort of diplomacy we condemn as
ant-Amcrican, and at war with the enlightenment
Commodore which subjects him to ccnsure. His
gaSconading bearing at Lou Chew, which strict
iy followed again in the bay of Sagoni, really
outrageous, and might have involved him and our
nation in difficulties of bloody character, expos
ed the windness of his threats. In either event the
disgrace would have been felt by every true Ameri
can. Though the calamities of war in the
would have been avoided the pognancy of the NOR
LITIGATION would not have been mitgatcd. The OK
posuIc of the brarado would have been instant, and
We been saved the trouble Of making it by publ
cation sanctioned by our Congress. How very lud-
c"ous the Commodore would have appeared after
cering his deck for action, which he several
casons actually did do, had the japanese authorities
"Hectored' too? The authority Of involving our
nation in war seems to have been invested in the
Commodore by our Executive in his private insruc-
tons, If We Judge by the Commodorc'S conduct.
1t is needless to say that we live under a ConSt.
tu'ionai form of government, whose powers lin
tied by charter and defined by express giant. That
Of making war is conferred on Congress- and cannot
be delegated transferred to any official. The
idea Of invading JAPAN after all that have seen
and heard the sub of intervention in the do
mcstic policy of nations is another feature in the
Commodore's mission that strikes with some
force. Her Exclusive policy to be altered, and
in defiance Of all national law it to be made to
conform to the progress of the age" An armed
expedition is fitted out by authority of the govern
mcnt of the United States in 1862 and sent by the
acting President (lr. Flmore) for that purpose.
The domestic policy of Japan did not suit the inter
est views of Mr.. Fillmore in reference to trade,
and the powers and force of the Commodore were
commensurate with the end desired. All these
things abundanty manifest themselves in the mar
ratve-a narrative prolific Of shame violatvc
ofju>,ce and the fixed rules of right. Lest be
suspected Of prejudice and unfairness Chough our
c'mmens, we take occasion to repeat are not sn the
irit of partiZan) to the CommodoreS instructions
t. Commodore Adams who bore his u,timanm to
tie Ma, Or OF Napha, (page 275,) and the Comma
res abrupt withdrawal from the feast and confer
with the threat (p 27S) that "f all his demands
were not conf lied with by noon the next day, that
he would land two hundred men and take possession
of the palace at Shut and hold it until the matter
settled" Now what do you suppose 'all his
demands we're! Why nothing short of a total and
radical change and disregard of old customs and
| laws! His should be- allowed to purchase what
! they pleased. The inhabitants, particularly the
| women, should not retreat from his men; and his
men should no: be watched or followed by officials.
This latter demand he declared, if persisted in, that
re would take the necessary steps to stop it." Now
there ever before such nSoence displayed by a
United States official? Let it not be said in jus,
cation that the Commodore only 'blowins." and
| it the proper course to have been pursued to-
wards these semi-barbarous people. The idea Of
| its being a blow" adds to its enormty The
fact of the Lou Chewans heng semi barbarians
which by the by does not so fully appear, is no nit
igation of it at ALL
CHINESE SUGAR CANE-We clip the following
paragraph from one of our exchanges:
| TIE PROSPECTIVE SUGAR Crop IN TLLINoIs.-Mr
S. Baker, of Rochester Mills, Wabash county