JAPAN. 



455 



powers, viz. : 1st. The ratification of the trea- 

 ties by the Mikado. 2d. The openihg of Osaka 

 and Hiogo. 3d. The revision of the tariff. Two 

 or three days afterwards the members of the 

 Gorogio came themselves to Hiogo, and had an 

 interview with our ministers. After relating 

 what had been done to induce the Mikado to 

 sanction the treaties, after having repeatedly 

 asserted that without this sanction the execu- 

 tion of the treaties was almost impossible, 

 they added the declaration that the question 

 was a very dangerous one, on account of the 

 hostile feelings entertained by many toward 

 foreigners. At the close of a very long confer- 

 ence, the Gorogio promised to add their exer- 

 tions to those of the Tycoon, and spare no 

 trouble to obtain this sanction, which, they 

 said, was ' as necessary to the Tycoon himself 

 as to the foreigners.' Accordingly, the follow- 

 ing day high officials were sent to Kioto; and 

 meanwhile the officers of the various legations 

 were at work' at Osaka, busily employed in ex- 

 plaining and illustrating the intentions and 

 fixed resolutions of the representatives. Our 

 ministers considered that a prompt and ener- 

 getic diplomatic action was requisite to effect 

 the desired end. The Gorogio called again, and 

 agreed with the ministers that the utmost 

 efforts of the Tycoon and his government were 

 indispensable, and that no time should be lost in 

 discussing the matter with the council of the 

 Mikado. Ten days were then given for a final 

 reply. Whilst these negotiations were going on 

 at Osaka r Kioto was in an indescribable state. 

 -Emissaries of the Daimios rushed in to counter- 

 order the departure of the Tycoon. The Eonins 

 made horrible threats against the life of the 

 Tycoon, and even of the Mikado himself. The 

 Mikado begged that the men-of-war, should be 

 removed at once, and declared he would not 

 sanction the treaties. He then ordered the re- 

 moval of Abe Boungo no Kami and Matsmai 

 Idzumi no Kami from the Gorogio, and took 

 from them their title of Kami. These two 

 Daimois were ordered at once to retire to their 

 dominions, and to express their regret for the 

 favor they had shown to the foreign cause. 

 The Tycoon and his government were stupefied 

 at this unexampled audacity of Kioto ; they 

 thought that from such an act to the deposition 

 of the Tycoon by the Mikado the distance was 

 small. Osaka and Kioto, wore in a state of 

 revolution. The foreign representatives were 

 informed of all these changes, but they became 

 more determined than ever, encouraged by the 

 Tycoon and his ministers. A letter, which we 

 hope we shall be permitted to publish in a few 

 days, was to be sent to the Mikado. In this 

 letter the Tycoon offered to retire, and begged 

 that the Tycoonate might fall into the hands of 

 Stots-bashi, and the command of the army he 

 intrusted to his relatives, the Daimios of Ownri 

 and Kichou. In order to prove to the Mikado 

 and his court that he was in earnest, he or- 

 dered the eight Japanese steamers, at anchor 

 before Hiogo, to move at once to Osaka, to be 



ready to convey him to Yeddo. Happily this 

 letter was stopped, and the Tycoon was told 

 that it was a shame for himself, and a disgrace 

 to his ancestors, to abdicate, when he was at 

 the head of an army numbering 300,000 men 

 and to yield to a miserable faction, tyrannizing 

 over the Mikado and his council. Another 

 most remarkable document, which we shall 

 probably be hereafter authorized to publish, 

 was at once prepared and despatched to Kioto. 

 In this masterpiece of Japanese literature the 

 Tycoon entreats the Mikado to give his sanc- 

 tion; and, to support his diplomatic note, he 

 moved with 34,000 of his best troops to Fou- 

 chimi, about eight miles from Kioto. There 

 he sent for some members of the Mikado's 

 council ; but the reply was, that the emissaries 

 of hostile Daimios and the Eonins were in such 

 a rage that it was unsafe for them to undertake 

 the journey. The Mikado, indeed, gave the 

 Tycoon to understand that his presence was 

 necessary to protect his own sacred person. 

 The Tycoon at once proceeded to Kioto, with 

 2,000 troops, ordered some Daimios' officers, 

 apparently Eonins, and in the employ of high 

 members of the Mikado's council, to be appre- 

 hended, and assembled all the representatives 

 of the Daimios actually at Kioto. The excite- 

 ment was great the crisis fearful. The officers 

 of the legations sent to Osaka, on a special 

 mission, met only the stern and sorrowful faces 

 of the Tycoon's followers, all more or less ready 

 to perform the hara kari, should the Tycoon be 

 compelled to retire. This painful excitement 

 lasted three days. The representatives of the 

 four powers, almost hourly informed of the 

 state of affairs, were during all this time busily 

 engaged day and night. The Japanese fleet 

 was now ordered to leave Hiogo and Osaka, 

 and take refuge in the Bay of Youra. The 

 crisis was hourly approaching. The member 

 of Gorogio, Ogasawara Iki no Kami, throughout 

 the whole of the night of the 22d November 

 discussed with thirty-six deputies of the Dai- 

 mios the question of the sanction of the treaties. 

 He succeeded in persuading them ; but there 

 were invisible enemies round the Mikado, and 

 he himself feared for his life. At last, all the 

 members of the Gorogio, the great metskis and 

 high officials of the Tycoon, with Stots-bashi at 

 their head, called on the Mikado, and prostrated 

 themselves at his Majesty's feet. The Mikado 

 was moved; but messages containing threats 

 were brought in every minute, and the Sacred 

 Emperor was still hesitating, when all the high 

 officers declared they would die at once, should 

 they not obtain what they had been sent for. 

 Stots-bashi went so far as to take hold of the 

 sleeve of the Mikado, respectfully swearing that 

 he would not loosen his hold until his Majesty 

 sanctioned the treaties. Finally, Kuambaku, 

 the first officer of the Mikado, was directed to 

 bring him the Book of the Irrevocable Wills 

 and the sanction was given. The change was 

 instantaneous. Where all was fear and distrust, 

 confidence and resolution became triumphant. 



