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From the Washington Union of the 15th inst.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
TO THE EDIFHROR OF JAPAN.
VISIT TO YEDO
Reception of the American Consul
General.
The subjoined narrative of the visit of
Townsend Harris, Esq., United States
Consul for Japan, to Yedo, and the pres
entation of the letter of the President of
the United States to the Emperor of Ja
pan, will be read with the interest which
attaches to everything oonneoted with our
relations with the Eastern'World. These
letters, written with conversational free
dom, and not intended for the public eye,
we are gratified to have the opportunity to
lay before the readers of the Union. —
Whatever may ho thought of some of the
peculiarities and incidents of this extraor
dinary reoeption of our Consul General as
tho representative of the Executive of the
Uuitcd Stales, it. ounnot fail to oouvey to
the rouder an agreeable impression of the
respect and consideration with wliioh, in
that remote and isolated Empire, our
country and government are regarded.
U. S. CONSUt.ATK UeNKRAI,.
Sinmdu, .Japan, July !), 1858.
My Dear : You aro awaro that, I
brought with mo to this oouutry a lettor
from tlie President, of tho Unitod States,
addressed to the Emperor of Japan. In
the mouth of Ootober, 1856, I wrote to
the government of Yedo that 1 wished to
go to that, ciiy for the purpose of deliver
ing the let ter with which 1 had been in
trusted. It would not interest you to read
an acouunt of the various means used by
the Japanese to induce me to deliver the
letter at Siiuoda, uor to read an account of
the negotiations thereupon, which were
spun out for some ten months. At, last,
finding that I could not be moved from my
original determination, they yielded all the
points at issue, and agreed that I should
go to Yedo, and deliver the letter, at a
publio audience, to the Emperor. This
was a decided sueoess, and I drew favora
ble omens from the removal of the great
barrier which had hitherto prevented a
personal communication with the govern
ment. More than two months were con
sumed by the Japanese in making their
preparations for my journey and for my
reception at Yedo: I was informed that
the Emperor had given orders.that I should
receive the same honors as are paid to the
princes of the blood, as well on the road
as in the towns and villages through which
I would pass. I was told that the vice
governor of Simoda would attend me, in
the character of a courier, and that he
would implicitly obey all my instructions.
My train numbered some hundred and
fifty persons, oomposed of guards (my
own) norrimon bearers, cooks, grooms,
shoe-bearers, cane-bearers, fan-bearers,
and last, though not least, a standard
bearer, and a large number of coolies. I
had permitted the Japanese to arrange
and dress my train according to their ideas
of propriety, and what they oonoeived was
due to the representative of the President
of the United States. My guards, each
with two swords in the girdle, and clad in
new silk dresses, as they swelled and
strutted about, appeared to be “ mightily
uplifted in heart,” while they and my
bearers and grooms appeared to have
“broken out” all over in “spread eagles,”
as the back, breast and sleeves of their
dresses were sprinkled over with the arms
of the United States, which were neatly
painted on them. I performed the journey
partly on horseback and partly in a norri
mon, which is the Japanese name for a
palanquin. The Japanese norrimon will
compare with the celebrated iron cages of
Cardinal B-ilne of Pranoe, in which the
poor inmate could neither lie down or stand
up. In the norrimon the Japanese kneel
and place their feet close together, and
then sit on their heels ; if they wish to re
pose themselves they lean forward, and
rest the chin on their knees, so that the
body and limbs form three horizontal folds
or piles—a position that they assume and
keep without annoyanoe from long prac
tice, and from the great flexibility of their
joints, but which is almost unattainable by
a white man, and is absolutely unendura
ble.
I had a norrimou made for me seven
feet longj and in it 1 put a mattrass and
pillows,-■ which made it as comfortable as
the IndiaiTpalanquin j but of all the modes
of travelling, the camel, the elephant, and
the palanquin are the most fatiguing.
On the lovely morning of Monday, No
vember 23, 1 started for the long-desired
£oal of my wishes— Yedo. Four lads,
with small bamboo wands, led the way as
harbingers, and their voices sounded quite
musical as they sang the Japanese words
for “ clear the way,” “ clear the way,”
“ kneel down,” kneel down.” Next fol
lowed a Japanese on horse-back; then
came a large lackred tablet, bearing my
name and titles in immense Chinese char
acters The tablet was supported by two
huge transparent lanterns, which bore sim
ilar inscriptions. (When I halted, the
tablet was placed in front of my quarters,
and at night ttie lanterns were lighted and
hung up over the'gate of the house.) Next
came a stout fellow bearing the “stars and
stripes,” with four guards. I followed
either on horseback or in my norrimon,
and attended by twelve guards. Next
came Mr. Heuskin, (interpreter,) and after
him I do not recollect how it was arrang
ed, except that the vioe governor brought
up the rear.
