Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-14
o,y,lizat.on, Oriental and Occidental.


Civilization, Oriental and Occidental.
When we hear of the popular commotion
which the appearance of European raises |
in many Asiatic and African countries, and
the dangers to which strangers are exposed
from the prejudices, ignorance and turbulence
of the populace, we naturally and justly ae-
cept il as evidence Of barbarism. But the
treatment of the Japanese in this country
ought TO give MS q more charitable view Of
this subject. II is doubtful ifthe Antrance of
an American into any town Of the most ex-
elusive Oriental countries would be any more
dangerous to his property or safety than the
appearance Of the Japanese would be in any
of our large towns, without government pro-
lection. They, perhaps, would not be torn
in pieces, though even that is problematical;
but they would be treated with vulgar
familiarity, insulted, robbed, and prob
ably stripped of every thing valuable.
When they landed at Washington they
were surrounded bya mob which defed the
control of the police, and which would have
appalled, any but the bravest people. They
could not appear in public without guard
to protect them from the rudeness of the
people; and IL is said that in their own
quarters they were constantly annoyed by
the impertinent curiosity of the best society,
and by invasion of their private apartments.
The only view which they have had of
American society of any grade, is in an atti-
tude of open-mouthed, long-necked, staring,
insolent curiosity. The regular official
martyrdom, which is the only idea Of Ameri-
can public receptions, has exposed these
strangers to the broadest exhibition Of
these American virtues. If the Japanese
are readers of Roman history, they must
imagine the public professions in which
they are dragged, through every town
which. they enter, TO be in the nature OF
the Roman Triumphs, in which they
are exhibited as prisoners from the con-
quered people. The jeers and insults of the
crowds would perfect this pleasing illusion;
and they might reasonably and justly con-
clude that the long speeches of the municipal
authorities, of which they understand not a
word, are our boasting over our victory.
At Baltimore the Embassy seem to have
narrowly escaped with their lives from the
pressure of the mob, and the scarcely les:
terrible boring of the Mayor and Aldermen
and other official entertainers. At Phila-
adelphia, after reception and speech-making
at the depot, they were carried in procession
over route three miles long, during which,
in some of the Wards most inhabited by the
governing classes" the correspondent of the
New York Herald says, 1.-THE most disgusting
and brutal language was used by the crowd y
Monkeys" and 'niggers'' were the compli-
ments most popular with the people. AT
the hotel the~Princes were placed on the bal
cony to witness the procession, when a pro-
miscous fight occurred between the military
and the police, to the great terror of the
crowd An exhibition of the fire department
was made for their benefit but they
were crowded from all front positions by the
superior anxiety and muscle of their enter
tainers. The fremen, however, ascended to
the balcony and gave them taste of the
humors of Philadelphia firemen, by various
pleasantries. When the Embassy retired tC
their apartments, after this trying entertain.
ment, they found them taken possession o.
by throng of municipal officers of various
kinds, and it was only by the peremptory de-
mand of the Naval Commission that they
were cleared.
Next day number of them were sick from
the excessive fatigue of enduring American
hospitality. The most trying ordeal is yet tc
be met in the hospitalities of the municipality
of New York, compared with which, the
attentions which a tribe of Yahoos would
bestow on a stranger, would be high pitch
of refinement. 1t is seriously question
whether these delicately-reared strangers will
escape from the country alive. If they do
we may naturally expect that the first move
ment of their Government, after their return
will be to annul the treaty and cut off al
intercourse with this country, on the groun,
that it is not civilized nation, as it violate
all the usages of civilization and humanity il
its treatment of ambassadors, and that n,
beneficial intercourse can ever exist with
people among whom the civilized Japanes
can not mingle without periling their lives.