The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-08-26
The Chinese and the Japanese.

The Shanghai correspondence Of the
London Times thus contrasts the Chi
nese and japanese
In their personal cleanliness the Jap.
anese present a marked contrast TO the
Chinese no deformel objects meet the
eve in the crowded streets cutaneous
diseases seem almost unknown. In Nam
gasaki, toward evening a large portion of
the male and female population might be
seen innocenty tubblng" at the corners
of the streets. In Jeddo they frequent
large bathing establishments, the door Of
which is open to the passer-by, and pre-.
sents curious spectacle, more especially
i! the inmates of both sexes ingenuously
rush TO it to gaze at him as he rides
blushingly past. But it would not be
possible to condense within the limits of a
letter the experiences and observations oil
a residence in the capital Of an empire
about which the information at home is SC
very scanty, which presents, probably
greater variety Of interesting and curou,
matter to the stranger than any other par
of the world. Suffice it to be recorded
as our general Impression, that in its eli
mate, its fertility, and its picturesque
beauty, Japan is not cqualed by any
country on the face of the globe while
rs if to harmonze with its surpass nG
natural endowmcnts, it is peopled with {
race whose qualities are of the mos; ani
able and winning description, and who's,
material prosperity has been SO equalized
as to insure happiness and contentmen
to all classes.
We never saw two Japanese quarrel
and beggars have yet to be introduced
with their luxuries of western cviliza
ton. 1t is not to be wondered that
people rendered Independent by the re
sources of their country and the frugality
and absence of luxury, which so strikingly
characterizes them, should not have ex
perienced any great desire 10 establish al
intercourse with other nations, which, il
all probability, would carry in its trail
greater evils than could be compensatet
for by its incidental advantages. Thei
exclusivenesS has arisen, not, as in China
from an assumption of superiority owe
the rest of the world, but from a convic
ton that the well being and happiness O
the community would not be increased BY
the introduction of foreign tastes and lux
uries : Sand that very propensity to init at
and adopt the appliances OF civilization S.
foreign TO the Chinaman, is so strongl
developed in Japan, thai their rulers fore
see tina: the changes now being effecte
will, in all probability, some day or Other
revolutionize the country-an apprehen
> sion which need cause the Emperor II
little alarm no one can doubt, who ha
= visited the two countries, that the China
man will still be navigating the canals
e his country in the crazy old junks OF HI
I ancestors, when the japanese is skim
ming along his rivers in high-pressur
steamers. or flying across the country be
hind locomotive. We have yet /
: discover what the exports Of Japan ma
be beyond camphor, wax and copper bl
from consideration Of the natural ter
denotes and go-ahead" disposition
the people, there can be little doubt that
market will at some future day exis:
Of these islands for the the manufacture
and the produce OF rhe west, of sufficer
: magnitude and importanc to secu
for them high place in the list of Gre
Britain'S customers,