Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-08
THE aOPFNTNG on JAPAN

Our attention has been called to atrsnsatcn ron
Paris paper for the Philadelphia Evening BH'l''i'
of an article referring to certain letters ustreeeEeo
in France from the Japanese Seas, IN when II Is
claimed that the Dutch Commissioners At Aangssa-
h have opened Japan to all the world BY late nego-
tiations. The Buuetia regards the matter as show
inc thai the Dutch have lately obtained great
concessions from the japanese, Gin the benefit Of
which other European natives, together With the
United States, viii have share"
As the National Iatslligsnos copies approTingly'
the transaction and comment, we beg leave to say,
upoD the authority of one who participated in the
Iapap expedition under the late Commodore Perry,
that even according to the translation referred to,
the Dutch have done nothing more than make q few
wholesome commercial regulations at the ports which
we're opened BY US. The Paris paper is wrong in
asserting that " the Dutch alone we're admitted ct
Hakodsti under very severe restrictions for
that was one Of the ports first opened to foreign
commerce by the United States Squadron Nor does
cur authority attach any Importance whatever, to
the acknowledgment Of the Japanese principle,
that all their ports SHALL without distinction be sue
cessively opened to foreign commerce. For this
panese Commissioners, with whom Commodore Perry
concluded the Convention Of KennsgaWas but at the
same time it was argued by them that the work was
so great as to require much time, 50 great were the
prejudiees Of the people.
We do not discover in all that has been done IN
Japan by other nations since the conclusion Of our
treaty of KennegaWs, any thing more than the car
rying out Of what Commodore Perry BEGINNERS
Mort rules. commercial regulations, and arrange
nents for trade under the treaty which he made
The credit which so rightly belongs to his fame
should not be awarded to others.
The Paris paper tells US that the practice Of
requiring foreigners to tramPle on the Cross Of
Christ is abolished forever" at the instance Of the
Dutch. aud that hereafter "they are allowed to
hiring their wives and children with them to japan"
When the American officers asked the japanese no
blemen and gentlemen, whom they met on the shores
of Yedo Bay, whether foreigners in Japan were re-
ouired to trample on the Cross, they we're laughed
at as referring to an obsolete custem, which rsquir-
ed the Portuguese three hundred years ago, if they
should return after their expulsion, to trample upon
their own rebellious fsg which was the Virgin and
Child, and sometimes the Cross. And it is well
the ports of Hakodadi and SimOda, to women and
children as well as men.
To facilitate trade, We discover that the Dutch
have persuaded the japanese to establish Bank
yes, Bank in Japan! board, called Court Of
Accounts, issues bank bills with which transactions
with foreigners TO be carried on, and which are
payable on demand, in Japanese coin. The credit
of this achievement, is no doubt due to Holland,
and we readily oOncede it. We introduced the rail-
road The locomotive with its passenger and baggage
train, the magnetic telegraph, and all our latest and
best improvements in the arts and seienoes-the
Dutch have taught them how to make paper money /.
Indeed, all the credit of opening Japan to the
commerce Of the world belongs to the United States
Commodore PERRY accomplished all that was neces-
sarv for him to accomplish at the tims-hs fOressw
that time would speedily finish what be 50 well be-
gan, and it is doing it. We only ask that honor may
he awarded where IL is due.