FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. 363 



It is altogether inconsistent with justice, that persons thrown by the providence of God upon 

 the shores of a friendly nation should be looked upon and treated as pirates, before any proof 

 shall be given of their being so ; and the continuance of the treatment which has hitherto been 

 visited upon strangers will no longer be tolerated by the government of the United States, so 

 far as Americans are concerned. 



Fourth Japanese proposition 

 At Nagasaki they shall have no intercourse with the Dutch and Chinese. 



Commodore Pernfs reply . 



The Americans will never submit to the restrictions which have been imposed upon the 

 Dutch and Chinese, and any further allusion to such restraints will be considered offensive. 



Fifth Japanese proposition. 



After the other port is opened, if there be any other sort of articles wanted, or business which 

 requires to be arranged, there shall be careful deliberation between the parties in order to settle 

 them. 



Commodore Perry's reply. 

 Agreed to, so far as it applies to ports other than Nagasaki. 



Sixth Japanese proposition. 

 Lew Chew is a very distant country, and the opening of its harbor cannot be discussed by us. 



Commodore Perry's reply. 



As there can be no good reason why the Americans should not communicate freely with Lew 

 Chew, this point is insisted on. 



Seventh Japanese proposition. 



Matsmai is also a very distant country, and belongs to its prince ; this cannot be settled now, 

 but a definite answer on this subject shall be given when the ships are expected next spring. 



Commodore Perry's reply. 



The same with respect to the port of Matsmai, for our whaling-ships, steamers, and other 

 vessels. 



These propositions and replies were consecutively discussed, the commissioners interposing 

 with great pertinacity all possible difSculties, and contending that the laws of the Empire 

 were of such a character as positively forbade the concessions demanded. They insisted that 

 Nagasaki was the place set apart for strangers ; they stated that the inhabitants and authorities 

 of that city had been trained to enforce the laws with respect to foreigners, and declared that 



