Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-03-04

To-day, al l2 o'clock. the President at
tended by the members Of the Cabinet, the
Vice President aud members Of the Senate
and House Of Representatives, together with
other dignitaries VI the Republic, will form
ally receive IwAkura, Ambassador Extraordi-
nary from japan, with his suite.
The event Is one of the greatest Importance
and significance, for 1t heraldG the beginning
Of new era, so far as our relations and In
tercourse with all the East IL concerned. ia
pan for thousands of years has steadily re-
pelled all attempts to force her into the family
Of nations, and declined all Invitations to
come closer TO the civilized countries Of the
world. Her empire dates back to seven CEN
turtles before the birth OF Christ.
Sixty years after America was discovered
the daring Portuguese began to trade with
her, which was followed shortly afterwards
by the mission Of Fraucis Navier In 1000 the
Dutch came upon the scene, and, by their
mAchiuatlons, succeeded In procuring the
expulsion Of their rivals and the exterminN-
tion Of the Christian religion. From that
time forward every effort to open the country
failed until In 1854. Asthe resultIot the Uutcd
thhSH pNhlllbl ulutl IGFTl,
Japan, by the treaty with the United States
threw down the barriers she had erected
against the great Western Powers Several
other treaties followed, and In 1850 President
Buchanan received the Arst Japanese em-
bassy to the United States.
Since then our influence has been steadily
growing In Japan. Her Statesmen have
begun to study our institutions and to Inquire
into our system Of government. She has
learned to look to the United States for in
structlOn and advice. She has learned to re-
gard US as friend to be cultivated and ad-
mlred, rather than a. an enemy to he watched
and driven of. The secret OF our success
with that jealous aud suspicious country has
been that our merchants and men-Of-war
went to her not as invaders bent on conquest
and aggression, but In the Interests Of peace
and trade and commerce and civilization.
The Portuguese monk laugh: one doctrine,
while the Portuguese trader practccd another
and different code Of morals.
The great and important results of the
present mission canno. be easily ioreseen.
II marks the first step in mighty movement,
which will probably end In solving the
Eastern problem. It Is to the honor OF our
country and OF our statesmen that the high
and honorable course we have pursued to-
wards those countries has taught them to
look TO US as their best friend and ally. All
that Japan and China, and particularly
Japan, have heard OF the United States, has
been favorable. The story Of our marvellous
growth and enterprise has so impressed them
that they are anxious to enter the race with
us, and be guided by our teaching In de-
yeloping their almost illlmitable resources
and great opportunities. Japan selects
our Government and our Institutions Us the
ones best calculated to help her forward In
the path OF progress. She has paid us the
highest compliment possible for one country
to pay another. She has sent the sons Of the
highest Of her nobility, her most promising
youth, to learn In our colleges and unlyersi-
ties, She has taken officials from our Govern
msnt Departments, and won them with large
offers Of emOlument and reward from our SER
vice to her own. The fruits of all this inter
course cannot but he beneficial to the United
States, as well as to Japan. In us she has
secured an ally who will sec that her rights
are respected by the entire world.
They who suppose that Japan has every
thing to learn from us, and that there is
nothing which she in return cat give us, are
greatly mistaken. The japanese are an In
telllgent and enlightened race. Their laws
and customs and sacred books might In many
respects be probably studied by us. In many
Of the arts they have arrived at degree Of
perfection and advancement which we have
by no means attained. Japan comes to us
with the desire to adopt All that Is good and
cOmmeudable in our system and civilization;
In return we shall do well II we learn from
her all the lessons that she has To teach