. 'For the first three days the route was
entangled among the mountains and deep
ravines which compose the peninsula of
Idsu. The path, (for it could not be called
a road) was narrow, and in many places
was formed by cutting steps in the Jufa
rooks, and sometimes it ran over moun
tains 4,000 feet high. On the seoond day
I reaohed Ugasima, and as I emerged from
the gorges of Mount Amagi I had my first
view of “ Fusi Yama,” the “ Matohless
Mountain.” The sight was grand beyond
description. As viewed from the Temple
at Ugasima the mountain appears to be en
tirely isolated, and shoots up in a glorious
and perfeot cone 10,000 feet high! It waa
(covered with snow, and in the bright sun- I On my arrival I was warmly welcomed
light it glittered like frosted silver. In by my good friend the Prinee of 'Sinano,
its majestic solitude it struck me as being who showed me the various provisions that
even more grand and imposing than the had been made for my accommodation and
oelebrated Dwhalgiri of the Himmala comfort, and which included chairs, tables,
mountains. For the first two nights I was bedsteads, &c., none of which are
lodged in temples, which had been fitted used by the Japanese,
up for me, with new bath rooms and other The following day the Prince of Tamba
appliances to contribute to my comfort.— visited me in great state. He said ho came
On the evening of the third day I arrived as a “ special ambassador” from the
at Missima, a town on the To-ky-do, or Emperor to congratulate me on my arrival,
great East road, and from thence to Yedo and to ask after my health. After reoeiv
the road is wide and good. On the great ing those compliments, and making a
roads of Japan nice buildings are erected : suitable reply, the Prince pointed to a large
for the accommodation of the princes when box which he said was a present to me
they travel ; they are called Howjin ; and from his Majesty. I found the box con
it was in them I had my quarters for the tained five large trays of bon-bons,
remainder of my journey. weighing over one hundred pounds.
On my arrival at one of these buildings I subsequently visited the hereditary
the vice governor would hasten to oompli- i Prinee of Hotta, chief of the great Council
ment me on my arrival, and ask after my ! of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
health. On one occasion I asked him to ' The visit, was a pleasant one, and the
oome into the house, but he shook his head, arrangements for my audience were
: and said he dared not do it, as only those i completed. £ gave the Prince a copy of
of “exalted rank ” could enter a Howjin ; my intended speech to the Emperor, and
yet this man has received some thirty steps | before I left he gave a oopy of the reply
iof promotion, wears the imperial arms on I the Emperor would make to me. By this
his sleeve, and is the “ Leader of One arrangement, the speeches being both
Thousand Stars ” —i. e., the command of translated beforehand, we would be enabled
one thousand soldiers. to dispense with the presence of interpre-
My first day’s journey on the To-ky-do 1 ters at the audience. On Monday week
was over the mountain Hacone, which is j after my arrival I set out for the Palaoe.
some 4,500 feet high. After I had passed j My train blazed out in new silk dresses,
the crest of the mountain, and had de- ; and my guards wore their breeohes rolled
soended about one-tbird of the way, I oame up to the middle of the thigh. You must
to a perfect bijou of a rest house. Every- know the wearing of breeohes in Japan is
thing was in miniature. The house was a mark of high rank, or, if worn by an
new, and nothing oould exceed its neat- inferior, that he is in the servioe of one of
ness. A miniature garden adorned the the highest rank ;so that the weariug of
the rear; the trees were dwarfed to the breeches here is as muoh coveted as it is
smallest possible sizes.' Hero were tiny said to be in certain quarters in Amerioa,
temples and grottoes, and bridges so petite and that hore, as well as in Amerioa, the
that nothing heavior than a fairy oould articlo is a typo or emblom of power or
walk over them. A oanal and fish-pond, uuthority. A now flag, made of Japanese
pavod with snow-white pebbles, were filled orape, was oarried bofore mo. This flag
with water of orystal olearness; the gold is the first foreign banner that was over
and silver fish, however, were of enormous oarried through this gjpat oity, and I mean
size, some being quite two feet long, and a to proserve it as a precious relio. The
gray-headed old carp appeared to be the distanoe from my residence to tho Palaoe
patriaroh of tho finny family. was over two miles. On arriving at the
The passage of Mount Haoon was not bridge, over the third moat or ditch, all
completed until after nightfall ; but I did my train left their horses find norrimons
not regret being belated, as it afforded me j and proceeded on foot. I continued in my
the novel sight of my train brilliantly i norrimon, and was carried over three
lighted by a large number of huge bamboo moats, and through as many fortified gate
torches. As the train twisted and turned ways up to the gate of the Palace itself,
among the descents of tho mountain it 1 was received at the entrance by two
looked like the tail of an immense fiery j chamberlains, who, having‘knocked head,’
dragon. On reaching the plain I was i conducted me to an apartment, where 1
, met by the authorities of the city of Odo- found a chair for my use. Tea, bon-bons, !
: wara and a whole army of lanterns, of all and other refreshments were then offered
; imaginable sizes and colors, each being to me. A large number of the Princes
; decorated with the arms.of the owner, and came to be presented to me. At length
j the whole forming an ensemble that was I was told the Emperor was ready to
I lively and pleasing. I passed Sunday, the receive me. I passed through a largo hall
1 29th of November, at Kawasaki. This is in which some 300 to 400 of the high
1 the town that Chaplain Bittinger reached nobles of Japan, all dressed in their oourt
j when he made his celebrated dash at Yedo. dresses, were kneeling, and as silent and
(See Commodore Perry’s Joqrnal of the as motionless as statues, aud from this hall
Japan Expedition.) From my nxst arrival I entered the audience chamber. At this
;in Japan up to the present day I uijye al- moment a chamberlain called out, in a
i ways refused to transact, any business or loud voice, ‘ Merrican Ambassador,’ and
Ito travel on Sunday. I soon got the Jap? the Prince of Sinano threw himself down
j anese to understand my motive, and lam .and crawled along as I walked in. Mr.
j sure it has increased their respect for me. /Heusken, my secretary, who carried the
j The roads were all repaired and eleaply' President’s letter, halted at the entranoe.
