The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-01-19

A Japanese Brntus.
EVERYBODY who went much in Exhi-
bition society last year will remember
Lieut.. Saigo, the head of the
japanese Commission. He was by far
the most impressive man in face and
demeanor of all the Orientals who came
to the Centennial Exhibition, and so
different was he in form and phvsiog-
nOmy from his associates that no one
would have supposed at first sight that
he belonged to the same race. He was
a head taller than the other japanese,
his form was muscular and svmmetri-
cal, and he walked with a firm, proud
step, instead of with the shambling gait
common to most of his countrymen
His eyes had scarcely perceptible
slant, and his forehead was high and
well shaped. In any company he would
have passed for remarkable man, such
was his dignity of manner and his eX-
preston of conscious personal power.
The fact that he had been Commander
in-Chief of the Japanese army in the
great war of the restoration lent pc
culiar interest to him, and at time
when celebrities were as plenty as
blackberries secured for him great
deal of notice His military training
was apparent in his erect bearing, and
the habit of command could easily be
read in his eyes, which We're the most
piercing black ones | ever saw. AL
though swallow-tailed coat and white
cravat became him as well as anybody,
it was apparent that he would appear
at his best in almost any sort of war
like REQUIREMENT. | don't think any
of the Exhibition people ever got well
acquainted with Saigo Takamori-tha
was his full name. He spoke neither
English nor French, and conversation
with him through the medium of one
of the young japanese interpreters or
of obliging Mr.. Owen, the Secretary of
the commission, was but a lame affair.
Besides, the General was reticent, as
are most eminent military men. He
was scrupulously polite, but unless
there is certain amount of ELUSIVE
ness about foreigner you will not get
much from him. OF many CONVERSE
tons with Gen. Saigo, remember but
little, except his evident interest in
military subjects and his intelligent
questions about American affairs.
Almost Immediately after his return
to Japan Gen. Saigo headed the Satsu-
ma rebellion. The imperial forces
overpowered him. In spite of his skill
| and bravery he was defeated in battle
after battle, and in the last encounter,
which ended the war, he met his death.
Just how he died is not certainly known,
but the account most generally ac-
cepted, according to the japanese pa
perS, is that, wounded and unable to
escape, he begged his comrade, Murata
| Shimpachi, to kill him in order that he
might be spared the disgrace of being
captured alive. The faithful friend
drew his sword and severed Saigo's
head from his body. 1t is related that
a cOolie, who had been in the service
of the rebels, discovered to the Impe-
rialists the place where the great Sat
it was dug up and reverently washed
by his former cOmpanion-in-a arms, Adj
miral Kawamura, the commander
of the Emperor's troops. The J0-
pan Mail says thousands of people
daily visit the grave where Saigo lies,
to offer up their prayers, and it adds to
its account of his tragic death Shakes
peare's lines about Brutus:
This was the noblest Roman of them all.
\
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mixed in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world: This was a man %
What was the Satsuma rebellion
about? the reader will ask, and how
did the chief military officer of the En-
pire come to be its leader? In essence,
it was struggle of the powerful clan
of Satsuma against the centralizing ten
dency of the new regime in Japan. The
immediate cause of the outbreak was
the imposition of land tax and the
suppression of the military schools,
which are said to have supplied Satsu-
ma with 10000 soldiers trained in Euro
pean tactics. Saigo joined the rebels
about fortnight after they first took
up arms, greatly to the surprise of the
Imperialist authorities. He laid siege
to the castle Of Kumapeoto, but it was
relieved by the Government troops, and
ever since the war has been one of des-
perate but hopeless resistance on the
part of the rebels. Cor. N. Y. Tribune.