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

l cannot give yon detail Of the nego-
tiations, fos that would be to divulge the
treaty. When we came to the articles reg
ulating trade, | had to give them history
of the revenue laws, aad to enter into very
minute details of custom-house regulations,
and the manner in which they were exccu-
ted. My labor was enhanced by the facb
that the arguing Of any given point, and
getting them to agree to its decision, was
far from terminating the question; for, after
a matter had been dcliber tcly settled they
would, ut a subsequent meeting, open it
anew, and proceed to argue it as gravely ms
though il had never been referred to, aud
there was not one of the articles but what
was thus reargued at least three times, and
some Of them as many as ten times In
these negotiations ! found the benefit of
my previous commercial education, and also
of the course | had adopted for my inter
course with the japanese from my first arri-
val in the country, which was to be particu.
larly careful to be perfectly exact in every
statement | made to them, and to be
cautious how | took any position; but, when
it was once taken, never to recode from it.
AS the negotiations proceeded annoying
and embarrassing as they were in many re-
spccts,) I was chcered by seeing that my
labors would be ultimately crowned with
success far beyond my most sanguine expec-
tations. AT length a treaty was agreed on,
and ordered to be cngrossed.
You are well aware that | am not per-
mitted to divulge the details of the treaty
until it has been laid before the President
and received his approval; still, cannot de
ny myself the pleasure of communicating
one of its provisions TO you. All Ameri-
cans in Japan are to enjoy the free exercise
Of their religion; and they have the right
to build churches. The practice of tramp
ling on the crucifx is abolished. When
you remember that 225 years ago Chris
tianity was eXtinguishcd in Japan, in the
blood Of quarter Of n million of japanese
converts, and when you call to mind the
blasphemous proclamation of the then EN-
pcror of Japan, in which he said, "If the
God of the Christians himself comes tc
Japan, will put him to DEATH" you will
be ready to admit that this result is as
gratifying as it is surprising. l am proud
and happy that this has been achieved by
our country. 1t will be a good answer tc
the sneer of Burke, which has often beer
! applied TO our countrymen, "Io our God il
gold; your Bible is ledger" The pleas
ure feel in having made tho treaty is en-
, hanced by the reflection that there has bcel
no show of coercion, nor was menace il
f the least used by me to obtain it. Ther
was 10 American man-of-war within 100
Q miles of me for months before and afte
: the negotiations. | told the japanese q
r the outset that my mission was a friendl
G one; that was not authorized to use an
threats; that all l wished was that the
5 would listen to the truths | would lay bC
}. fore them.
+ It was not until my second visit to YeC
G do that | made any excursions in or aroun
It the city. visited many temples, garden
0 &c. The temples have nothing that arres
Q the attention either in their structures or
5 their interiors, being in this respect les
+ costly and ornamental than the Chimes
temples. They are, however, kept muc
y cleaner than the latter. They arc usual
;, placed in fine, open grounds, and surounde
by noble trees The grounds are neatl
It kept and are adorned with Towering shrut
and trees, among which the plum and che
/ ry tree are found; they produce enormor
II blossoms, but alas like many snowy mcr
e they produce no fruit; rhododendrons
u great beauty, and of the following color
h viz: pink, scarlet, crimson, blue, yellow, vi
" let and white. The dwarfng of trees al
r distorting them into queer shapes is muC
y pracliced; and they cut the foliage in
o rounded shapes like dishes. saw a nur
n Der of cedars whose trunks and branch
J. might be taken as representing the bron;
Il Of vast cpcrgnc, while the foliage locke
G like emerald dishes.
n The houses OF the Japanese are of WOO
of and never more than two stories high the
?, are covered with thatch or tiles; the frol
% and ends are closed with wooden windo
ir sashes, covered with paper, which gives
c, pleasant light in the interior, and woodt
Is shutters enclose the windows at night. I'll
d interior is divided into rooms by means
G. sliding partitions, made of wooden frame
* covered with paper. These partitions ef
it be removed 10 a few moments, and Il
re whole house thrown into one room. III
g floors are covered with straw mats son
d two inches thick; they arc soft and fin
p and are kept exqusitely clean. Meth
y chair, table couch, nor bedstead, nor al
n ornamental article is to be seen. The mi
Il serves as a chair and table by day, and
le q bed at night This description of hou
to will apply to all, from the Palace of Il
n, Emperor To the cottage of the peasant
n Winter they are warmed by charcoal bl
q ziers. There is not a chimney nor pa
m of window glass to be found in the whC
n empire.
Of The gilded columns supporting the frett
of ceilings and golden roofs of stately paIac
d, described by the old writer's on Japan, =
.r- not to be found, and l am assured by t
to Japanese that they never had any existeO
out of the "traveler's tales" which rela
of such marysls about Japan.
- The Japanese are eminently genial
l their dispositions, and there is a cordial
Id in their refined politcness that convinces o
ny of their sincerity. They are frugal in {
ny erything, aud utiitarian up to the standa
- of good and wise old Jeremy Bentham.
ITS Food is abundant and cheap. The begg'
ed of Japan are mostly religious class, a
t III - a. e. %, NJ an.