1 swept on the whole of my route befiefe I I advanced up the room, making three
passed ; bridges were put in order, and bows as I proceeded, and halted at the
many new ones built; all travel on the | head of the two lines of men, who were
road was stopped, so that I did not see prostrate on their faces; those on my right
those crowds of travellers, priests, nuns, were the five members of the Council of
&c., &e., described by Kempfer; the shops State, with the Prince of Bittsu at their
in all the towns and villages were closed, head, and those on the left were three
(except the cook-shops and tea houses,) brothers of the Emperor,
and the inhabitants, clad in their holiday His Majesty was seated on a chair
clothes, knelt on mats spread in front of placed on a dais, elevated some three feet
their Houses ; not a sound was heard, nor above the floor of the chamber? l He was
a gesture indicative of curiosity seen ; all dressed in yellow silk, and wore a black
was respectful silence. The people were lackered cap that utterly defies description,
ordered to cast down their eyes as I passed, After a short pause 1 made my address to
as I was too high even to be looked at; but him, and, after a similar pause, he replied
this order was only partially obeyed, for to me in a clear and pleasant voice. When
the dear daughters of Eve would have a the Emperor had finished, Mr. Heusken
peep regardless of consequences. The brought the President’s letter to me; I
authorities of the towns and villages met removed the silk cover, (striped, red and
me at their boundaries, and saluted me by white,) opened the box, and displayed tbe
kneeling and “knocking head they then writing to Prince of Bittsu,-(who now
led the way through their little jurisdic- stood up ;) then, closing the box, I handed
tions, and took leave by similar postrations, it to the Prince, who placed it on a lackered
To you, who know me so well, I trust I stand prepared for the purpose. Mr.
need not say that these ceremonies and Heusken having returned to his place, and
slavish observances but ill agreed with my the Prince being again prostrate, the
Bimple habits, and that they were utterly Emperor bowed to me, smiling pleasantly
repugnant to my sincere republican at the same time. This ended my audienoe;
principles. But what could Ido 1 I knew and / backed out of the room, making three
that the ultimate success of the real object bows as I retired.
of my mission to Yedo did, in fact, very The usual dress of the Japanese nobles
much depend on the state and ceremony is of silk, but a court dress is made of a
which was observed on my journey, and coarse yellow grass cloth, and for a coronet
which would attend my entry into Yedo. they wear a black laokered affair that looks
Suoh being my feelings and opinions, I did like a distracted night-cap. I did not see
not, on the one hand demand any of these a single gem, jewel, or ornament of any
honors, nor, on the other, refuse them kind, on the person of the Emperor, or on
when offered to me. those of his courtiers, who .comprised the
On Monday, the 30th of November, I great nobility of Japan,
made my entry into Yedo. My followers From the audienoe chamber I was taken
put on their oamissimos, or dresses of to another room, where I found the five
ceremony, decorated with any quantity of great councillors of State, who, having
eagles. been presented to me, congratulated me
I should not have known when I passed on my audience, and expressed their
the line which separates Sinagana from wonder and astonishment at what they
Yedo had the spot not been pointed out to called my 1 greatness of heart.’ When I
me, as tbe houses form a continuous street asked for ah explanation, they said that
for some miles before you reach the actual they were filled with admiration to see me
boundary of the city. From the gate by stand ereot, look the awful ‘Tycoon’ in
which I entered the city to my quarters the face, speak plainly to him, hear his
was about seven miles. The streets of reply-—and all this without any trepidation,
Ifedo are divided into sections of 120 yards or any ‘ quivering of tho muscles of the
by gates and palisades of strong timber, side.’ I write all this to let you see that
This enables the police lo isolate any por- the Japanese Princes understand the use
tion of the city, or any line running of court compliments. I was then shown
through it, and this prevents the assem- a present of fifteen silken robes from his
bling of crowds or mobs. When we Majesty, and was taken to are om where a
approaohed a gate it was opened, and as banquet, set out on sixty trays, twelve
soon as the rear had passed through it was inches high, was prepared for my single
closed. The gates of all the cross streets stomach. There was food enough for one
were also kept closed. I could see hundred hungry men !
immense crowds beyond those gates, but You must know that the dinner trays
the people on our actual line of march were (like the breeches) are a mark of rank in
those only that occupied the buildings on Japan ; and the rank is indicated by the
the route. Notwithstanding all this, the height and oapacity of the trays, which
number that assembled was prodigious, vary from three to twelve inches in height.
