New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-11
are and try to make the best Of item. Which is
the course earnestly recommended to YOU by
You,s &C. 10 ~ Trb
TsE CONDITION or gAPAN.

THE CONDITION or Japan.
From the letters of our Japan correspondent,
giving fall aceount Of the murder of M. Hue
sken, the Secretary of the United States Lega.
ton al Yedo, and of the state OF affairs which
led TO that outrage, it is evident that crisis is
at hand both in the domestic aud foreign Affairs
of Japan. All the foreign Legations except cur
own have fled from Yedo, terrified by repeated
bloody manifestations Of tho hostility Of the
japanese people, or at least Of powerful fac
ton among them, to their Christian visitors.
Each Of the nations represented at Yedo have
suffered in turn. First, two Russian officers
were assassinated; next two Dutch shipmas-
tiers; then the confidential servant OF the English
Minister was killed, ChiDamnn in The En-
slish service having previously been murdered.
Next, an attach6 of the French Legation was
wounded and, lastly, Mr. Huesken, who was
thought to DO more popular than any other for.
eigner in Japan, from his kindness to the people
and hls intimate acquaintance with their language
and customs, was way laid and cut down by
band of armed men az he was riding homewafd
from the residence Of the Prussan Legation.
1t is certain that OUtragcs like these on the
representatives Of foreign Powers cannot be per-
mittcd 80 continue unredressed. II the Japancie
Government caunot OF will not prevent them,
the Christian Powers viii take the matter into
their own hands, and secure the safety of their
subjects and citizens by forcbly occupying some
convenient pert on the Bay Of Yedo, where trade
may be carried on. az was formerly the case IN
India under the protection Of foreign gdns If
the strength and spirit Of the japanese Govern
inebt are what they have hitherto had credit tor,
such n step will inevitably lead to a serious and
sanguinaIy war.
liz the opinion Of our correspondent the re-
cent murders at Yedc have been committed not
so much from hostility to foreigners as from
desire on the part Of q turbulent faction OF the
feudatory princes to involve the Imperial Gov
errment in foreign war, with the expectation
that during the trouble and confusion which
would be sure to epsue they could bring about a
revolution and drive the reignipg dynasty from
the throne, to which some of these princes have
| themselves hereditary Pretensions. The Govern
! ment of the Tycoon, though perfectly aware OF
theso designs, is TOO weak to venture to.oiiend
/ its powerful yossals, and therefore reluctantly
connives at their outrages which it dare not re-
press, though fully conscious Of the danger it
| incnrs from submitting to them. 1t has before
/ il the alternative Of a foreign war or domestic
rebellion, and perhaps both of these evils at the
same time, and is deficient either in power or il
decision sufficient to put an end to it's embar
rassment.
1t 10 not the first time that Japan has encoun
tered such difficulties. It's history from the ear
hest ages is little more than record OF rebel
lions on the part Of the great va.sals of tn
empire, VINO never, in fact, fully submitted (,
TIE Central Government till tho 10th century
when two successive military usurpers of re-
markable ablties--Nobunanga, who reigned from
1867 to 1882 and Taiko SaIna, who died il
1595-succeeded in subiugating them. Take
Sama, the greatest character in Japanese annals,
founded the present dynasty. and established the
imperial power on so firm basis that with the
exception Of the rebellion of the Christians
driven to desperation by persecution in the l6tt
century, 10 serious attempt has been made Il
overthrow it till now, when the descendants o.
the princes who were subdued by Taiko Sams
are apparently seeking TO recover the long os
power Of their houses.