The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-07-22
JAPAN POLITICS.

statesmen or tradesmen. Lately, the
rest of mankind" outside the :" land of the
rising sun" have been more puzzled thar
ever to know how the revolution in pro
gress is to end. Perhaps better under
standing of the matter can be had by q
glance at the past history of that Govern,
ment
From time immemorial, the few CLEANS
of light upon the internal condition Of
Japan that have reached other nations, all
went to show the Government thereof to
be that of the Feudal system, in all its
bearings. Foreign intercourse, opened up
some fifteen years since, has proved the
conclusion correct. The DaimIos are and
have been, the feudal lords. In their own
provinces, they have supreme authority
over the lives and landed property of their
fefs, tenants, soldiers and serfs. History
has always told us, too, of an Emperor of
Japan. Such there seems to have been,
from what we can learn, for thousand
years. In fact, it has been a well organ
lied government for as long period as
the present era.
Some three hundred years ago, the Ty-
coon, who was Generdlissimo to the reign
ing Micado, or Emperor, by the aid of
family alliances among the Daimios, and
through disaffection towards his master,
the Micado, usurped equal dictatorial pow
ers with that potentate; and nearly all
the executive power being already in his
hands, he seems to have become the equal
and co-ruler Of Japan without much more
Of revolution than has overthrown his
last successor. He made his Office hered-
itary in his own family, and kept the Dali
mios in subsection to himself by strength
ening the strong and suppressing the weak
ones among them. Whether he gave them
the right of representation, by Council
called the Gorojios, in the affairs of gov
ernment, we can not learn, but as the
Council seems not to be a part of the
newly restored Micadois scheme of gov
ernment, we rather incline to believe that
it was creation of the Tycoonate, seeing
it has probably perished with it.
The first Tycoon, or as it is called in
Japanese, Shoguun, was of the Tokugawa
family, which, in the course of time, be-
came divided into three branches, the
head Of each becoming a Daimio in his
own right-the Prince of Mito generally
taking precedence In the vacancies occur
ring in the Tycoonate. BY craftsmanship;
by overpowering numbers; and by the
subtlety of which that race is capable, the
Tycoon so controlled the Legislative acts
of the Gorojios, that they made the Mi
cado to be mere creature of their power
and purposes. Leaving him his title of
Emperor, and giving him the supreme spir-
itual authority, they managed through him,
as check upon the Tycoon, to keep up
Dual government, which, as / have said,
has ever been puzzle and annoyance to
all foreign nations seeking intercourse.
The Micado's Office has ever been heredi-
tary, with Regency attached in case of
minority or vacancy. This Regency has
also been hereditary in Daimio's family
attached to the interests of the Micado.
The same sort Of arrangement pertained
to the Tycoonate, so that in times of con-
hicting opinions Or interests, there was
always a way to get rid of the Micado or
Tycoon without abolishing the Office. This
has frequently happened when there has
been no immediate heir to either throne,
in which case, the House of Gorojios filed
the vacancy by an election, confined, how
ever, to one of the linear families. That
this system should become complicated,
and work its own downfall, seemed inev-
liable. In fact, it was SO thoroughly in
tricate, that had it not been supported by
immense standing armies, kept by each Of
the Daimios at Yedo, it would long since
have fallen to pieces. One year ago, or
more, the Daimios were permitted to re-
side in their own provinces without re-
straint. Previous to that, they were COM
PEELED to remain with their quota CT
soldiers and all their families, for SIX
months of the year at Yedo, near the Ty-
coon, and when absent their families were
held as hostages for their return. Abolish
ing this restraint was simply removing the
foundation of the whole 1ycoonate, with
all its privileges and authority.
Such was the General Government,
which, in its rule, little affected the COM
mon people. Their direct welfare, or op-
preston, was, and is yet, in the hands of
the several Daimios. These Princes of
the land were its absolute owners. No
man owns foot of land in Japan, except
the Daimios. They place a ground rent
upon every six feet square of it, and if
regularly paid, any family or individual
may become the occupant of a certain
portion, and his descendants after him,
without the prospect of being removed by
the landlord raising the rent" This
usage established the permanent class of