The centre of the way was kept clear, and Again, if the trays are lackered, it dirnin
the crowd kept back by ropes stretched ishes the honor connected with the actual
along each side of the street. The assem- height of the tray, for it indicates that it
blage was composed of men, women, and can be used on another occasion ; but if it
children, of all ranks and conditions—the be made of unpainted cypress wood the
women being the larger number. I esti- honor is oomplete, for it says as plain as
mated the two lines of people that extended words can do, “ you are so sublime in
along the way, from my the your rank that no one can dare to eat from
city to the place provided for my residence, a tray that you have used!” My attention
to have been full 300,000. Yet in all was particularly called both to the height
this vast concourse I did not hear a word, of the trays and to the flattering faot that,
except the constant ory of the Harbingers, ‘by a special edict,’ they were made of
Satu ! satu ■ unvarnished wood. You must know that
You may think it impossible that silence this same dinner had been the subject of
oould have been maintained among so large grave discussion, both in Simoda and in
a number of women, but I assure you it Yedo. They were very 'anxious I should
wa ® 80 - eat at the Palace. I replied that I would
Ihe house prepared for me was situated do so cheerfully, provided a person or per
within the fourth oirele of the oastlo, or sons of suitable rank would eat with me •
aristooratio portion of the oity, and. large but said that self-respeot would forbid mv
enough to accommodate five hundred per- eating at a table where my host or his rep
sons, in the Japanese manner. resentative deolined to sit down. When
“THAT country is the most prosperous where labor commands the greatest reward.”-
LANCASTER CITY, PA., TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 25, 1859.
I had admired the very neat arrangement
of the banquet, I was again asked to sit
down. I then said, * Say to his Majesty
that I thanked him for his offered enter
tainment.’ At last the whole affair was
i sent to my quarters, where l distributed it
' among my Simoda followers,
j After the exhibition l of the dinner, I
was reconducted to the room I first enter
ed, and, after I had drunk of the celebra
ted < powdered tea.’ I left, being conduc
ted to the entrance by the two chamber
lains, who knocked head with all the force
, that was due to one who had seen ‘ the
: King, and yet lived.’ By the way, I for-
I got to state that the old formula of an
1 audience, which was ‘ kneel-down.’ c knock
head, so that the by-standers can hear
your skull craok,’ if it ever did exist at
the oourt at Yedo, was not used in my oase.
A faint request was made to me at Simoda
that I would kneel, but I told them the
request was offensive, and must not be re
peated. That ended it.
I cannot tell you how many thoughts
crowded my mind during my audience.— j
The great idea, however, was here, and !
now, the barrier of exclusion that has been i
rigidly maintained by this singular peo- ,
pie for more than two oenturies is finally i
broken down, and it is my country, my '
glorious oountry, that has achieved this, I
and all has been accomplished by moral
force. Great and glorious triumph of
reason !
In my letter to my good friend, Gen.
Wetmore, I shall treat on the matters that
oooupied me for the three months of my
first visit to Yedo—with descriptions of
various matters, as well as an aooount of
my illness. As in your letter I do not
touoh on the above subjeots, neither in his
shall I enter on those whioh form the sub
stanoo of this, so that a perusal of both
letters will give you an idea of all I wish
to oommunioate.
My return to Simoda was on a steamer
presented to the Japanese by the Dutoh,
and my subsequent voyages to and from
Yedo were all by water. Ido not know
the exaot date of my return *to Simoda.—
There is a perfeot blank in my memory
for about twenty days. Suffioe it to say
that on the 28th of Maroh I was aware
that I was as helpless as -a child, and that
I was also aware of the serious nature of
my illness.
In April I again started for Yedo, not
withstanding the strong remonstrances of
the physicians, and I was so feeble that 1
was actually carried on board the steamer
like a child. Happily no ill effects follow
ed this imprudent, but absolutely necessary,
step of mine.
The Emperor manifested the greatest
kindness and the most marked solicitude
for my perfect restoration to health. He
daily sent me some very nice affair that
had been prepared in the palace. After
about a fortnight of these kind attentions,
during which time I was rapidly gaining
strength, his Majesty sent the Prince of
Tamba to me to urge the use of a certain
remedy, which the Prince described If
you are curious to know what the nature
of the remedy was, you can turn to the
second verse of the first chapter of the
First Book of Kings, 1 oommonly called
the Third Book of Kings.’ In justice to
myself, permit me to add that my health
has so rapidly improved that I have not
used the imperial prescription. The
weather during April and May was char
ming, and each day I felt its influence.
The Japanese pointed out various places
of interest, such as temples, gardens, &c.,
whioh I visited with benefit to my health
and relaxation for my mind. The Seeby,
or theatres, of Yedo are three in number.
They are all in the northeast part of the
city, and only a few yards distant from
each other. I intended to visit them, but
my friend, the Prince of Sinano, earnestly
requested me not to do so. He said no
Japanese of rank oould go there without
being disgraced ; that if an imperial officer
should be seen there he would be dismis
sed the service. He added, ‘ you now
stand as high as any man in Japan ; why,
then, should you wish to cast yourself down
from the honorable plaoe you occupy V
Feeling convinced that his statements were i
correct, and not wishing to do anything j
that might lessen my influence as the rep- j
resentative of my oountry, I did not go.— i
The Japanese havo very few amusements ; i
the principal ones are wrestling, jugglers, |
and top spinners.
Nothing analagous to the Rougen of i
Java, the Nauch girl of India, the Mme of
Egypt, the Siva of Polynesia, or the Figu
aante of Paris is to be met here. A grand
match of one hundred of the crack wrest
lers of Japan was got up for my amuse
ment. Turn to Commodore Perry’s work
on Japan, page 431, and you will find a
very good lithograph of this amusement.
The description he gives of it is very cor- i
rect, and corresponds with what I saw, j
with the exception that he says (page 433) j
that some of the wrestlers butted each
other, and 1 kept np their brntal oontest :
until their foreheads were besmeared with
blood,’ &c., &o.
