But in a kingdom which, in its
polity, expressly ignored commerce and repudiated it as an evil instead
of a good, it was necessary to lay the very foundation as well as to
adjust the terms.
Hence the instructions to Commodore Perry covered broad ground, and his
letters of credence conformed to his instructions. If he found the
Japanese disposed to abandon, at once and forever, their deliberately
adopted plan of non-intercourse with foreigners (an event most
unlikely), his powers were ample to make with them a commercial treaty
as wide and general as any we have with the nations of Europe. If they
were disposed to relax but in part their jealous and suspicious system,
formally to profess relations of friendship, and, opening some only of
their ports to our vessels, to allow a trade in those ports between
their people and ours, he was authorized to negotiate for this purpose,
and secure for his country such privileges as he could, not inconsistent
with the self-respect which, as a nation, we owed to ourselves.
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