194
S. Flag Ship Mississippi,
U “* Sl “ : 0ut friend > tl,e BeT - Ur --» f Cwton, informs me of his having written to
you w,th reference to a contemplated visit of mine to Siam , after I shall have accomplished myJapan mission.
lie has doubtless intimated to you my desire to obtain some accurate information as to theprobabthty of a favorable reception by the lung of Siam of any propositions I might make formodifying and enlarging the stipulations of the present treaty between the United States andthat kingdom, and of inducing the king to send on, of bis flneet ship, to the United State , incharge of some of the most intelligent of his officers, that they might examine into our institu-tion, re igious, civil, military, and commercial, and take back with them an account of whatthey shall have seen a, furnishing evidence of the advantages that Siam would derive from afree and mutually liberal intercourse with us.
I am well aware of the impolicy of tnkjj.g any steps in this business until I can learn of cer-tainty whether the king and Ins adviser, would receive my proposition, with favor, and hedisposed to enter into friendly negotiations.
Another failure following that of Mr. Ballestier would put our relation, on a worse footing
ban they now are, and this ,s the object of my addressing myself to you ask, os a particular
favor, tha you woo d, if it be at all practicable, ascertain the feelings aid disposition of the
king and h„ councilor, with respect to any diplomatic visit I might make to Bangkok .
1hese emjuiries should be made a, ,f emanating directly from yourselves, a, Americans and
well wishers of a more friendly understanding between the two countries. You might say that
you have been credibly informed that Commodore P,„y ha, hecn charged with full power, to
negotiate with Japan , Siam , Cochin China , and other eastern nations, but he is not disposed to
make any advances towards Siam until lie is well assiirWl 1
.. , J , . .. , . . ... , ea assure d that such friendly demonstrations
would be me in the same frank and liberal spirit; that the United States , a. a nation, i, very
powerful and any rejection of proffers mad, by an accredited ambassador of that country would,
if treated coolly, give great offence ; that a reciprocal treaty with a nation of such vast com-
mercial resources must result to the advantage of +iw> _
., , . auvaniage ot the weaker power, and if Commodore Perry
could have sufficient proof from any authentic source thnt n xri-cif r , .
,. Al , , source tnat a visit from him, with one or more
of the splendid steam frigates he lias under his i ,, . „ ,
ms comm and, would he favorably received, he
would doubtless go to Siam , and pay his respects to the king.
When at Galle , in Ceylon , in March last, I saw n i r-
. .. . . . ’ . „ ... . ’ x saw o Siamese sloop-of-war at that port, and was
visited by her captain and some Buddhist priests, who were on a pilgrimage to i teilplo near
by, Lent the Second King of Siam, the one who speaks English so well, a trilling present I
since then, a Siamese vessel at Whampoa lias, at the reanest + ■ r, . x , , ,
. , • m, , . cquest of her captain, been assisted by
one of my ships. Ihese little acts are proofs of our friemllir ,u „
. , , , , “ inendly disposition towards the Siamese,
and I feel assured that if the king would send one of his shins w imfi „ -n +
x tt •( j ct i +i u. it , 118 8111 P 8 i whether with cargo or not;
to the United States , the result would be most gratifying to him
The Sultan of Muecat ,ent ,om, year, ago a rioop-of-war to our' country, and her officer, weretreated w.th great kmdnos, and defection j the ,ame civilitie, were extended to an officer ,enta short time after by the Sultan of Turkey to the United States .