The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-07-29
Foreign Relations of Japan.

These were from the beginning forced and
unweleome to the rulers OF that country.
To the merchants and tradespeople in all
the open ports, they have generally been
sources of profit To the laborers, but a
small advantage has accrued, considering the
higher prices of food since foreign commerce
has been opened up with Japan. To the agri-
eultuEists, foreign intercourse has been no
benefit. True, vastly more silk and tea are
raised than formerly, but the producers of
these articles justly complain, that though
the prices are more than double the COM
mercial rates prevailing ten years since, yet
they receive no higher price for what is
raised, and its production costs them much
more Spectators in specific articles have
generally benefited by commerce But the
class who have received most profit from the
opening up of Japan, even in the restricted
manner of to-day, are the class most averse
to a more liberal intercourse. Even though
they have, by system Of tolls on internal
carriage, and export duties on articles ship
ped, besides specific taxes thereon, and nu-
merous other ways of extortion, made COM
merce a source of immense revenue, yet they
have, from their selfish stand point, good
grounds to wish the "Tojans" had never
come, and that, if possible, they could all be
driven out of the country. They are jealous
of the increasing influence of modern ideas
of government upon the people at large
They look upon every advance Of foreign
trade in their country with the suspicion q
fsudal lord Of the thirteenth century would
have held the advances Of friendship and
comfy shown his fefs and serfs by neigh
boring Prince Besides, they, perhaps justly,
assert that foreign intercourse in their ports
has been the cause Of far more outlay for de-
feusivs and aggressive weapons Of war, than
they have received from peaceful commerce
II the income Of the TukugzEa family has
been greatly increased, tfor they are the ouly
DaimiOs, including the Tycoon. who have
benefited by foreign commerce bringing |
its treasures TO their PortsL their outlay has
been immenses twenty vessels Of war, with
innumeFabIe quantities Of small arms and |
ammunition, besides five large and costly |
stone iorts at Kanagava and Tedo; millions !
spent for furnaces, fouBdries and docks; forts /
and eustom-houses in other ports than those /
uamed; with immense sums paid in the way /
Of damages done foreigners; al these sums, 1
il Is more than probable, do far exceed the
receipts from foreign commerce lam Civ
ing ny readers the Japanese Government
view Of the ease Nov, add to the bill, all /
the TexAfion and trouble Of a new bureau Of
government, which these foreign relations
have brought about; the disturbance Of the
old relations Of society; the light pouring in
upon the minds Of thinking japanese a. to
the natural rights Of al men IN life, liberty,
and the pursuit Of happiness, as well a. the
lttainmeut Of property. with the rigbtfnI
claim that Government shall proteet il, and
them, in It's possession and use- That Gov
eminent, too. i not ignorant Of the tendency
Of European civilization to overthrow and
destroy all other inferior forms- II has seen
what Il has done in America, where il met
With b4rharisu; what il k4s doae, and 3 do
lng, IN Iatia, where il met the very highest