Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-02-03
Death of the Emperor Of Japan
Correspondence Of The Journal of Commerce.
u. S. FLAGSHIP PowHATTAN.

u. 5. FLAGSHIP PoWHATTAN.
Herbor of Naeasaki, October Z, 1858.
An eren. lately occurred in japan, tn
knowledge of which has reached US just il
season to be communicated by the mail leav
ing here in the Minnesota to-day, and of tn
most exciting interest and the gravest con
sequences. The young Emperor of Japal
is dead, who SO recently concluded fair
liberal, and honorable treaty with The
United States, and opened his Empire t
the return Of Christianity, after it Lad beer
expelled above two centuries. The new
came at first in so questionable shape al
to be doubted; and with attended circum
stances as related which added to the horror
At length official information was received
by the Governor o. Nagasak, who senI
word to the Commodore by one of his inter
prefers. This was on Saturday last, the
Sd instant, when Commotors ,Tatn al, dssir
GUS of showing all courtesy to the nation
and all honor to the deceased Emperor, Al
once sent his fsg-lieuteuant to inform bin
that on Monday noon, the next day being
the Sabbath, ON which day with US such
observances were omitted, he would be
happy, if agreeable to his Excellency, to
give the national salute oftwentv one guns,
| o., course on such an occasion they wourd
be minute guns. The Minnesota, having on
board the Hon. Mr. Reed, our Minister to
China, would do the same. The Governor
replied that he appreciated the courtesy o;
the Commodore, but as i: was the. custom
in Japan to make no noise on such occa.
sions, he would respectfully decline, if il
OF course no demonstration was made on
board our ships, not even 10 lowering The
flag 10 half mast, nor could | observe the
least symptom of mourning in the streets
and nest frequen,ed places in the CITY. The
Japenese interpreters called the disease
berry berri. describing it as taking awav all
feeling from the feet and hands. and in
capacitaing the Emperor from walking, as
well as filling his s,Omach with wafer.---
II was at first reported tina; the young En-
peror, who was only thirty-six years old,
driven to desperation by the unpopularity
occasioned by the late treaty he had made,
opening his empire to all the world AMI 10
the re-inrroduction of Christianity, to which
the priests and spiritual emperor were vio-
len,ly opposed, had resorted to the horrible
usage common with inferior dignitaries
when they had committed an offence which
subjected them to death or only disgrace.
and Rad cut open his own bowels. This
practice, revolting as it is TO our ideas and
sen.ibiiities, | am assured by iBte lligent
japanese is still common, nor is it regarded
with horror. Rsther it is thought to be
praiseworthv and honorable, just like fall
ing in dnei with some one 20 escaI an in
dignity This rumor, however, proved to be
un'ounded, as iwss glrd to hear. not oniy'
because the act is 50 revolving in itself, but
because it would have been perpetrated for
our sakPs. and for the SAKE OF Christianity,
and we end the entire Christian world
should have put on mourning. In answer
to inquiries which put to half dozen
young japanese interpreters, whom, at the
request ofthe Governor, ! an teaching Eng
lish. | learnt that the Emperor died OF some
natural disease, which they described os
affecting his feet, and preventing his walk
ing, and also filling his stomach with water.
the Dutch physician, residing
here, said he had seen the son of the En-
peror's physician, who had come down from
Jeddo, and whose father had been instrnc.
e in IN edicine by the Dutch, VIII, assured
tim that beyond question the Emperor
had died of dropsv in the chest, which was
in conformity with the symptoms given to
me by the :nterpre ters.
The name of the Emperor, as written
down for me by the young interpreters, was
Casaduco. He died on the night of Sep
tember l6, and of course did not hear of the
honor we Americans paid him in our toast
at the picnic at VI re on the 9th Of tn he
same month. As before stated, he was
thirty-six years old only, and had twelve
wives. Some Of the Du ch residents say he
had no cons, and adopted one for his sue
ces>or, bat nv interpreters assert he had
one who is between fifteen and sixteen
years cid, and who has ascended the throne.
Widows nor daughters, according to the
japanese constitution, are allowed to sue
ceed deceased E;nparor, but he is permit
ted, in the failure to have son, TO adopt
auy one he plea es. who, upoH the decease
of the Emperor, becomes the sovereign with
our opposition.
The interpreters assure me tina, the late
Emperor was popular, very amiable, and
much beloved by those who knew him the
best, which fully accords with the repre-
sentations of Mr.. Harris, our Consul-Gen-
eral, who was admitted to personal inter
view at which his majesty addressed him in
a few kind and courteous words, and even
smiled upon him, and seemed almost ready
to laugh. Mr.. Harris resided at two differ
ent times nearly six months in Jeddo, du ring
which he had long and dangerous sick
ness, when this humane and condescending
Emperor sent two Of his own physicians.
who had been instructed by the Dutch IN
European medicine, to attend constantly
upon him, one OF whom was doubtless the
individual who atte nded the Emperor in his
last sickness, and gave the report of the
dis'use of which he died, which have men,
| toned.
This event is much to he regretted, be-
cause the consequences are as yetunknown,
and may blast all the bright hopes which
began to be cherished for Japan and its
forty millions of people. The Spiritual EN-
peror, lfur strangely there are two, civil
and ecclesiastical,) with his bonses or priests
which are innumerable, is bitterly opposed
to all progressive ideas, preIerring the old
isolation ard nnn-intercnurSe 10 commerce