Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-12-02

ports And now here is something else that
will surprise you. Upon both FourthS of July
that have passed here, and once upon Wash
ington's birthday, they fired salute of twenty
one guns with these howitzers Mr.. Hueskin
and myself attended, with the American flag
flying, and the people exhibited the greatest
good feeling and enthusiasm. One ight have
almost imagined them Americans
What have they done with the ecectric
telegraph that was presented them ?" | asked
Little or nothing, think But l am not
certain. They are making astounding head
way, however, in the ground work for future
/ intercourse with the world Five or six months
since, they asked me, as great favor, to be
allowed to send Minister to the UnitedStates
"My dear Sirs" replied, ''do not ask me this
as favor; IL is your right Send Minister,
with as large suite as you choose, and you may
/ be certain of friendly reception"
And would the United States furnish US
! transportation from here to the IsthmuS ?" he
asked.
Certainly" he replied " and treat you with
/ the greatest attention and kindness during
/ your whole stay
I YES" | remarked, laughingly, al can
! imagine a japanese minister and suite in the
hands of the New York City Fathers ! What
a time they would have of it ! How every
/ theatre would throw open its doors for them,
! and the crolcd they lc0uLd drap and how Japa-
neSe reserve and love of quite would be driven
| to desperation by the attentions with which they
would be surrounded. Are these Officers and
and Princes rich enough to make a grand dis
! play, or would they carry along with them
! their simple dress and tastes :"
| They would be just as you see them now,"
! be replied. I'VE have no idea of the sound
common sense, and want of everything like
/ pretension, peculiar to these people. Take the
| Emperor himself for the instance He is, as
| you may suppose, very rich, and yet | am
| positive that his table and clothing do not
! cost him $500 year. WHY that sum would
not more than pay for the gloves of Broad
way dandy, with u.s. You have doubtless
seen the thick, soft mating with which the
! floors of their houses are covered Well, the
! floors of the palace are covered in the same
way, and this mating serves as the Emperor's
| bed, as we'll as that of the poorest house SER
YES as the bed of the poorest subject. He stretc
/ hes himself out, with wooden pillow under bis
| head, and sleeps a sleep rarely granted to his
brother Monarchs To see a japanese thus
sleeping. with his head abruptly raised FIVE or
I SiA ihSHCof lOu hOutu pICutCC d Stu utth VI
/ future spinal affection as a general result and
| yet there is not more healthy people living"
What does the Emperor look like 2" one
| of US asked.
| "Qute fine looking man. with soft voice
and pleasant smile. | suppose he is some
! thirty-fve years old In fact, | kno,o he is,
! for as it is considered polite in Japan to ask
one his age and how many children he has, |
I e r.
what one of Us would consider miserable life.
| He does not leave the palace but once in two
| years and then as he passes through the town
every one must leave the streets and close the
| doors and windows of their houses The custom
does not allow them even to look at him. This
is the temporal Emperor at Yeddo of whom
now speak the case of the spiritual Emperor
at MiacO, is even worse, for he nerer leaves his
palace He is venerated so much that they
cannot even run the risk of his being looked
| upon by the crowd"
! How long has it been since you received
your last mail, Mr. HARRIS e. asked another.
| "Oh ! as for the mails, we are not bothered
with them. If we get files of papers and our
/ letters once year, We think ourselves fOrtu-
nate. As for my correspondence with the
| State Department, | do not know what to
make of it, Mr. MARCY sent me TO Siam,
where | made treaty and sent it home. |
came here, and, after much difficulty, got them
| to sign a convention-a very important one
which | also sent home One day, while !
was in the weekly expectation of hearing from
! the Government, a special courier arrived at
| Yeddo, where | then was, bringing me bun
! die of papers from Mr. RICE, our EiceConsul
at Hakodadi This man had been nearly a
month on the road, during which time he had
/ travelled over FIVE hundred miles. Mr.. RICE
had read the papers, and forwarded them to me.
/ Now how do you suppose that he became pos
seSSed of them 2!
1T is hard to imagine !" we answered.
He got them from an American whaler.
Fortunately the captain was found of reading,
and so when leaving Honolulu, S. |, for
cruise aftersperm whales. be filled his lockers
with the latest papers During his cruise, he
touched at Hakodadi, and having then gone
over them at least twice, passed them over 10
RICE. Through these first heard of the death
of Governor MERCY, and began to understand
WHY | had not heard from him. Now you tell
me that my convention with Japan was publish
ed in January of this year-that is pleasant
news. but | should like to know whether the
State Department are satisfied with it.'
Shortly after Mr. HARRIS arrived at Yeddo
the second time he was followed by Mynheer
DovKER CURIOUS, the Dutch representative
from NagaSaki. / asked him if that gentleman
had, as usual. gone upon his knees when aP-
preaching the Emperor, and he said no. That
custom might he considered as extinct now,
though DoxkER CURIOUS was the first Dutch
man who had escaped Thus is Japan be-
coming more liberal daily.
About what time do you think they will
send Us Minister ~ asked, and have they
any able men who would be equal TO the post"
"As for the tiHe, it is not yet settled upon
but as to the fat of one going, that is beyond
IL. II. L