I saw nothing of that kind, although
over fifty matches were exhibited. The i
Japanese assured me that if ‘ butting and
bloodshed ’ was seen at Kanagawa it was >
the exception and not the rule.
The jugglers are very clever. One of
them made two butterflies of common thin i
paper. He first raised one of them up in :
the air by the wind of his fan, made it flut- !
ter about his head, alight on his finger, his :
arm, and his face ; he next set the pair in !
motion, and it was really wonderful to see
how natural the action was. They chased
each other through the air in ciroles some
times hor zontal and sometimes vertical ;
they hovered over the water that was in a
china bowl, and at last alighted on the rim ,
of the bowl. The top-spinners would pro
duce a sensation in New York.
For the amusement of your ohildren,:
and especially for the amusement’ of the
little lady that was so indignant at seeing :
my likeness exposed in the open air, I will'
describe the performance.
The exhibitor having spun a top, placed
it on a board, where it revolved with great
rapidity and steadiness ; he then took it
up and laid it on its side, where it remain
ed without motion ; he then talked to the
top, and at the top ; and, after making
sundry flourishes with his fan, he again
placed it upright on the board, and lo ! it
spun away as merrily as ever. Another top,
when lifted up by the spindle, made a noise
exaotly like your locust when held in the
hand. A top was declared to be a female, i
and having let it spin awhile, he took it up,
shook it, and down fell seven distinct tops, i
all of whieh whirled merrily af ound. An- j
other suddenly ohanged into a lantern, and, I
—BUCHANAN,
after whirling some time, the lamp in the
lantern was spontaneously lighted. A piece
of sewing thread about five yards long
was held extended by two persons ; the
i exhibitor put a top on this thread, and it
; ran from one end to the other, always up
' right, and constantly revolving. The same
■ feat was performed on the edge of a sword;
the top ran from the hilt to the point, and
back again to the hilt. I will only des
one more feat. In the court-yard, where
the exhibition took place, a pole some
thirty feet high was planted in the ground;
from a cross-bar at the top of the pole a
small house was suspended, (like your mar
tin boxes,) and from the door of the house
a piece of twine hung down to the ground;
the exhibitor placed a spinning top on the
palm of his left hand, and seized the twine
with his right; then, tossing the top up
in air, he dexterously cast a turn of the
twine around the lower spindle, and the
top instantly began to ascend the twine,
reached the door, which it forced open,
entered the house, and then quietly laid
down to rest! ! In all this exhibition there
was neither triok nor deception ; it was a
plain exhibition of skill.
Yours, sincerely,
TOWNSEND HARRIS.
P. S.—The distance from Simoda to
Yedo is 130 miles by land; by water it Is
only about 80 miles. 1 did not desoribe
the cultivation, houses, &0., I saw on the
route, for all is an exaot counterpart of
Simoda, whioh I have already described to
yon.
U. S. Consulate General,
Simoda, Japan, July 6, 1858,
My Dear Friend : I have visited the
oity of Yedo twioe, and have passed some
six months there. In my letter to my
friend, Mr. Dougherty, dated July 3d, I
have given an aooount of my journey and
of the oeremony that attended my audienoe
of the Emperor. The two letters will con
tain all I have to say about the events of
the last Beven months. After my first re
turn from Yedo 1 was attacked by a ner
vous fever, whioh afterwards assumed a
malignant type, and foi many days my life
was in great danger. Thanks be to God !
I recovered, and am now in my usual
health.
The Emperor and ihe Council of State
manifested the greatest anxiety during
my illness, and showed a marked solicitude
for my recovery. His Majesty daily sent
me kind messages, with presents of fruit,
arrow root, &c., &o. ; he also sent down
two of his best physioians from Yedo to at
tend me. The doctors sent a daily report
of my condition to the court, and on the
receipt there of a bulletin to the effect
that I could not recover, the Emperor is
sued an order to them to cure me, and they
were at the same time informed that the
safety of their heads depended on my re
covery. I cannot sufficiently thank those
doctors for their unwearied attentions to
me. Night and day one of them was al
ways at my bed-side, and they showed all
the gentleness and tenderness of a woman
in their treatment of me.
Shortly after my audience, I had an in
terview with the Prince of Bitsu, Minister
for Foreign Affairs, and the members
of the Great Council of State, when I made
an important communication to them, which
cannot be repeated here. The interview
lasted several hours, and was of great in
terest. A marked impression was evi
dently made, and I had only to follow it
up to give a hope of ultimate success.—
After this, I was constantly occupied in
giving instructions to the Japanese on in
ternational law, on political economy, and
explaining the operations of commerce. —
I found them to be profoundly ignorant of
the policy of the western world. My labor
was loDg, tedious and difficult. As the
ideas I gave them were new, they had no
terms in their language to express them ;
I had, therefore, to illustrate the meaning
of many axioms by such illusions to famil
iar topics as would best convey the ideas.
The axiom, that “demand and supply regu
late, each other,” took some days to be un
derstood by them, for it brought up the
whole principle of entire freedom of action
among the producing classes of the coun
try. Now, nothing could possibly be more
directly to Japanese ideas and customs
than this very freedom of action. The
government interferes in everything, even
in affairs so trifling as to throw an air of
ridioule over the whole matter. I labored
•incessantly to show them that the absence
of protection, or the interference, on the
part of a government was the surest mode
of encouraging and developing the indus
try of a country; I quoted Adam Smith,
and all the maxims I could remember
and for examples of the soundness of my
views I pointed to the condition of the va
rious States of the western world, and
showed them that the relative prosperity
of those States was in the exact ratio of
the freedom of action whioh was enjoyed
by the people.
