Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-05-17
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
by W. NJ. ESTE.


Of our consitution-is, in our ssense, un.
known to the Japanese; and yet all who
have visited them pronounce them the hap.
piest and most contented people on the face
of the ear,h. The anomaly of despotsm
without arbitrariness, is another striking
contrariety. illustrated by the fact that the
Supreme NJ lkado and the Ty.coon.ie (great
ruler) are as completely enthralled by this
despotism as the lowliest in the land. Law
is the despot, or more properly, law and
lestablished custom constitute this despotism.
These, answering as the edicts of the
Medes and Persians--famliar as household
words to ell from their infancy-exacting
from sl classes alike the same observance,
are the despots Of Nipon.
There is justice in this, at all events; for,
however great the distinctions and grades
of society; however unpleasant or even in
human these customs and laws may be, yet,
where the highest digntaries are as amen
able to them as the scavengers. so to speak
there justice must most prevail. For how
nfexble soever and rksome the control
exercised on every action Of life, he who
willingly yields to their injunctions need ap.
prehend nothing, for beyond them there is
no'caprious tyranny, nor any arbitrary pow.
er can reach him. All are protected in the
enjoyment OF their rights and property. such
as their position, sanctioned by custom, en-.
titles them to.
Feudalism, as it existed of yore, in Merry
Old England and Gay France. is the basis
of the Nippon system. The Dairi, Vo, or
Mikado-as he is varously called-as the
successor of the Gods, and their representa-.
tive on earth, is both the nominal proprietor
and ruler of the kingdom, and though it is
said that the people still tenaciously cling
to the formal recognition of their Mikado's
absolute rights, yet it is certain that these
puppets were long agone insensibly set aside
as to actual exercise of authority by the
Ty-coen-es, who continue 10 treat them
with all the ceremonies of substantial pow.
er, and with the respect and reverence, due
to the spiritual head of the national Church
Thus, then, this nomnally all-powerful au.
tocrat, by right divine, in whom is embodied
the spirit of the Sun Goddess, who rules the
universe, gods and men included, (Ama.
terasu 90 Kami) is, after all his high sound
ing titles, impofent for good or evil in the
administration of Government. He is held
to be too exalted being to have his atten-
tion distracted by worldly affairs, and he per.
forms no act of sovereignty tina, does not
partake OF a religious character. He is held
too sacred for the vulgar gaze, and SO is i'm
INJURED in his palace until he abdicates, switch
he may do in favor Of son and deughter, and
which he usually does as soon as possible,
in order to escape the irksomeness of his
position. To guard against the possible
failure OF an heir to this unenviab le throne,
he is provided with twelve lawful wives.
Thus shut in, and thrown for amuseme mt
upon the resources of his own mind, his
most diligently and enthusiastically cultiva-
ted. The poets, philosophic moraists, and
historians most universally admired, are Oft
enest the members of his court, Literature
is both the business and pleasure of their
lives, so that, after all, the kingdom has
rather gained than lost by sustaining this
politically powerless monarch; ior in retain
ing him, they have insensibly established an
elegant nursery for the cultivation of the
most ennobing occupations Of lie. "Vita
sine literis, mors est" is motto OF theirs
as well as Of the Latins.
The dominons of this nominal proprietor
are divided-with the exception of the por-
tion reserved 10 the Crown-nto principal
tiles held in vassalage by their respective
hereditary princes. Under them the land
is parceled out among the nobility, who hold
|, | ba; ba, aJ; h, mi
! At one time in the early history of Nipon
civil wars reduced the six hundred princ;-
f palities which then formed the consolidated
empire, to,a state Of almost complete inde-
pendence. 1t then occurred that several
provinces we're united under one ruler, and
particularly ,he five central provinces ol
the large island Nippon, Qrom which the
} whole nation takes its name,) which formed
} the patrimony OF prince whose title was
Lord General-"Kubo," general, and Sama,
lord. He was acknowledged superior TO the
other princes, who were called kings, and
accordingly, upon the reunion Of the sepa-
rated governments he naturally held high
F.; or rank than the others. In time 1t hap
s pened that one of the Kubo samas usurped
d greater authority than his predecessors, re-
4 duced the particular kings and princes to in
d significance, declared himself emperor, and
made Yeddo his capital. This person wa'
J., called "Yo.Gun," and it ia said that from
= his time (l6l6) to this, there have been nj
; internal connections or civil wars.
There ia some discrepancy as to the rea
: title of this political ruler. All of the oil
: writer's style him Zio-goon; but Mr.. Harris
= our Minister at the Court of Yeddo, say
d that he was informed by the proper officials
: that Ty-coon-ie, signiiying great ruler, ant
: not Ziogoon, which means Generaissimo
d is the correct title. However that may be
n it is certain that ,his Office was original!
d limited to the iniiction Of punishments ant
y the suppression Of crimes. which office, b.
II usurpation. he converted into that OF virtua
n absolute monarch. Theoretically, then, h
e IS but an inferior officer Of the Mkado'
g court. In reality, the President Of the Mi
:. kado's council, with his two coadjutors, ar
I, the first officers after the Mikado--and the
m i. L. -.