“ commerce” is concerned, it permits “ the citizens of the United States to
frequent ’’ five ports in China, “ and to reside with their families and trade
there, and to proceed at pleasure with their vessels and merchandise to or
from any foreign port, and from either of the said five ports to any other of
them.” As to duties on articles imported, they are to pay according to a
tariff which is made part of the treaty, and in no case are to be subjected to
higher duties than those paid, under similar circumstances, by the people of
other nations. Consuls are provided for, to reside at the five open ports;
and those trading there are “ permitted to import from their own or any
other ports into China, and sell there, and purchase therein, and export to
their own or any other ports all manner of merchandise, of which the importation
or exportation is not prohibited by ” the treaty. In short, so far as
the five ports are concerned, there exists between us and China a general
treaty of commerce; and accordingly the twenty-second article expressly declares,
that “ relations of peace and amity between the United States and
China” are “ established by this treaty, and the vessels of the United States
are admitted to trade freely to and from the five ports of China open to foreign
commerce.”
I t certainly was very desirable to obtain, if possible, similar privileges
from Japan, and the Commodore resolved that, if the Japanese would negotiate
at all, his first efforts should be directed to that end. Accordingly
he caused to be prepared, in the Chinese character, a transcript of the treaty,
with such verbal alterations as would make it applicable to Japan, with
the view of exhibiting it to the Imperial commissioners of that country
should he be so successful as to open negotiations. He was not sanguine
enough to hope that he could procure an entire adoption of the Chinese
treaty by the Japanese. He was not ignorant of the difference in national
characteristics between the inhabitants of China and the more independent,
self-reliant and sturdy natives of the Japanese islands. He knew that the
latter held the former in some degree of contempt, and treated them, in the
matter of trade, very much as they did the Dutch. He was also aware
that the Chinese, when they made their treaty, did know something of the
advantages that might result from an intercourse with the rest of the world;
while as to the Japanese, in their long-continued isolation, either they
neither knew nor desired such advantages; or, if they knew them, feared they
might be purchased at too high a price in the introduction of foreigners who,
as in the case of the Portuguese, centuries before, might seek to overturn
the empire. I t was too much, therefore, to expect that the J apanese would
in all the particulars of a treaty imitate the Chinese. Still, they might be
disposed to adopt some of its most important features when suggested to
them by a knowledge of what other orientals had done.
But of the difficulties encountered, even after the Japanese had consented
to negotiate, the best account we think may be given from the conferences
and discussions between the respective negotiators, of all which most
accurate reports were kept on both sides, in the form of dialogue. At the
first meeting of the Commodore with the Imperial commissioners, on the
8th of March, he acted on the plan he had proposed to himself with respect
to the treaty with China, and thus addressed them:
“ Com. Perry. I think it would be better for the two nations that a
treaty similar to the one between my country and the Chinese should be
made between us. I have prepared the draft of one almost identical with
our treaty with China. I have been sent here by my government to make a
treaty with yours ; if I do not succeed now, my government will probably
send more ships here; but I hope we will soon settle matters amicably.”
“ Japanese. We wish for time to have the document translated into
the Japanese language.”
This was but one among a hundred proofs of their extreme suspicion and
caution; for there was not one of the Imperial commissioners, probably,
who could not have read, without the least difficulty, the document as furnished
by the Commodore ; and certain it is that their interpreters could
have read it off into Japanese at once.
The Commodore, whose wish it was to do as far as possible everything
that might conciliate, of course made no objection to a request so seemingly
reasonable, though he knew it to be needless, and was content to wait patiently
for their reply. In one week that reply came in writing, and was
very explicit: 1 As to opening a trade, such as is now carried on by China
with your country, we certainly cannot yet bring it about. The feelings and
manners of our people are very unlike those of outer nations, and it will be
exceedingly difficult, even if you wish it, to immediately change the old regulations
for those of other countries. Moreover, the Chinese have long had
intercourse with western nations, while we have had dealings at Nagasaki
with only the people of Holland and China.”
This answer was not entirely unexpected, and put an end to all prospect
of negotiating a “ commercial treaty,” in the European sense of that phrase.
I t only remained, therefore, to secure, for the present, admission into the
kingdom, and so much of trade as Japanese jealousy could be brought to
concede. At length, after much and oft repeated discussion, the point was
yielded that certain ports might be opened to our vessels; and then, in the
interview of March 25th,. came up the subject of consuls..
“ Japanese. About the appointment of consuls or agents, the commissioners
desire a delay of four or five years to see how the intercourse works.
The governor of the town and the official interpreter will be able to. carry
on all the business of supplying provisions, coal, and needed articles, with
the captain, without the intervention of a consul.”
“ Com. Perry. The duties of a consul are to report all difficulties
between American citizens and Japanese to his government in an au