It is impossible to give you an idea of
the mental anxiety I suffered for months.
I was without any adviser or assistant. I
had no well-stored library to which I could
resort, nor anything to rely on but my
own unaided memory. It cost me many
days of care and nights of wakefulness.—
At length, I began to Bee that my argu
ments were about to bear fruit ; this stim
ulated me to make new exertions, and, at
last, I made converts of the Emperor, (to
whom all my arguments were reported,) of
all the members of the Great Council of
State, and many of the Princes. This
was followed by the appointment of my
old friend, the Prince of Sinano, and the
Prince of Hugo, as commissioners to nego
tiate with me.
At our first meeting we exchanged our
powers, and I found theirs to be as full as
words oould make them; but, before my
second interview with them was over, I
was convinced that they were, in fact, only
intermediaries, and that I was, in reality,
negotiating with the whole Council of
State.
I cannot give you a detail of the nego
tiations, for that would be to divulge the
treaty. When we came to the artioles
regulating trade, I had to give them a
History of Revenue Laws, and to enter
into very minute details of custom-house
regulations, and the manner in which they
were executed. My labor was enhanoed
by the faot that the arguing of any given
point, and getting them to agree to its de
cision was far from terminating the ques
tion ; for after a matter had -been deliber
ately settled, they would at a subsequent
meeting, open it anew, and prooeed to ar
gue it as gravely as though it had never
been referred to, and there was not one of
the artioles but that was re-argued, at least,
three times, and some of them as many as
ten times. In these negotiations I found
the benefit of my previous commercial ed
ucation, and also of the course I had
adopted for my intercourse with the Japan
ese from my first arrival in the country,
which was to be particularly careful to bo
perfectly exact in every statement I made
to them, and to be cautious how I took my*
position ; but, when it was once taken,
never to recede from it. As the negotia
tions proceeded, (annoying and embarrass
ing as they were in many respects,) I was
cheered by seeing that my labors would
ultimately be * orowned with a suocess far
beyond my most sanguine expectations.
At length a treaty was agreed on, and or
dered to be engrossed.
You are well aware that I am not
permitted to divulge the details of the
treaty until it has been laid before the
President and received his approval; still
I cannot deny myself the pleasure of com
municating one of its provisions to you.
All Americans in Japan are to enjoy the
of their religion, aud they
, have the right to build churches. The
practice of trampling on the Crucifix is
abolished. When you remember that two
hundred and twenty-five years ago Chris
tianity was extinguished in Japan, in the
blood of a quarter of a million of Japanese
converts, and when you call to mind the
blasphemous proclamation of the then
Emperor of Japan, in which he said, ‘lf
the God of the Christians himself oomes to
Japan, I wil put him to death ! ’ you will
be ready to admit that this result is as
gratifying as it is surprising. lam proud
and happy that this has been achieved by
our country. It will be a good answer to
the sneer of Burke, which has often been
applied to our oountrymen. * Your God
is gold; your Bible is a ledger.’ The
pleasure 1 feel in having made the treaty
is enhanoed by the reflection that there
has been no show of ooerciou, nor was
menaoe in the least used by mo to obtain
it. There was no American man-of-war
within one thousand miles of me for months
before and after the negotiations. I told
the Japanese at the outsot that my mission
was a friendly one; that I was not
authorized to use any threats ; that all I
wished was that they would listen to the
truths that 1 would lay before them.
It was not until my second visit to Yedo
that I made an excursion in or around the
city. I visited many temples, gardens, &c.
The temples have nothing that arrests the
attention in their structure or in their
interiors, being in this respect less costly
and ornamental than the Chinese temples.
They are usually placed in fine, open
grounds, and surrounded by noble trees.
The grounds are neatly kept, and are
adorned with "flowering shrubs and trees,
among which the plum and cherry tree are
to be remarked; they produce enormous
blossoms, but alas! like many showy men,
they produce no fruit; rhododendrons, of
great beauty, and of the following colors,
viz : pink, scarlet, crimson, blue, yellow,
violet, and white. The dwarfing of trees
and distorting them into queer shapes is
much practised; and they cut the foliage
into rounded forms like dishes. 1 saw a
number of cedars whose trunks and
branches might be taken as representing the
bronze of a vast epergne, while the foliage
looked like emerald dishes.
The house of the Japanese are of wood,
and never more than two Btories high : they
are covered with thatch or tiles ; the front
and ends are closed by wooden window
sashes, covered with paper, which gives a
pleasant light in the interior, and wooden
shutters enclose the windows at night.—
The interior is divided into rooms by means
of sliding partitions, made of wooden
frames, covered with paper. These parti
tions can be removed in a few moments
and the whole house thrown into one room.
The floors are covered with straw mats,
some two inches thick ; they are soft and
fine, and are kept exquisitely clean.—
Neither chair, table, couch, nor bedstead,
nor any ornamental article, is to be seen.
The mat serves as a chair and table by
day, and as a bed at night. This descrip
tion of a house will apply to all, from the
Palace of the Emperor to the cottage of the
peasant. In winter they are warmed by
charcoal tyasiers. There is not a chimney
nor a pane of glass to be found in the
whole empire.
