250 DOCUMENT FOUND ON A PRISONER. Chap. XV. 
just taken place. On the other hand, it was 
argued, and with some reason, that, had the Go- 
vernment or offended Prince been the authors or 
instigators of the crime, it might have been much 
more easily and effectually accomplished on the 
journey than in the British Legation at Yedo. 
In connection with this question there was a 
document found on one of the band who was 
wounded and made prisoner, to which a considerable 
amount of importance is due. Four translations 
of this document were made ; one being official, 
while the other three were obtained from private 
sources. In the official copy the writer says, — 
“ He is a man of low degree, moved by the desire 
to do a great deed in honour of the sovereign — to 
expel the foreigner, as it is intolerable to stand by 
and see the sacred empire violated by the bar- 
barians. To achieve honour for himself, as a 
devoted patriot, making the empire to sparkle in 
foreign regions by a great deed, while tranquil- 
lizing the Imperial mind, and benefiting the 
country by ridding it of the presence of the 
foreigner ” — for these objects this worthy is willing 
to risk his life. 
The translations furnished by private individuals 
are similar to the above ; but one or two important 
things come out which would appear to have been 
suppressed in the official copy. Thus the writer 
does not say that he is “ moved by the desire to 
do a great deed in honour of the sovereign,” but 
“to follow out my masters will.” In two of the 
