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


BILE towns, cities and villages all over
Japan. This class are lower in the social
scale, or, rather, are SO regarded by the
ruling powers, who derive no direct income
from them, but who make them the vic
tins of extortion dd hbifunt, SO that while
they pay no taxes, they do pay an immense
of tribute. This class are very numerous,
so much so that you get the impression
that it is Japan instead Of England that
is the nation of shop-keepers."
The necessity each Daimio was under
to furnish his quota of soldiers for the
support of the Tycoonate, resulted in the
establishment of an immense army of
Yacnnins or two sworded gently; 100000
of these were furnished the Tycoon, by
the Diamios formerly resident in Yedo,
the late T'ycoon's capital. Beside this
immense army, there were at least three
times as many kept in reserve by the
Daimios themselves for their own protec-
ton against the aggressions of their neigh
bors. This privilege of being Yaconin is
also hereditary, and has entailed upon
Japan an unmitigated burden of oppres-
sion, idleness and outlawry. Add to these
the swarming troops of begging priests of
their many religions and the troops of
professional beggars; with the millions of
laborers from day to day, the blind by the
thousand, and the vast hordes of daughters
these lower classes who afford revenue to
the government, and misery and crime to
themselves and patrons,-take all these
with limited number of Merdti, teachers,
&C., and my readers can have a fair esti-
mate Of the population of Japan. The
lower classes are all serfs, and at the abso-
lutte disposal of their Princes. Their gov
ernment, however, is not directly oppres-
sive. There is no slavery in Japan, and
as it teens with millions who must eat by
their labor, and labor scarce, while food is
never very scarce nor high, they manage
to live but when sickness comes, though
kindly treated by their friends. they court
death rather than suffering, and many die
as grass that is cut down.
1t will be seen that the political status
of that Empire directly but little affects
the common people, and as the Yaconins,
Samouri and higher classes of government
officials have each and all enough to do,
to watch each other and take care of
themselves, there is but little knowledge
of governmental affairs, among them and
but little care who is Micado or Tycoon.
Whether or not SToTsBAsHI, the last
Tycoon, purposely shaped events SO as
to end in the utter abolition of his Office,
we cannot tell but that his schemes tend
ed so to overturn his authority no one
doubted. He may have brought about
the downfall OF the Tycoonate, that he
might eventually reign sole Micado or
Emperor This much we do know, that
from the hour that foreign nations made
treaties with the Tycoon as EMPEROR and
called him HIS MAJESTY, to the complete
overthrow Of the Tycoonate and the es-
tablishment of sole Emperor, was but
few short years 1t came too as legi-
innate result of foreign intercourse. In
October last. Stotsbashi attempted to sup
press rebellion at 0saca, of several of the
southern Daimios, headed by Satsuma. The
Tycoon was deserted on the battle field by
one of his principal Daimios, and after
four hours fighting fed with all his forces.
Satsuma had in the mean time, without
the Tycoons knowledge, taken possession
of the boy Micado, brought his banner on
to the field: at which the Tycoon quailed,
fed to Yedo, resigned his Tycoonate,
yielded everything. and retired to tenn
pie: there as a shorn penitent to seek
absolution of the spiritual head of the
Empire, the Micado. All this sounds like
tale of Jack the Giant Killers land
but IN detail quite surpasses that fiction.
The Micado, or rather Satsuma, Chazshu
and Toza in his name, quietly took pos
session of the open ports and Yedo,
o11 dan,ordad fba ,.,or ,-as,oIs ond ON
munition of the forts, none of which had
been delivered over at latest accounts by
those of Stotsbashi's friend who still held
them,-and their troops were marching to
the northern provinces, to subdue the
allies of Stotsbashi, the late Tycoon, who
had not yet submitted to the new regime
The latest accounts we have are that
battle between Satsuma's soldiers and
those of Sendai and Idzul had taken place,
north of Yedo, in which 200 of the for
mer's troops were captured and slain.
Whether the northern Daimios will, after
this " thunder shower las the Japanese
term it submit or continue their warfare,
remains to be seen.
Yedo is in possession of the Micado's
troops and government Their is no
longer an army of the Tycoon, nor such
an Office. The last incumbent counsels
submission to the Micado, and he is now
the only potentate with whom foreign rep
reseDtatives can hold relations. The Eng
lish Minister has already presented his