The gilded columns supporting the fret
ted ceilings, and golden roofs of stately
palaces, described by the old writers on
Japan, are not to found, and I am assured
by the Japanese that they never had any
existence out of the c Traveller’s Tales,’
which relate such marvels about Japan.
The Japanese are eminently genial in
their dispositions, and there is a cordiality
in their refined politeness that convinces
one of their sincerity. They are frugal
in everything, and utilitarian up to the
standard of good and wise old Jeremy BeD
tham. Food is abundant and cheap.—
The beggars of Japan are mostly a reli
gious class, and all are as fat as seals.—
Not one Japanese in fifty ever tastes of
any animal food except fish. "Sugar is the
only luxury, and yet I buy it here in Sim
oda cheaper than you can in New York.—
They are the best fed, clad, and lodged,
and the least overworked, of any people on
earth. God grant that future generations
may not have cause to regret the hour I
arrived in Japan ! The usual dress of the
Japanese of rank is of silk ; but on the
occasion of my audience the nobles wore
dresses made of a coarse yellow grass cloth.
This, as they say, is to remind them of the
poverty and frugality of their ancestors. —
I have never seen a diamond, pearl, or
ornament of gold or silver, worn by any
person in Japan.
As you take an interest in the ‘ fair sex,’
you will expect some description of the beau
ties of Japan. The women of condition never
make visits, (except the mother to a married
daughter;) have no assemblages of their 1 dear
five hundred friendsnor do they assemble
at the tea table, to hold high courts .of cen
sure on the manners and moralsof their friends.
They go out once or twice in a year to visit
some celebrated temple, but their ordinary
devotions are paid at a shrine within their
houses, or at a pretty Mia erected within the
enclosures of their grounds. The females of
the laboring olasses perform some portion of
out door labor; but they are not overworked,
as in China and other parts of Asia. Polyg
amy obtains—i. e., a man may have any
number of ‘ second wives.’ When a female
is selected as a first wife, she prepares for her
‘ change of condition ’ by smearing her teeth
with a horrid mixture which not only black
ens them forever, but also destroys ai portion
of the gums, and the lips sometimes, remain
permanently swollen. She next shaves her
eyebrows and exterminates her eyelashes, arid
changes the fashion of her hair. She has now
only to bring the knot of her girdle round to
the front, and all the world knows that she. is
a first wife, the commander in-chief of all
the ‘ second wives,''and theundisputable
proprietress, of all : th'e ' "children''' bdrtr
in the house. This last privilege reminds
one of a similar right exercised by the wires
of the respectable Abraham,, (Rachel and
Leah.) The
of these absurd aetidns-Consequently they are
by far the best-looking in the eyes of the To
jin or foreigners. A lady in fall dress—i. e.,
made up for misohief—is worth describing.
Her face is thickly covered with rice fiour, on
which rouge—real rouge—is prettily placed,
while her Tips are brought to that just violet
tinge that drives the Japanese lover oven' to
making poetry; her robes are numerous and
clumsy, and her girdle ib so vast in its ampli?
tude, that it would make a robe for any
ordinary woman ; her head is bristling with
metal ornaments that look like the grand
fathers of ah the turning forks; her really
pretty feet are proteoted by neat straw sandals;
when she walks she minces her steps as though
her legs were tied together at the knees.
Did I ever tell you of the description ayoung
Malay Tumangong, of Sumatra, once gave me
ot a young girl with whom he was in love?
No. Then, you shall have it now: ‘Tuan/
said he, ‘Tuan, she is high bosomed and
moon faced ; she has a mole on her cheek like
a spot of ambergris; her lips are like the
new cut shell of the magosteen ; hor teeth are
whiter-than theohamhakaflower ;ber breath
makes the clove tree die with envy ; her hair
is blacker than the night of Separation to the
distracted lover ; her form is like a branch’’pf
willow, and as she walks her hips move froth
side to side 1'
Yedo covers more ground than London, and
its population is about two * millions. The
Japanese say that no oensus is ever taken in
Japan; that returns are made of the numbers
of oertain classes; but as the nobles, peasants,
mechanics, and women and ohilaren are
omitted from these returns, they do not serve
even as a basis for estimates of population.—
The .Japanese gave mo a map of the city; but
as it is constructed without reference to a
scale, it is of little valuo; even the oompass
bearings of different points in the oity are
incorrect. The streets' generally are of good
width and are well sewered, but they are all
unpavod. No carriages are seen, a few hand
carts are used to transport heavy articles;
canals intersect thd oity m various directions.
