The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-05-03
The Japanese Indemnity Fund.

mentation.
The Japanese Indemnity Fund.
One of the bills now before Congress and
which was discussed by the Senate one day
last week, has reference to piece OF his
tory, Interesting In itself but not psrticu-
larly creditable to us as a people. 1t is
known as the japanese indemnity BILL
When the empire of tOese Frenchmen of
the East was thrown open to us. the trea
ties were made with the shogup, more fire.
quently but incorrectly styled the tycoon.
This functionsry was nominally only the
mmsnder-ir chief of the army and the
general executive fficer of the mikado or
emperor, although In the lapse of centuries
the shoguns had gradually usurped most
oil the real power and the impression
which the strangers gained was that the
mikado wss merely spiritual ruler or
SOFT OF a pope, whose signature was un-
necessary to the articles. The empire was
feudal aristocracy, the different pro-
vinees being governed by daimios or
princes. The admission of foreigners was
looked upon with great disfsvor by the
imperial court as well as by. the whole coun-
try and the shotgun was ordered to expel
them. He obtained a revision OF the order
which, however, does not seem to have had
much influence over his vassa,s, some of
whom were almost independent. Against
his express orders, on or them, MORT
DaizsD, daimio of Chosiu, in 1868 opened
fra from battery upon the American
ship Pembroke as she was proceed
ing up the straits of SimoDoseki, where
she had no right under the treaty. The
her course and the United States ship
Wyoming wiped out the insult to the flag
by sinking two vessels of the daimio's fleet
and Smelling the batteries with great gall
lant-y. The American minister compelled
the shotgun to pay $4,000, of which $4,000
were claimed and paid to the owners OF
the Pembroke IS damages" On what
ground the other $1,000 were extorted
does not appear. This was not all, for this
same obstinate dalmio Afterwards fired
into French and Dutch vessels and was
punished by them also. The poor shotgun,
having his hands full with the rebellion
elsewhere-it finally caused his complete
overthrow-could only express his regret
to the "barbarians" and did not
dare march against the prince OF
Chosiu. The French, Dutch, Brit
ish and Americans, however, united, |
not perhaps overlooking the pros
pect of spoils, and sont a fleet of seventeen |
vessels against the daimio which destroyed |
all of his ieee and batteries that had sur |
vived the previous difficulties and brought |
his highness to terms. The four powers
then called upon the Shotgun to pay them
for fighting his battle and brought in |
against him the enormous charge Of 3,000,- (
600 Mexican dollars. The bill was made |
so large in the hope that the Japanese
would open other ports to foreign COM
merce in lieu thereof. The japanese,
however, preferred to pay the money and
the last ins,allmeDt was in 1875
furnished by the miksdo's govern
ment, which had in the interval
recovered its ancient power and
abolished the shoguuate and feudslism.
At the time Of this joint expedition, Sep
TENDER, 1864, nearly all our vessels were
blocksdipg Southern porte, and our only
contribution to the allied feet was small
steamer, the Tskiapg, hired for the pur-
pose at an expense of $500, and manned
by lieutenant and body of marines
from the corvette jamestown. Neverthe-
less, we came in for a full share OF the
plumber, receiving S7s5, zoe. After deduct
ing the whole of our governments ex-
penses, less than s25 900, the remainder OF
the sum extorted has grown, with interest,
to over s., 100000. 1t is very plain case
of a powerful nations extorting a large
sum from q weaker power. The bill now
before Congress, and which will come up
in the House tomorrow, provides that
Sl25,OO0 shall be deducted as prize money
for the crews of the Wyoming and the
Jamestown and that the remainder shall
bs returned to the Japanese government
in trust for the cause of education in those
islands. In the Senate, propositions have
been earnestly advocated to strike out all
reference to the failure use OF the money,
leaving the Japanese to do what they
please with their own. and also to strike
out the clauses Withholding portion for
prize money. 1t Is certainly time that
some action looking to the return of the
grab were taken.