, 1870-07-31
The I'Arllssl lxse1t of Japan.

Sir II. Parkes has forwarded to thc Foreign
Gh;ce condensed summary OF j debate in tie
J:J auesc Parliament, last year, OIL tue subject
OF The national custom Ut euicide l,y .!i-eln-
bowcllirs, commonly known az ''harikari" ur
..stpIa,k,l." The debate waa opened hy the
Clerk Of the House, who proposed tl,at tho
Practice te prohibited. lie described it AZ lim-
tied to twc-rvo1ted men, and waa quito t,1l-
k1.own III Europc. lIe found no fault with
tEcse who committed "aerpnku il. obedience
without ordera: II the man was guilty lie
Should await illc imperial decision. aI.!, ii
Gsil!slcse, investigation would stlow his inno-
ceurc, ard lie might stlll do his country good
service. LII tho SPEAKERS opinion. als,.
! dcall, for A fault. o1 Two OF doubtful
il at ,srisnce with the imperial Hans to: the
natioua! pro+reritr. CpNar,Ir IT 17g members
| 1rrcar to have addressed tl.e lioa=e, scarcely
| Ans Of them supporting tbs proposal 10 pro.
j hitit the practice iA question. .Au,cao:aars
I1enz,buro admitted thai 10 co.nz,it ,l,u-
/ k,l" without awaiting orders mas seen, q rash
act, hut said tt:.t saCh rcsolve proceed, ft,rn
an elevated scr Of utv, ami ID not .>,,tuI il
! ,hoer who know neither mohcstY nLc hh A.nc-
He argued that If the prohibition Of tro "scp-
rnkuS is rcrsisteslin, men OF desperate resolve
| hn1 fear!ets Of death will certaiuly Disregard
1t, while ciIeu,inate persons VII! proAh!r make
Erctensc for clinging to tsfe. Several NAM
tsers condemned the counusrsiof 0f ''sc1pa-
ku" without awhiting ordcrs, but justified tho
practice when ordered, as being 4 nauon,l
Jug the two-sworded clsss FROM the cumnon
people, aua. indeed. - great ornament to
tic Empire" a. duty Of relf-srtlsence On tho
rart Of lilo &c conscious Ct sui!s, ~ pillas Of
religion n1'i , sEnr to siEtne." Toui1nea
sh.irao let;r'tsa ~ rerrntn," as : custom
esid that 10 prohibit il would be 10 remove ono
CT the pillars Of the constitution. Earube
l:tinEa argued thus: lss death the c;iminal
hardy rcrtoree hirDsclf to h,s po=itioa u. .
but il f:c dies. he, for .he fist time, ranfe.tt
asense Of shame. To prohibit the 'rcnpu-
hu world te to close the ru}lic nstll Of h,n.
&C and threw open tho private path Of scouu'
6rtltsm." Akcei~ht liiozo ra,d tsl,t If the
"tfrr pk,, III rtrsngently rrc!,i..i.*tt. and the
criminal must be thoTcnShsy inyestisa
ted. Ill s1nsc Of shame viii 1,o forgotten
ceatli will he dreaded. principle will he de
s7i-cd. and Een will frv to jnst:Fy thenselre.
at tho expense At their lords or rarcnr: tn.
baes customs Of western na'ion- should no
10 initiated. 1ke1a Sck:cbino nsintaiuet
that. EXCEPT IN csscs where the hcinyu. nstur,
Of his gnili requires that the criminal shall b.
J cruciled or have Lis head publlcls exposed
"s.mu1ai'' guilty Of capitsl cTirues should b
. ssm kinyenon deserved that the pro!,lbi
,&oa, Of it would tend to er"mina.c the twu
: s~crded men, aid that til. customs an
religion Of Japan are different frot
: [ stose cf foreign countries. Hisayame shi.e
, ! men weuld be inclined to prohibit III
t s.sepErku " were il rot thst the severe moral
, Of The soldier class OF japan hare II, Farall,
, | i'll snv E1uorean country. Stkano thana
+ | wnu]d maintain custom which fosters d sans
| in 1he member. Of tho military caste. "and
: the esistencc OF which, doubtless, consists II
superiority Of Japan over other countries
. Ku1iiama Saifchtra considered that II refe
err, 3 10 tie constitutions OF foreign couutrit
: ne1c introduced into discussion lii
o the rrefent, which affected the nAsion
I constitu,,on, they would Ie drAen in
!, stormy debates on The question OF opents
: ,r closing Japan to forcg.. interconrsc. d
l. Gcrp observed that the tlunt swords OF Z
}, western countries arc unit instruments =
committing s.repputu.'' SskskibarA S:u;
o WAS Of opinion That when The empire has hct
10 PLACID on told tasis, and the national ND
u cesse without ahyy positive prohibition. So
III eIal members disapproycd ita conuiss''
70 hastily, pr :rurn over--crupulonsncss. " on
st Jingle outi'urst Of pasriui, on tho p.et Of
!; eh.,f..os IN anticipation Of : jndieial orde
id not he enforced. On d;yis,e
shree voted for tho abolition Of "scppuk,1
I'd ard ECO sGainet il. sn H. Parkos observe
Of III, was because wss aw,sp ,n.t this nc
he III punishment Waa allowed to *samurai.'
p nse the words of ous OF the speakers in t
Is debate. 'ae means Of svo,ding ,ho pain
ri 1ixgrasr.' that l insisted. when At k;pto.
Vi March le5s. npon the publication OF : dec,
i'd making known that this honorable mode
he execution should not in future be permitted
sa. the tase Of 'sanurai' taking tho life q
rat foreigner. and also that Ill attaeks upon
i'm eiEpcfs should be treated Is iytfomiuious
el- feutee, entailing the forfeiture OF any pr
1eee As TO punishment which Iank or c1
or might confer upon tho offender.