If Japan had been near to either England or France, war would have broken out long ago.

If you make a treaty first with the United States and settle the matter of the opium trade, England cannot change this, though she should desire to do so.

The United States have no possessions in the east and do not desire to have any, as other countries do.

The President regards the Japanese as a brave people; but courage, though useful in time of war, is subordinate to knowledge of arts; hence, courage without such knowledge is not to be highly esteemed.

Japan and China are isolated and without intercourse with other countries; hence the President directed me to attend to or watch the state of affairs in China also.

Any nation that refuses to hold intercourse with other nations must expect to be excluded from this family.

Open the doors to all. Let the children of the rich and the poor take their seats together and know of no distinction save that of industry, good conduct, and intellect.