The New York herald., 1873-08-07
: A p a N.
Radical Democratic Rebellion Against Unjust
Taxation, Aristocracy and High Bent.
Ton thousand Men Assault Feuda. Castle
Government Buildings and Archives De-
stroysd-six Officers Killed in Action
n and Four by suicide-Thou- ss
ls 90 sands Of Peasants in Arms.


a 90 sands Of Peasants in Arms.
NA6AsAKI, July I, 1878.
serious outbreak among the lower class OF the
people has just taken place at Fukuoka, in the
province Of Tsikusen. r,y u
1850 HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT.
On the 2lst inst. 10000 men, mostly farmers,
armed with bamboo spears, assisted by former
DamiO retainers, armed with swords, and under
the leadership OF some thirty men on horseback,
attacked the government Castle at Fukuoka.
They readily effected an entrance, and set fire to
the buildings and destroyed all the official books
and papers.
Six Onicers are reported killed and four are said
to have died by their own hands, by cutting open
their bowels, as they saw the rebels Overpowering
them. Three officers only escaped, and fed to
Laga, city but sixty miles above Nagasaki nom
whence the first news reached US. at
THE TELEGRAPH LINE
which has recently been completed from this port
TO Yokohama and which unfortunately passes
through Tsikusen, was utterly destroyed. The
overland mail road was bl0ckaded and is not yet
cleared, SO that all Information is obtained slowly
and with dniculty.
BULLETINS FROM THE SCENE OF ACTION.
Late In the afternoon OF the 2lst a Japanese
steamer, with q foreign captain and engineer,
arrived at this place with the information
that the day before they had anchored
three miles OF Hakata, harbOr In the
disaffected province. They were met by the
natives in boats, who warned them not to stop
or land. However, several from the steamer pro-
posed to see what the trouble was and accord
ingly went on shore. Here they found the people
In an excited state, and they were threatened with
death if they attempted to proceed. Discovering
that the place barrcaded, they returned to the
ship. uaag
During the night they saw the town and all the
adjoining villages for many miles in flames.
INCENDIARIsM FOR REFORM.
The plan of the insurgents was TO burn the
houses OF all who refused to join them. Thousands
were thus daily added to their number, until at
last accounts the entire province, with few excep-
tiOns had risen. The number is reported by the
best native authorities to have reached the alarm.
ing figure OF at least one hundred and fifty
thousand. This will not appear overstated when
1t is understood that the whole region is densely
populated.
PLUMBER WITHOUT BLOOD.
There seems to have been as far as can be
learned but little blo0dshed, although rich mer-
chants and native banks were plundered of all the
money that could be found.
n~ NATIVE TROOPS
have been despatched from Higo and Nagasaki, and
latest reports say that the rebels have become
more quiet, and it is hoped that the trouble is
manly over; yet nothing definite can be known
until the soldiers succeed in opening the roads. Re-
ports also state that there has been a skirmsh and
800 rebels killed. vo ~,.
% THE CAUSE OF THE DISTURBANCE, of
% far as can be learned, is as fOllOws:- -,l
The government has heretofore required the
n
whatever kind OF produce they may raise or manu-
facture, be 1t rice wheat tobacco or silk But this
year nearly, If not all, the tax must be rendered in
actual money. The rainy season mas almost ex-
pired, and scarcely any rain has fallen Rice re-
quires to be kept flooded for some time; there
fore the rice crop, which is well known to be the
universal article of diet in Japan as In China, will
On the 18th OF June the farmers, as is the
custom, met the rice merchants to consult in
regard to the prices to be expected. The
OF the producers, and the latter were in q
rage and easily excited by certain influential n men
among them to revenge themselves both upon the
government and the merchants.
Treasury Grabs-Tsxation and Taxpay-
ers i'm Revolt-Financial Reform or
RebelliOn-GOvernmen ROuted-What
the Indignants Demand-Stealages OF
Timber from Public Parks-Treaty-
. Making with Peru. oD4
& YOKOHAMA, July 7, 1873.
NO new ueVelOpmeutS ITom tne flnduCe DepaIb
ment. The statement made by Wo.Yeno, COM
mented upon in my last letter. seems to have ex.
hausted the logical power of that functonary, and
although the document has been pretty generally
assaied, by both the native and foreign press no
new defence has yet peen offered by the Finance
Minister.
tl THE PEOPLE MOVING.
RumOrs OF rebelOns reach us from several parts
OF the country. First we have intelligence OF
serious rising In Yesso. 1t is said that in Awamori
Ken there is q rising of some thirty thousand men,
and another one at Matsmai. The causes OF the
risings are said to be the heavy taxation. 1t may
be remembered that there was similar trouble last
year, and / am inclined to place the causes of the
troubles in both years to the eXtortons put
upon the inhabitants by the Japanese off,
Gals connected with the Colonization Department.
Another serious disturbance is reported irom
Fukuoka Ken, in the island of Kisniu, about one
hundred and fifty miles from Nagasaki. Here some
forty thousand men are in insurrection only few
OF whom are armed with firearms; the rest being
armed with bamboo spears clubs, &C. They have
burned several larmhouses of the more wealthy
land-renters, destroyed the telegraph wires and
poles and the government storehouses. AT first
the government took no notice OF the AFFAIR; but
when it had really assumed an appearance OF in
surrcction a lew government troops were sent
against the dicontented masses.
The rebels routed them, killing a great many
men, including the commanding officer OF the
troops.
The rebels now demand the following
CONCESSIONS
before they will lay down their arms:-
Frst-A return to the old han, restoring to the
Damios their lands and incomes. a
SeCOnd-That the officers OF the district shall be
appointed from among the inhabitants OF the dis
trict, not from distant keU
T',trd-rhat the incomes and all property Of the
Sam0urai shall he returned.
Fouiut-That the taxes shall be reduced by one
half for the space oil three years.
Fpt|e-Ihat the government shall cease cutting
down the trees In the surrounding districts.
StIth-A return to the old Japanese calendar.
1t will De seen that these demands are serious
and some OF them impracticabe but 1t appears to
me that the second grievance complained OF is
legitimate one. 1t is rather hard that raw youth
from Toxic or some other city should be sent out
to govern district, the local reourements OF