The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-04-10

European Powers, and we may yet be &C
Peiird to rejoice in an iron interpositioa
foreign fleets and armies, TO restore the pc
we ale so recklessly throwing away.
THREATENING STATE OF AFFAIRS IN JAPAN
The realm of the Rising Sun does not appea
De Id all respects that happy land which traS
hrs, alter few days, or 1t may have been a.
houfs, stay on its shores have thought and
presented 1t to be- But this is perhaps not
applicable to the native inhabitants as the 4
eign residents, and 1t is more than probal
that the latter have been the cause of tn
own grievances. The British Consuls at Jed
and Kanagawa have acted in a manner SO
prehensible and obnoxious that not only /,
Japanese, but their own countrymen, have be
driven to an avowal of disgust. They b.
alternately violated. the native laws, m
interpreted the spirit of the treaty
ween Great Britain and Japan, sacrific
their personal honor, and tyrannized over
subjects of their own sovereign. In Ii
manner the unofficial community of foreigne
seem TO have habitually acted with an almd
'etal disregard of the rights and prejudices \
those in whose country they were sojourniu
on the suferance of the very people they we
off nding.
AS matter of course, the indiscreti0ns
Individual foreigners affect the entire foreis
population, ard every obnoxious or unlawf1
act committed by an Englishman, an Amerioa
FIenchman. or any other countryman, isp,.
judicial 10 the welfare Of all aliens. aud goi
to strengthen the argument of the conservatif
party Of Japanese politicians in favor OF the e
clusion OF foreigners and the closing OF the por
We are sorry to learn by the last malls tn
the Secretary q the United States Legation
JED 40 has been mur dered by Japanese, and tn.
all the consular authorities, save Mr. Townsel
Harris, The American Minister, had been forcc
10 retire from the metropolis and seek refu
II Yokohama, the port few miles down
bay Great slarm prevailed smong the who
foreign population, aud even q massacre W
anticipated. This intelligence we find n
created considerable sensation ia England, al
| great indignation is expressed towards 4
| British Consuls referred to, whose recall
demanded We snail deplore hee
inc OF a worse state Of feeling than At prese
exists befgeen the native and allen hon
laticn Of japan: but :. worse com
We snail be Compelled, although not witho
reluctance, to say that tbs foreigners broug
i al upon themselves. Engli,hmen and Am
ricans must learn that they cannot go into
foreign land and violate every civil and NOR
law without mourning the danger of a fearf
reiribution. We know nothing as yet of Il
| circums tances leading to the murder of ii
| Secretary of our Legation, but much will d
rend upon these as to the judgment we me-
eventually form of the unfortunate affai
Meanwhile, we believe, there is no filter me
than Mr.. Harris for maintaining the nation
tonor in the far Orient, and from his moral an
friendly influence over the Japanese COVER
ment he will doubtless be able to obtain ju
'ice. 1t is nevertheless melancholy refectic
that, after all our hospitality to the late En-
bassy, such an untoward circumstance as tn
and such threatening state of affairs shoul
have SO quickly supervened.