The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-03-13
FOREIGNERS IN JAPAN.

A letter from Japan of November 5th, published
in a French paper, gives some instances Of the
manner in which the foreign merchants treat the
japanese, and ofthe consequences resulting These
disclosures not complimentary to the foreigne
1t appears that these merchants doing business at
Yoku-Hama, allowed to change a certain
number of dollars daily for the coin called tzibo"s
the latter they would then exchange for kobangs
which were worth from 81 so to 2.60, and nearly
double that at Shanghai. Each merchant was
allowed to change but $500 daily; so, in order to
make money more rapidly, they would send their
acquaintance and friends, each with the allowed
sum, to exchange for them. Nor was this
enough; one of them would present himself at the
Treasury and get $500 exchanged for Mr. John,
$500 for Mr. Charles, $500 for Mr. William, and
$500 on his own account-John, Charles, and
William being his own Christian names-and so
with his fourfold bargain he would retire, laughing
at the stupidity of the japanese officials who did
not see through the dodge" BY this means
81 900 could be exchanged for 900 kobangs or
for silk, for which $4,000 can be realized in a
month. This correspondent states that the vessels
going that way loaded with silver dollars, the
Powhatan taking forty thousand. He thus con-
tinues: AT last, fine day last week, the
japanese Treasury here was exhausted. Great
fury among the foreigners who had vessels coming.
They insisted on the treaty, which gives them the
right to make money WELL said the Treasurer,
1 will do what | can, and exchange with each i'll
proportion to his needs; send your letters The
merchants did so. Some asked for $780, some
for 81 900. and some for So 900, but asked for
S20,000,0O0 The japanese Treasury quietly
made it's calculations; the men who had asked for
thousands got few dozen itzibous only; the rest
went to the of twenty millions. Next day the
Treasury was beseged with demands for fabulous
sums. 1t was obliged to refuse. But is it not
shameful to see such conduct towardsa Government
with which have concluded a solemn treaty?
The British Consul has threatened British subjects
in it occurs again. OF course this will not
occur again. But something quite as culpable
will be played off on the Japanese and then, when
they compelled to defend themselves, the
foreigners will raise the cry of vengeance against
them As the japanese cannot force against
us, they will use fraud and stealth, in order
to render our stay here as disagreeable as they
can"
An assassination had just taken place there the
victim being the servant of an English consular
agent the British war vessel Highfyer had been
ordered to remain there in consequence of this,
and the Consul advised all Englishmen to 60
armed We quote again from this correspondent:
"This assassination to give ground for
iI-speaking of the japanese; but | do not in
reality think they do so. The japanese have
their old prejudices against US; they remember the
trouble the Portuguese made them. In making
the treaty they rather yielded to their fears than
followed their desires. And their fears have been,
in some measure, realized You easily imagine
that the merchants who treat the Treasury as [
have described do not put their gloves and take
off their hats when they dealing with the
natives They do not obey the simplest
laws of universal politeness. There thousand
little things, which one must see to understand,
that tend to excite hatred between the japanese
and foreigners. For example, the Jap anese
chambers, you know, have no furniture. The
japanese sleep, sit, and eat on these mattings,
which are kept very clean as they for table,
chairs and beds A japanese would never dare
enter the house of the humblest workman without
taking off his shoes. But the Europeans 90
every where with their muddy boots, which is as
disgusting to the japanese it would be to us to
see man walking on table where dinner was
to be served. At first the japanese made strenuous
objections when we attempted to enter their houses
with boots on. But drunken sailors have
beaten them, and merchants laughed in their faces
until they dare not demonstrate and the Japanese
is in terror Of this horrible stranger, who tramples
upon what the Emperor himself would respect
were he to visit one Of his subjects Boston
COprier.