The New York herald., 1869-02-13

Jcddo, Past and Prcsen;-The M.ixnO and
His P0wcr-rhe Influence of the sioguus-
Antipatby to Foreigners Present Quiet Of
the Couniry-A Japanese story.
JEDDo, Dec. %, 1868.
Jeddo is not the great city you read o. although
was once far more poprlous than IL Is now. Even
then was unlike city. It's magnitude depended
upon the fact that the government under the sio-
guns obliged the princes and mobiles OF high rank to
reside al Jeido six months in the year. aud to leave
their families there when they returned 10 their es-
;a.es. They were always at Jeddo attended
by a large number OF retainen. Each prince
had a community OF his own. aud his houses and
grounds covered wide space within entrench-
ments ana moais. These domains, with tnicaly
settled villages scattered among them, make
up the city: but now the glory has. in a great
measure, departed, though IL IL anticipated that the
residence Of tie Mikado win cause 1t 70 return.
This, think. Is making more out OF the Mkados in
Guencc than belongs to It. We cannot lose sight OF
The fact that the reign OF the Mikado "a the reign or
faction whatever nsy result at some future Gay.
But before that day arrives those OF The foreign
representatives who helped 70 bring the Mlsado for
ward 1t the sacrifice Of the estaoaaed government
under The sioguns viii have ample opportunity to
wsh The old rulers back again. tninE there eau be
lltae doubt that the government under the Sloguns
known, and that, although Il was not far-reaching
enough q be called a general government, It
more nearly than Japan nope to see for years
70 come.
The naiare Of the NiSado power, ITS extent and
limitation. is very differently understood by the Jap
anese themselves, and 70 foreigners 1t Is apparent,
since the retirement OF the sioguns. that there
power fei. BY the very absence OF s representative.
not less vital In tie government than that OF the
mlkado himself. There seems to bc now no real
central government in Japan. The Mkado IA power.
less to mite the different governments without the
soguns. or rather he Is the puppct OF clique Of
Daimios The siogun has given up everything aud
retired 70 his estates In the country Plainly there
| is an idea OF government already familiar to the
Japanese, not entirely identical with that OF indi.
vidual power vested IN the Mikado. A man may be
put out Of the way but idea Ia not 90 easily dealt
| WITH and 30, In my opinion, the Mikadoites are be-
ginning 10 nnd It. " is much more OF task than they
reckoned upon. TO illustrate this case BY supposing
that may have enough points Of resemb to an
| swer the purpose. Tho japanese are very much In
the same mind that the English would be were the
| clique ~ the sole impersonation OF government n
| would sharpen their wits amazingly ana tue Queeu
would ~ found TO be, and TO have long beeA h6h.
ing In the government, much less q sovereign Fhh
view OF the case need not he confounded Win Mat
which looks upon the Mikad0 a. having been the
recognized spiritual head only, and the 6togun ~
| the temporal. That II kind Of muddle. Doubtless
| the Slegunate was rendered possbility ana was
devslo0ed by the fact thai the 0ikaao 3as 100 @