The chief feature of Yedo is the “Castle/'
as it is called. This consists of four irregular
circles, or rather polygons, all surrounded
with moats or ditebos; the three inner oiroles
have stone walls, or a bank of earth faced
with stone, and varying in height from twelve
to thirty feet, according to the nature of the
ground on whioh they are built. The gate
ways through the walls open into quad
rangles of fifty to sixty feet; the gate of
egress being placed at right angles with the
entrance gate. As a means of defence, the
castle iB unworthy of its name, except against
assailants armed with bows and arrows. The
moats are fordable, and are some eighty to
one hundred and fifty feet wide, spanned by
neat wooden bridges. The inner polygon is
occupied exclusively by the emperor and his
sons and families ; the second by the Counoil
of State and princes; the third and fourth
polygons by the Dimius, titular princes, and
high officers of the government. I will close
this unreasonabiylong letter by showing you
how cheaply a man may procure a reputation
as a savan* in this country. Talking udo day
with the Prince of Tamba about dogs, I stated
that I had always observed that where a dog
had any white about his body the terminal
hairs in his tail would also be white. The
Prince opened his eyes at this, and when he
went home ordered an examination of the dogs
iii his premises, which were found to be mark
ed as I had stated. Interested by this he
ordered his servants to scour the neighboring
streets and temple grounds, and bring up all
their pariah inhabitants; these also stood the
test. Amazed at this, he repeated my state
ment and his experience at the Castle, where
some 400 to 500 of the high nobles were
assembled daily. Universal interest was
excited, and there ensued such a dog hunt
as Yedo never saw before. Dogs of. every
kind were scrutinized from the high
priced pug, called in their vernacular
jin, down to the mangy vagabond that skulked
about and shirked his living. Still my tale
about dogs' tails stood the test. At last letters
were written to Kioto osaca and other large
towns ordering a general canine examination.
When the reports arrived my glory and repu
tation reached the culminating point, and I
was looked upon by the Japanese as you
westerns look on Buffon, Cuvier, & Co.
Ever yours, sincerely.
TOWNSEND HARRIS.
At last two steam frigates have arrived here.
I have only a letter from you dated in Janu
ary, 1857. Have you not written since then ?
I have no time to add more, except to say that
I am very happy, and that I shall be able to
send another letter to you'about the 10th of
next September.
CARDS.
WT. UcPHAIL,
. ATTORNEY AT* LAW,
mar 31 ly 11 Steasbubg, Lancaster Co., Pa.
Newton lightneh, attorney;
AT LAW, has his Office In North Duke street, nearly
opposite the Court House.
Lancaster, apr 1 tfll
REMOVAL— WILLIAM B. FORDNEY,
Attorney at Law, has removed his office from North
Queen street to the building in the south-east corner of
Centre Square, formerly known as Hubley’s Hotel.
Lancaster, april 10
DR. JOHN M’C ALL A, DENTIST.—Office
No. 4 East Sing street, Lancaster, Pa. apr!Btfl3 •
ALDUS J. NEFF, Attorney at Law.**
Office with B. A Shaffer, Esq., south-west corner of
Centre Square, Lancaster. may 16, ’65 ly 17
Edward m’govern,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,.
No. 6 Noam Dose street—\ear the Coubt House,
LANCASTER, PA.
WILLIAM WHITESIDE, SURGEON
DENTIST.—Office in North Queen street, directly
over Long's Drug Store.
Lancaster, may 27, 1856,
Removal— dr. j. t. baker, hoju
(EPATHIC PHYSICIAN, bos removed his office to
Lime street, between Orange and East King streets, west
side.
Reference-^—Professor W. A. Gardner, Philadelphia.
Calls fiom the conntry will be promptly attended to.
apr 6 - tfl2
SAMUEL H. REYNOLDS, Attorney at
Law. Office, No. 14 North Duke street, opposite the
Coart House. may 6 tf 16
JESSE LANDIS, Attorney at Law.—Of
fice one door east of Lechler 1 * Hotel, East King street,
Lancaster, Pa.
tfg. All kinds of Scrivenlng—such as writing Wills,
Deeds, Mortgages, Accounts, Ac., will be attended to with
correctness and despatch. may 16, ’65 tf-17. <
SIMON P. EBY,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
OFFICE:—No. 38 North Duke tired,
may 11 ly 17] Lahoastxb, Pxbjta.
Frederick s. pyfer,
ATTORNEY AT LAlf .
Omcz.—No. 11 Noeth Dtrzx state*, wxst sidi, Lur
casteb, Pa. apr 20 tf 14
REMOVAL— WILLIAM S. AMWEG,
Attorney at Law, has removed his office from hit
former place into South Duke street, nearly opposite the
Trinity Lutheran Church. apr 8 tf 12
JAfflBS BLACK, Attorney at Law^Of
ficeiu East King street, two .doors east ofLechler'a
Hotel, Lancaster, Pa.
49" All business connected with bis profession, and
all kinds of writing, such aspreparing Deeds, Mortgages,
Wills, Stating Accounts, Ac., promptly attended to.'
may 15. ***?
JOHN F. BRINTON, „
ATTOENBI AT LAW,
PHILADELPHIA* P*-
3&s removed hlSofflee to his residence, Bonth Oth
Street, shove Spruce. _ ' _ • •
Refers by permission to Hon. H. G. WHO,
' « a.l:Hatw, ;
“ Pca&BX BBZRTOa,
« TsAMitrs Stivifs.
dot 24 ly* 45
PETER D. MTERB, ‘
BBAL BBIASB A«BNT, >v/f <, W ;T
smr.inzi.ratA. *
ran.ni<»utimM .
wIU it Mud to the Banting of Homes, OoUaottqciHgaM
and Gronnd Bents, it. Agendas entrarted to pfe car.
will be thankfully received, and oarefnlly atMndedtow
BeUafsetoty reference given.. Offl» : Jf..B r oorn«„rt
SEVENTH end BANSOMetreeta,'S«dnd Floor, Ro.l(r. '
-feblT ■ : s'ioiiiWi'r:
NO 2.