Wilmington journal., 1873-04-11
From the Southern Hom-
Ex-S.SS erner l.rssh INA and the imp
ancSe Expedition.


An article has been going the round
of the pupers giving the sole credit t.
this veteran statesman Of opening NJ
. relations with Japan. and stating tina
/; President Fillmore was at first opposed
to sending out an American expedi
ton. The Governor has written let
ter to a friend III this city in regard t.
| this matter. The letter is in such goot
taste and SO full of general interes
| that We asked and obtained permission
to make extracts from it. The readc.
will see that President Fillmore Ell
tered heartily into the scheme as pro
| posed by Governor Graham, then Sec
retary of the Navy, and did all in his
| power to promote the expedition. II
| simple justice to the distinguished wri
/ ter, we would say that he had no ides
| ofhis letter eingpublished, and wrote
it solely in answer to the enquiries
| made to him.
1.-The reasons for the measure were
somewhat as follows: We had recent
cause of complaint against Japan. 1st
for the Imprisonment and maltreat-
ment of American seamen, who had
been wrecked on her coast, and whom
she had imprisoned in cages and sent
through her country for exhibition
very grudgingly and reluctantly she
had released and surrendered up these,
after some deaths among them, to an
American naval vessel, sent to demand
them. ID. Some of her seamen, who
had suffered shipwreck in their iunks,
were picked up by American vessels
and sent to her coasts, and she was OBJ
stinate in refusing the liberty to land
them, and after consenting, directed
that olIr ships should not return again,
even for such purpose. Sd. Having
acquired California and established
our settlements on the Pacific coast,
we had become somewhat near elgh-
bOrs to the Japanese, and 1t was con-
sidered that nanion comprising an
empire of thirty odd millions Of inllnbi
tants, and Il series of islands extending
through IL degrees of latitude, with
an advancement in arts, letters and
science quite equal to the Chinese,
should not be permitted longer to keep
herself out of the pale Of civilization,
and fail to observe and keep the usages
imposed lr the Jaw of civilized ,i:i-
tious.
Ii Has therefore resolved that the
expedition should be sent TO demand ::
Ist, That she should abstain from the
cruel tre:,tuncnt OF mariners who hight
be thrown on her shores by casualty,
and I'd, that she shoHll no longer de-
nv the ordinary demands III hospital
ty hy refusing fresh water. fuel and
fresh provisions, e.. upon being paid
an equivalent for them, tn vessels
which luight come to her ports in dis
t.t.ss :,d Over aud above these de-
mands, it WIS hoped, that hr proper
diplomacy. q treaty might be Obtained.
by which Japan would yield her eXclI-
sive policy OF two centuries, and open
her ports to the commerce of the world.
The subject pertaining TO Naval
officers and sailors rights was brought
to my attention by Commodore NJ. C..
Perry. [ at once resolved to adopt it
aud carry out the enterprise, Ii lr,ssi
bic. brought it to tho notice OF the
President. who, after consideration.
nppru> ed it. and il became cabinet
measure. therefore gave the order
designating the ships TO he got in rsa,li-
ness. and detailed the officers Tor the
expedition. Commodore Perry, who
suggested it being placed IL command.
After the matter became known to the
public. it vas the subject OF some
uuiricudIv criticism and ridicuie i'll
CnnGress, and Gen. BavlcS, of Virgin
it, Chairman Of the Committee of
Foreign relations, called TO inquire
into the objects of it. Upon thcir he
ing farorabIv stated. he gave it his APP
nruyal. Mr.. Rltchie. the editor of the
Union. with whom ] had kind rcla-
tions, demonstrated with me. that We
We're about to compromise the honor
o.; the Government by a warlike de-
rnunstration against a weak and semi
barbarian power. But the prepare
tionS went ON. l resigned upon my
nomination for the EIce-Presidencv,
on the first of August, 1852, and the
expedition sailed in the Autumn fol-
lowing It's result is before the world.
| Ls.l On hand at the same time an
other great project in the exploration
III the valley OF the Amazon by Lieu
tenants Herndon and Gihhon, which
*ns ont Of the line uf routine of affairs.
which instituted ut the instance of
IientrlIant Maurv. Herndon had &c
turned before my resi- ignation-Gibbnn
not until afterwards. BY both l hope
something has been added to science
.,,,l the general enlightenment of the
lnhahitant- "f those distant regions.
I acprecstc being presented rs in
conflict with Mr. Fillmore, for whose
talents. virtues :ulh patriotism I cher
i>h the highest regard, or l,eiug SIP
posed to arrQga.e anything ia myself
at the expense of ia" irme al his
administration.
Respectfully yours.