The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-15

RK HERALD, THURSDA'
has beea forced to play The alternate parts o.
friend and foe with each Of her neighbors.
Italy throbs with Q universal aspiration Il
become . consolidated people and to tao
place as one Of the great Powers of Europe
In this she meets the opposition of many, and
the hearty support OF none of the othel
Powers. France Is willing to aggrandize Pied
mont at the expense of Austria and the Pc ,e
in return for her own acquisition of Savoy and
her old Alpine boundary; but Austria and the
Papacy resist this, and enlist in their cause
the fears of Prussia for her Rhenish provinces
and the general distaste to sanction such prin
ciples of territorial change Rome sees in THU
creation Of an Italian Power the stripping o.
herself Of those temporslities obtained viii
80 much guile and intrigue, and 80 she clingl
to Austria and the Austrian aims. Thii
latter Power, to save her possessions in
Italy, enlists Russia In her behalf by sacri
fcing her pretensions to the Danubian Princi
palities, and Russia accedes to her present
policy, perhaps to create setof with France
and England for their opposition to her de-
signs on the effects of the original "sick man
Of Europe.
Thus It viii be seen that in the present com.
plications in Europe, the only policy that seems
to rest upon permanent and increasing basis
the new commercial alliance between France
and England. As the commercial interests
which this must give rise to shall grow and ex.
tend, the difficulty of war between them will
continually increase, and bring about at the
same time more stable unity of purpose In
regard to the joint policy to be pursued by
them towards the rest of Europe. Louis Ma
poleon's aim will now be to palliate and delay
future conflicts, until time shall have cemented
his new alliance with England. He may at
the same time foment old issues between
the other Powers, helping Prussia little now
towards supremacy in Germany, then calming
Austria by temporary concession to her de-
mands in Italy, and again stimulating the hopes
of Russia for the prize of Constantinople. But
these old fires, though from time to time they
may throw out smoke, and seem to threaten an
eruption, are suppressed volcanoes before the
commercial alliance of France and England,
never again to send their floods Of lava over
the face of Europe in general war.
The Japanese MissIon-A New Sensation
In Prospect.
On the 22d of February last, the members
Of the Japanese mbassy, seventy.one in
number, left Simoda in the United States
steam frigate Powhatan for San Francisco
and Panama, from whence they will be
here on one of our other ships of
war. This Is the first legation which has ever
been sent to any foreign government outside Of
Asia by this exclusive people. Neither the
Dutch, the English nor the Russians have sue
ceeded in obtaining from them similar act of
diplomatic recognition, and the readiness which
they have shown in placing their relations with
us on this footing may be taken as an evidence
of the superior esteem in which they hold our
people.
II is remarkable that both in Japan and
China our representatives should not only have
succeeded in obtaining concessions which had
always been denied to European ENJOYS,
but that the latter should have been
indebted to their Intervention in most Of
their recent negotiations. Until Commo-
dore Perry's arrival in Japan, no nation
but the Dutch had been allowed to trade there;
but this privilege was surrounded with 60 many
restrictions, and was enjoyed at the expense of
SO many indignities, that no people Of spirit
would have cared to accept it on such terms.
The concessions extended by our squadron
would have been comparatively worthless but
for the favorable manner in which Minister
Harris improved the opportunities that they
opened to him. By his judgment his firmness,
his equanimity and his conciliatory manner, he
not only succeeded in keeping the American
traders within bounds, but in giving to'the
Japanese an impression highly favorable to the
American character itself II is to this, I'M
doubtedly, that we owe the successful result of
Mr.. Harris diplomatic efforts. The Japanese
made the last treaty with us not because they
were forced into it, but because they had
learned to like and esteem us as people
Nothing proves more the extent of this feeling
than the fact that to Mr. Harris good Offices the
English, the Russians and the French are in q
great measure indebted for the benefits conced-
ed in their respective treaties. The handsome
testimonial sent to our representative by
Queen Victoria shows the appreciation
in which she holds the services rendered
by that gentleman to her own envoy. To his
Intervention Prussia, which is now negotiating
for treaty, will probably also have to &C
knowledge the same obligations.
The arrival of the Japanese legation amongst
us will be an event of singular interest Be-
sides its Importance in commercial and politi-
cal point Of view, it will offer to the mind of
our public new subjects for speculation and re-
Election. We shall have transported amongst
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