Show PERRYS MISSION TO JAPAN I = 1 t I Presidents Letter In 1853 Courted Japans Friendship Tho letter which Commodore Perry bolo from our government to the mi mdo asked for a mutual treaty The original Instrument was drafted In May 1SD1 by Daniel Webster then secretary of state and wan signed by resident Flllmore There It rested III November 1852 Mr Wubstors successor essor Edward Everett fished It out of the department pigeon holes took Il to pieces and refashioned It says Century three copies were propnrud amid were splendidly engrossed In ling Ish Dutch and Chinese These word nrloRcd together In a sumptuous gold case and to make the whole presentiment present-iment still more Impressive to the Jail uiese mind thu gold case was enshrined en-shrined In n coffer of rosewood The document Intrusted to Commo lore Perry asked of the Japanese court two things friendship and tmdo first nod foremost friendship for ho safety of our seamen Many a hapless crow had been driven into heir ports by storm or wrecked on their rocky const escaping the peril of the deep only to be welcomed by thoso truculent Islanders to a dungeon or a cage on shore This wrong must be stopped nt all hazards And If In addition we could persuade Japan to enter friendly relations of trade tho two countries by mutual Interchange of productions might each promote Its own prosperity and the welfare of the other It was thought that orientals orien-tals might seo that as well as Yankees In tho end they did But It cannot bo said that Japan any more than an oyster every really yearned to bo opened |