The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-20
CHAR ES TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 20, 1868.
The "Rebellion" in Japan.

| have details OF the progress OF tue reFoiu'
ton in Japan, and these are not without
morsl which the politicians at Washington
might profit by, if they would.
The supreme power of the Empire OF
Japan is lodged, nominally, in the MikadO'
who is a hereditary monarch, and, like the
sovereign of Great Britain, is also the titu-
lar head of the national church. But the
real power has been welded under con-
stitution adopted more than two centuries
ago, by an officer styled the Tycoon or Sha-
goon. The Office of Tycoon is hereditary,
and has remained, almost since its establish
ment, in the Tokugawa family, SToTsBAsHI
Prince of Mito, the late Tycoon, being the
head of the junior breuch of that house.
The Tycoonate was originally kind of war
department, but the Tycoon's position was
in many respects analogous to that of the
Mares du Paldis, under the Merovingian.
dynasty. These, as all readers of French
history know, eventually usurped the kingy
Office, established themselves upon the
throne, and founded the Carlovingian dy-
nasty. Something of the same game was
being worked out in Japan,-though upon
that point our information is not as clear as
it might be-and this aroused the Jealousy
of the great mobiles, the Daimios as they
are styled, who formed q combination for
the purpose of putting down the Tycoon,
or, at all events of restraining his power
within reasonable limits. This combina-
tion is known in Japan as the Southern
Confederation, and its head and front was
noble named CuIosIU. The Southern
Confederates who, in the name of the Mi
kado, were solemnly proclaimed rebels, re-
sorted to arms in vindication of their cause,
and fierce and bloody war was waged
between the contending parties. In July
last, SToTsBAsHI, who had but recently
succeeded to the Tycoonate, and who is
unquestionably sagacious statesman and
man of great administrative ability, offered
liberal terms Of peace to the rebels. These
were accepted, and the difficulties were in
process Of amicable adjustment, when 8
fresh cause of disagreement arose which
interrupted the negotiations, and led to
renewed acts of hostility.
The new grievance added to the list Of
complaints put forth by the rebellious Dali
mios was this. The treaty negotiated by
STorsBAsHI with the foreign powers provided
for the opening Of those ports only which
were under the special control Of the
Tycoon; it was to him alone, then, that the
profits Of the foreign trade would enure.
Now the Daimios were opposed to having
any intercourse at all with foreigners; but
if the opening of the ports to foreigners
was to be viewed as an inevitable necessity,
they argued that they too had right to
share in the profits, and that consequently
they ought to be allowed to open their
ports. SrorsBAsHr refused to agree to this,
and the Confederates thereupon broke off
the negotiations, and prepared to resume
hostilities.
Success attended their efforts. In the
beginning of January they made a success
fui raid upon the royal palace, captured
the Mikado, and compelled him-he is
mere boy of ffteen-to sign decree, not
only dismissing SrorsDAsH1 and abolishing
the Tycoonate, but depriving the Tycoon of
all his titles as one of the nobility Of the
country. But SToTsBAsHI was not to be
killed off on paper. He still retained con-
troll of the army, and was looked up to by
the great body of the people as their ruler.
So he shut himself up in his castle at Osaca,
and babe defiance to the Confederates.
These now put forth their ultimatum,
and their demands seem not unreasonable.
They require that the Mikado shall resume
the executive power, that the Tycoonate
shall be reduced to its original dimensions
of mere war department, and that the
affairs of the nation shall be managed by
cabinet of Daimios, in which they are will
ling to give SToTsBAsHI seat. Accounts
differ as to the action taken by this Japan
ese STANToN,-we beg SToTsBAsHI's pardon
for so unsavory a comparison,-in regard
to the demands Of the rebellious Confede-
rates. One version has it that, like his
American prototype, he remains fortified
in his stronghold, seemingly master of the
situation. The Japanese Times, on the
contrary, states that he has gracefully ac-
cepted his defeat, resigned the Office he
could no longer fill with advantage to his
people, and given in his adhesion to the new
order of things. This is what, as noble
man and gentleman, he should do; and we
shall not be at all surprised to learn by the
next mail, that the Times was right. But
it cannot be denied that SToTsBAsHI is an
admirer of America; and he may possibly
be deluded into the belief that her great
ness is due to such statesmen and patriots
as now rule the roast at Washington. In
that case Heaven help the Japanese.