Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-28
Gen. Garfield and the Jananese.
SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS

SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS.
The circumstance that message of con-
dOence on the death OF President Garfield. from
the Emperor of Japan to this government was
received On the very day the sad tidngs were
transmitted, has recalled to the mind of the
writer two or three incidents which prove that
Japan had no better friend in the United States
than the lamented martyr
When Mr.. ArinOri MOri, in 1872 called upOn
Gen. Garfield for some information on the sub
ject OF education for the use of the Japanese
he received prompt and valuable reply: and
some OF the points made therein are especially
interesting at this time. One of them was
that the 'civZatiOn which found lis origin in
western Asia, nearly two thousand wears auo
has at last, in its westward march, cOmpeted
the circuit of the earth, and almost reached its
point of departure" In speaking of western
Europe and America he said that they had
evolved out Of many conflicts two
principles which they. now regard
as the foundation of all national
prosperity and glory" and that there were uni
versa education. and the maintenance of per-
sonal. social and public morality. Abiding to
the effect OF education upon the material pros
perity OF country, he said that the railroad
was the result OF long centuries of study and
that the magnetic telegraph was more wonder
lnl result of education, and when he penned
that thought how little did he imagine that the
story OF his death would encircle the globe in a
few hours, and that the grandest funeral train
recorded In history would be his own, reaching
Dy railway frOm the waves of the Atlantic to
those of Lake Erie!
In view OF the fact that many people are won
derng why it should have been necessary that a
man who was universally esteemed for his Dure
character and craftsmanship should have been
asSassinated, the following allusiOn to the ..life
OF man y is interesting: ''If the general educa-
ton OF the people advances the external ma
ter'al interests OF man, much more will it
advance man himself in his physical. So
cial and moral nature. In other ages it
influenced mainly by forces beyond his con-
troll; by a multitude of gods and other unseen
agencies. But the progress of science has de-
veloped the fact that the universe is governed
by general and comprehensive laws-laws which
pervade not only the material and inorganic
world but also the world of organic life and Of
human activity" Whatever may be said of the
party platform upon which President Garfield
stood, all men must honor his opinion as to the
duties OF a national ruler when he says: ''Ruers
mus must choose two conditions Without educa-
tion the citizens Of nation will be ignorant.
indOlent, vicious and turbulent. With educa-
tiOn they will become more enlightened indus
triOus, virtuOus and peaceable. The paper
from which the foregoing quotations are made
was very complete and exhaustive and vet Gen.
cred its unsatisfactory character
In November OF last year the writer of this
notice received a letter from Scotland, written
by Mr.. AmanO KOzirO, who had for several years
been an attache Of the japanese legation in
Washington, and was then on his way to Toxic
where he is now connected with the foreign Of
flee. In that letter he stated that he was in
Dublin on the Sd of the month, and first saw in
an evening paper the announcement of General
Garf1eld's election to the presidency, and then
went on, in the most enthusiastic manner, to
speak of the man he had long delighted to honor
and congratulated the republican party and the
nation on the happy result while mentioning the
democratic competitor in the most kindly terms
In due time Mr.. AmanO's remarks were reported
to Gen. Garfield, and in a letter which he sent
from Mentor on the 4th of December he con-
cludes as follows =" Accept my thanks for the
interesting quotation you make from the letter
OF your Japanese friend"
In further evidence of the friendship which
Gen. Garfield entertained for the people and
government of Japan, it may be stated that on
fore Congress for adjudication, for returning the
noted . indemnity fund" to Japan. he invariably
TOOK the ground that there was no valid reason
for further retaining the money in the custody
OF the United States, for the reason that it right
fully belonged to Japan.
THOSE Who OUGHT TO Know say that the
President will not appoint q justice Of the
United States Supreme Court to succeed Judpe
Clifford. until after Congress meets in regular
session The appointment will probably 20 to
the Eastern States.
AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE KING.-The NAVY
department to-day ordered by telegraph the U.
s. steamer Dispatch to proceed from New York
to Hampton Roads, and to arrive there by Fri
day next. She will then be placed at the dis
poeai OF King kalakaua during his stay in that
vicinity.