The Sun. — 1863-07-13 (London, England)

SATSUMA. Unarmed and defenceless as they were, their only alternative was flight. Mr. RICHARDSON fell covered with wounds, his companions escaped with difficulty, and the lady reached the nearest town, terror-stricken and covered with blood, to tell how the pleasant morning's ride had been converted into a tragedy. Earl RUSSELL, in defending the course pursued by the Government, said very truly that no doubt many of the Japanese objected to the permission accorded to foreigners to take up their residence in Japan, and considered that no such intruders should be suffered to remain on the road during one of their grand official processions. But the noble lord added that it was impossible that we should accept such sentiments, or even religious motives, as sufficient reason or excuse for the murder of unoffending British subjects. Reparation was very justly demanded in each of these three cases. With regard to the attack on the Legation the punishment of the offenders was asked for ; a pecuniary compensation was demanded on behalf of the families of the murdered marines ; while in the case of Mr. RICHARDSON, our Admiral has been directed to obtain from the Prince of SATSUMA the punishment of the assassins. We do not see how less could have been done. It would have been most unwise as well as highly unjust to have suffered such offences to pass without notice, unless we wished to see the lives of every English man and woman in Japan fall a sacrifice to the frantic fanaticism of the semi-barbarous population. armedpele force like :t by no means follows that the enforcement of our the presence with a op of an demands by war. In dealing w occasion  Japanese, We must remember that anything like hesitation or uncertainty is at once attributed by them to fear. If they can be brought to realise the stupendous strength of their despised ally, they will not only be more careful of the lives of the British subjects, but considerably less likely to provoke a war. It is mistaken lenity which for fear of incurring hostilities between this country and any other would adopt a timid and vacillating policy, in cases of real urgency. It has been truly observed that weak persons do as much harm in the world  as wicked ones, and though England can hardly be called weak in resources, yet her foreign policy has too often been of that character.. " Pais ce que dolt, advienne que pourra " should be the motto for nations as well as individuals : otherwise Flat )ustitia ruat colum. If it be true, as  Lord CARNARITON and Lord GREY asserted, that the English merchants, traders, and residents in Ivan have been greatly to blame in irritating, overreaching, and insulting the people, such conduct should be inquired into and punished with the same severity as we should  exact from the Japanese in similar cases. Inquiry should especially be made into the story of the Englishman s ho trespassed on a portion of the Tycoon's dominions to shoot wild fowl, which were esteemed sacred, and who shot the official who endeavoured to stop him. In a case like this a severe penalty should be inflicted on the offender, and the Japanen should be made to feel that we will not tolerate injustice or aggression on either side on any ground  whatever. But it is not the way to secure peace or  respect for property to overlook such dire offences as the attack on the Legation and the  assassination of Mr. RICHARDSON because Eng lishmen have in certain cases disregarded the law.  On the contrary, it will induce the residents to