The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-08-30

The principal pun-hmeut- in Japan ~, ban
i'hment, house arrest, dccopitaton. cru,ilxiun
aud disembOweling. Those condemned to ban
ishmcnt are sent either to desert island lo IA
fortress IN the mountains 10 the copper mines
House arrest j. visited on high aud low. and is
a'ihe dIshonorrg. The doors and windows are
nailed up with bonrds, all connection with the
street is prohibited, and men are forbidden to
shave. This punishment usually lasts hundred
days.
Decopitation is performed with little ceremo-
ny. The princes aud other dignitanes have pow
er to punish their servants and subjects with
death, and beheadlng is frequently performed in
the interior Of the palaces without occasionlng
particular notice
Crncifxion is inflicted in two ways--eihcr with
the head upwards or downwards Those who
suffer IN he former way, sit upon cross piece
which Is fastened upon an upright post, their feet
bound to n beam below. After the criminal has
been fastened so that he cannot move, lac is pier
ccd repeatedly with n lance having a broad, thin
blade. II Is said that the servants Of Justice aie
so skilled in their art that they sometimes Trans.
fix the criminals body l6 times before he expires.
Those who ore crucified with their heads down.
wards, are suffered to die in that position Some
times small gashes arc made IN the top Of the
head, in order TO lberae the over charged blood
vessels This has the effect Of prolOnging life,
aud the terrible punishment is sometimes cudur.
ed ten days before death relieves the sufferer
The act Of disemboweiing Is privilege Of the
better classes, who from their youthare al taught
the rules and regulations under which it must be
observed On the occasion Of perlormng the act.
a particular garment must De vofn, aud the no.
bles never neglect taking i. with them, when
they set out upon Journey. When person is
condemned to disembow,l himsrll-whigh does
not often happen-hs sous and brothers, as we'll
as his father and uncles, are all obliged to pero! N
tLg same operation on themselves III receive
the sentence, so that the act il done bv all at
the same time The condemned person invites
hl9 most intimate friends and assemblies with
them, frequently in the inner court OF 4 temple,
where they carouse aud drink literally of s7ke.
"a strong llluo, prepared from rice which is used
instead Of wlne) The condemned then pronouu.
Ccs II farewell address takes leave Of his friends,
and Rf'er the imperial command has been read
aloud, draws his sabre. leans forward ard makes
straight cut across his body. A flyoritu ser.
want Or ono Of his friends stands behind him, and
Immediately strikes hi- head of In this manner.
the tlmld are helped out of the world Those
who are boder sometimes ga-h Their boly in the
form OF a cross, and end by p.Gnsjns tie blade
into their throats
Z.
Mobiles or warriors make use Of il when, through
their own neglect or the guilt Of their suLorIi
mates they have reason TO anticipate punishment
Governors also perform it, when some msdced
has happened within their jurisdiction, the perpe
traitor Of which they cannot prInt out In all
these cases tie japanese prefers voluntary dis
embowelng 10 a slight but dlshouorabIe puui-h.
ment, since he thus preserves the honor Of he
family. md secures his sons succession in the Of
fee. The same operation is also performed in the
presence Of a person by whom tie suicide has
been injured or offended. InJapan on insult can
only be washed out by ones own blood
Although there is no division Of c--tes in ia.
pan, as in China and Indig the different classes
are distinctly separated and II is alino-: impOsS,
ble for one ofa low rank ever to reach a higher.
except through adoption. The highest class Is
the nobility, which is again divided into the high.
er and lower, the former of which are allowed TO
wear white garments. Mex, come tie warriors
v Vho carry sabres in their girdes next the priests
who in rank alone but not in position. stanl high.
er than the former, The intelligent class consists
mostly Of civil officers, physicians and other sci.
entlhc men. They have the right TO wear sabres
and pantaIoons--a right also possessed hy the
lowest Of their servants. To tie lower classes
belong the merchant, the mechanic, the manufac.
turcr, the farmer ard the day laborer Accord.
ing as 4 trade or profession is held in ihe public
estimation, are the persons who carry it on re
spectel or despise1 Thus the artist. and even
the farmer though they are generally poor, nre
more respected than the merchant, no matter how
great may be hjs wealth.
The peasants and the lower classes arc expos.
ed TO all kinds Of oppression and pass their lives,
with few exceptions IN a state Of the greatest mi.
sery. Lea,herdrcssi1g and everything connect.
ell will it's the most despised occupation. Those
who carry 1t on are shut ont from respectable
society. The cxccutioners are always chosen
from among't them and they are therefore the
most degraded class Of men.