Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-02-11

From the Washington Union.
u. S. CONSULATE GENERAL,
SMoDA, Japan, July 9th, 1858.
Ny DEAR FRIEND Il have visited the
city Of Yeddo twice, and have passed some
six months there. In my letter to my friend
Mr.. Dougherty, dated July 3, | have given
an account of my journey and of the cere-
mony that attended my audience Of the
Emperor. The two letters will contain all
have to say about the events of the last
seven months. After my first return from
Yeddo, was attacked by a nervous fever,
which afterwards assumed a malignant
type, and for many days my life was in
great dangerl lThanks,bc to God recov-
cred, and am now in my usual state of
health.
The Emperor and the Council Of State
manifested the greatest anxiety during my
illness, and showed marked solicitude for
my recovery. His Majesty daily sent me
kind messages, with presents Of fruit, ar
row-root, DC. he also sent down two of his
hest physicians from Yeddo, to attend me-
The doctors sent daily report of my con-
dition to the Court, and on the receipt there
of bulletin to the effect that | could not
recover, tie Emperor issued an order te
them TO cure me, and they were Mt the same
time informed that the safety of their heads
depended on my recovery. l cannot suf
fcicntly thank those doctors for their un.
weariod attentions to me. Night and day
one Of them was always at my bedside
and they showed all the gentleness and
tenderness of woman in their treatment
: of me.
Shortly after my audience, had an in
tervew with the Prince Of Bittsu, Minister
for Foreign Affairs, and the members of the
Great Council of State, when l made al
important communication to them, which
cannot be repeated here. The interview
lasted several hours, and was of great inter
est. A marked impression was evidently
made, and had only to follow it up t.
give a hope of ultimate success. Afte
this, l was constantly occupied in giving in
struction to the Japanese on internationa
law, on political economy, and explaining
the operations Of commerce. found then
to be profoundly ignorant of the polity o
the western world Ny labor was long
tedious and difficult As the ideas CAV,
them were new, they had no terms in thei
language to express them; | had, therefore
J to illustrate the meaning of many axiom
n by such alusion to familiar topics as woulC
best convey the ideas. The axiom that "de
!, mand and supply regulate each other tool
" some days to be understood by them, for i
brought up the whole principle of eutir
freedom Of action among the producing
classes of a country. Now nothing coult
3 possibly be more directly opposed to Jap
. anese ideas and customs than this YER
freedom of action. The Government in
At terferes in everything, even in affairs so trI
fling as to throw an air of ridicule over tn
whole matter. | labored necessarily +
J. show them that the absence Of protection
or interference, on the part of a govern
ment was the surest mode Of encouraging
!, and developing a country; quoted Adar
Smith, and all the maxims | could remen
Der; and for examples Of the soundness
my views, | pointed to the condition {
ID tho various States of the western worlC
and showed them that the relative prospe
~ ty of those States was in exact ratio
T the freedom enjoyed by the people.
1t is impossible to give you an idea
=, the mental anxiety suffered for MONTHS
to was without any adviser or assistant
is. had no we'll stored library to which coul
ed resort, nor anything to rely upon but m
own unaided memory, 1t cost me man
~ days of care, and nights of wakefulness.-
u Atlength, l began to see that my argumen
were about 10 bear fruit; this stimulate
d me to renewed exertions, and, at last,
III, made converts of the Emperor TO who
all my Arguments were reported,) Of all IL
members of the great Council of State, an
on many of the Princes. This was followc
by the appointment Of my old friend, IL
Prince OF Sinano, and the Prince of Hig
fec as Commissioners to negotiate with me.
ssr At our first meeting we exchanged o.
art powers, and found theirs to be as full
be words could make them; but, before IL
second interview with them was over w;