Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-01-21
Interesting from Japan.-Tragic Death OF the
Emperor. -


A correspondent of the Philadelphia LEDGER writing
from Nagasak, Japan the Is Of October gives that
paper the following interesting account of the death of
the Emperor:
In No. Is, also gave you account of the treaty
lately made by US with Japan. Let me tell you
tragic well interesting events, which have
already flowed from it. You must first know that,
though out OF the world" while cruising along these
unknown shoals, we have still an occasional European
mail, by some wandering ship and (while anchored here
semweekly mail from Yeddo. This latter comes over
land by special messenger who sometimes rides,
times walks and again proceeds by water. few days
after arrival, of these Post came ill., and the
next day the Interpreters gave Dutch friends of De-
sima the Yeddo news they in turn, passed it over to
u.s. 1t was said that after the signing of last trea
ty, goth Of July, ult it sent by the TaKoon,
Imperial Emperor at Yeddo to the Mikado or Spiritual
Emperor at Miaco for his approval The latter howey
who Is said to be young of eighteen aware OF
his rights and power and determined to enforce them,
refused his approval upon the ground that he should
have been consulted previous to the signing of the treaty.
and departing boldly from tmid policy of his more i'm
mediate predecessors, initiated that of the old regime"
and notified his great ruler" for TaKoon,) that an
obedience to the lars Of Japan, the time had for
him to commit =" Hari-kari." The Great Ruler there
ore stabbed himself in the bowels receiving at the same
moment severe blow the back of bis neck, from
r1end and relative which, disOcating the vertebru, pro-
duced instant death This bold stand upon the part Of
their MlkadO who has been treated by the late Tar
Rooms puppet than master, has startled the
Japanese and caused them to expect some great chan
ges What these to be however, they do not say.
! The above is the news by one post. Another says
that the Emperor poisoned and that three OF the
great Princes composing the Senate OF twenty, qch0
taHy govern JapGn had been disgraced for the part
they had taken in the treaty while third arrival varies
the by stating that the Tai-Koon has simply been
deprived of his office for time, and that he will return
to power after few years The three Princes it was
farther stated had been dismissed from the Tai-Koon
previous to his removal in the hope that the Mka-
do would consider that sufficient reparation, and
sent to stop farther proceedings This latter was ac-
ceped by us as the most natural, and consequently more
likely to be true, than any other but yesterday all doubt
was removed by the publication of tke following govern
ment order:
The Tai-Koon is dead All the people WILL there
fore, the national mourning the 4th OF Oc-
tober and continue it through the foowin" fifty days.
AS usual none but necessary work will be allowed
Thus it is certain that the Emperor is DEAD though
whether by Harkari or poison, is not known. 1t IS,
however, equally certain, that it has not resulted from
natural causes and Dutch friends say that Harkar
is most probable.
On the oath nst the Flag Officer was officially mott
fed of the death of the Emperor by the Governor of Ma
gasaki. We were Informed with all the gravity in the
world that he had been sick for six weeks with peursy
and that he had finally succumbed the 4h of Septe-
Der. subsequently said to the interpreter you once
told that it required forty days to get from
Yeddo and now when it is only eighteen days since
his death you know all about it. do not know what
/ to believe when l talk to you japanese
"Oh!" he replied, oh when the Emperor dies the
: post comes very fast-in seven days, sometimes
= "Wel, now, want to know how he died !! said
naturally.
"How? He died of bad cod have speak, Com
= modore."
"Yes, but you know that is the outside account
What want is the inside one."
No this not outside Outside, inside-alI same
7, now.
:. "Perhaps he has committed Hari-karip In fact
Is knoav he has ]" -
: "Oh !" he lauged with evident amusement. That
not so. That cannot be! Never Emperor Grea
e Prince make Harikari-ony Governors and smal
Princes" Thus place the assertion of the Interpre
ter against the belief of the Dutch-mysef inclinng
ward the latter The interpreter, however, was ash
s. ero,' remarkably honest and talented man.
The day after being officially informed of the lmperia
l. DEATH the Flag officer sent bis Flag Lieutenant to tn
Governor, to say to him that he wished to honor hi
masters memory, by firing FL minute guns just
should for our President, or for the head of European
power were we anchored in one of their ports TIL
Governor expressed himself highly fattered by the at
ention, but replied that it the custom in Japa
to mourn an silence, unless the Admiral anxious t.
fire it, he begged he would not So we saved our pow
der
> The correspondent says that upon the appear
ance of cholera in JAPAN the belief prevailed that th
English had poisoned the springs and adds:
This disease had, it seems broken out with great vic
ence shortly after departure month previous
ryng off many fifty of the Jepanese, daily and orr
ginatng feeling of wide spread alarm throughout th
whole southern part of the Island of Kinsn. 1t wa
not attributed to natural by the lower classes bu
to the working of devil who it asserted had beer
J. thrown overheard from of the English ships lately
visiting the port and who had then swan shore t.
destroy the people punishment for the spirit of "fre
intercourse with foreigners which Japan had manies
ted by signing the late treaties 1t also ASSERTED
er that the English had poisoned the waters and th
existence OF such conviction among the lower orders
scarcely to be wondered at when reflects th
superstituous nature of their religion ) and upon tn
acts of some English sailors, which evidently gave rs
to the belief 1t that one of the English vessels
gave liberty to number of her crew that two of thes
wandered into the country and that during their wall
they passed several springs. After shaking their thrs
at of these they wantonly stirred it up with thei
sticks and the consequence that for hours the am
lies that supplied by that spring had to carry thei
buckets to Others. Thus originated the idea of tn
poisoning of the waters.
Two officers Of that nation, while strolling through
the country, attacked by crowd, and forced t.
fly to avoid being overpowered by numbers The Rus
sian officer wht had been left here by Admiral Pontia
= tin in charge of number OF sick men, attacked il
the streets of Nagasaki itself And the Dutch docto
al of Desima, who has been among them for years.
al who as is generally the case with medical among sem
p civilized people, great favorite account OF hi
at numerous cures stoned while enjoying an evenin
ride.
A MODEL LoyER-Thc Detroit Free Press gives th
following description of the fugitive slave who recent
the heart and hand Of the young white heress j
that city:
We were at some little pains yesterday to get sigh
n Of this modern OtheIlO who had won q second Desd
d mona, and found lean longshanked hobbing darke
n about fifty years of age, his white wool showing off
at countenance of superfne ivoryback to fghtfu az
vantage In his escape from the South he received
shot in of bis legs which adds nothing to the ell
gance of his locomoon and there isn't solitary vor