Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-02
4ailg Tiraiaian.
From he Phisdrlphia inquirer .it-{q
Tho Japanese and their New Friends.

Tho Japanese ana their New Friends
A wonderful people are the Japanese. Ever
more exclusive than even the Chinese, less. much
less was known Of their habits AMI: d::manners. than
oi tho people ot tho so-called Celestial Empire
There is now, however every probability that not
only foreign trade. but also tho inner mysteries
oi mat ,n-nlar dominion will he open to the travel
aud trnfhe OF Europeans and Americana. The ia
panese arc not idle savages, but active, thrifty, and
enterprising--that In according to the Oriental
standard. They practise the mechanic arts sue.
ce'saily' and are 20 initiative, that they have a.
engines They also make Thermometers, bnrome-
ters. microscopes. and theodolites--with many
other Instruments ot science. They are not con-
hned to lacquer and porcelain. Then they are .
mos. eiean)y people--bathings aud ablutons be-
ing dnily indulge in. Although the promiscuors
immer-ion and swimming of both sexes together
nre not according to our ideas Of delicacy, yct IN
Japan. no consciousness OF impropriety iS produ.
cod. They nre neat In their dress, simple in their
hahits-and a. according to the old adage, one of
their customs is not only promotive Of health but
said to be next to godlineSs, il may he presumed
that immortality lin an Eastern scnse) does not
prevail amongst them. Their houses are confor-
table, aud we'll furnished for the climate. Much
ut the industry and skill In art Ia probably indi
they doubtless improved their knowledge and man
'pn'n'nn, from an examination OF European mr.
tcles taken over by tho Jesuit Missionaries sent
in consequence Of Mendes Hnto's account Of n
visit to the islands In io42. Now such have bec,'
the discoveries of tho last few years ind especial
ly OF the last tow months. that nftcr NIL. the ro
mark OF u aatlrst with regard to an author who
used the voyagers privilege too trccly--"Fcrdi.
nnndo Mendez Pinto was but type OF thee thou
menferor OF the first magnitnde"--was entirely
unjust 80 far ns 1t relates to tho famc Of the Por'
tngaese di.covcrcr. Well had the Jesuit mis-
sio"aries aforementioned, only confined ,hsmscl'
Yes to their religious calling. according to their
views OF Francis Nnvicr, who established II Cath
olic congregation in Japan; they might have done
very we'll But no. they must meddle with the pc'
l''cs OF the Empire. forsooth. and ~, after many
warnings, having been found incorrigible, large
numbers Of them were killed. and the rest were
uneefcmoniously kicked out. And 40. the gov
rn ncrnmcnt and people Of Japan, have boon do,,-
bly, vieilant ever since. in their policy of exclud
ing all Foreigners But first the Dutch. the Rus
Sims partly then tho Americans visited them
tho English and tho Russians have made treaties
Of commerce the two ln,tcr nations sending steam
engines and steans ships But will this simple
r"ple be any happier for our ofhcious portinaci-
~ III inrusion-fvr tho half forcing Of our civil
zat upon themf Or will they. as Thomas Car
lyle would any. nnathemntixo such revolution
irom mahom-cnting drinking and firing of guns
-n"w COY gaws, strange: costume. II different
thou ;h II puio faithfully don't we act up to
it?--firc-wAcr, luxury discasc--thiist for
gold quarres-gunpowdcr and cold steal,
(rotrnt nrgumeuts,) misery, death. and
whittier away. tho souls Of tho Japanese forci
bly, cxiclled from their mortal covering. But ofall
these things, some future Carlyle will preach and
we fear TINT his subject will be ample and sangui.
nary The people are a. snpleln their tastes, and
rs happy in their way, rs can DO expected Of NOR
tails Was not their policy wise in shutting out
nll exotic changes! II must appear so But how
lives their chief letter writer tells us that the
ruling Emperor is thirty six years old. lilo Inns
me legal wife, and as many secondary ones as he
plcnses. His pnlnce il large and comfortable but
extremely plain while his style Of living. contra
ry to preconccived notions. is 40 simple, that it
cannot cost more thnn about $500 n year, clothes
included. Commodore Perry of tho United States
made n capital treaty and it was perfected by
MIR. Harris, the American Consul. who is highly
complimentcd by even tho London Times for his
gn, who by the way forced his way TO Jcddo.
pcac"ably but unasked, for the purpose Of presen-
ting steamship from England to the Emperor.
An American letter writer to the New York Her
Md says that Mr.. Reed informed Mr.. Harris. that
the new English Treaty with Japan was most
liberal instrument. Lord Elgin passed several
days in Jeddo, with which he was much pleased.
His Lnrtship speaks in the most grateful manner
of MIR. Harris. Had it not been for him., he said;
Il should have been scarcely able to make myself
understood lie loaned me hia Secretary, who wns
m admirable interpreter, and assisted me in other
respects, to the extent Of his power Well-Eu-
rope and America have both used entering wodg-
es. and forced them into the previously impery-
Gus live oak Of japan. Will tho natives be any
the happier therefor? Alas! wc fear that the re-
suit is doubtful. Further and further into the in
terror shall VIC go-for besides their capital with
two and half millions of people aud populous
street ten miles long, they possess other cities and
towns-and they have mines also, Of coal.
lead, iron. and oopper-and on dit likewise of sill