The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-08-09
HARA-KARI.
ATONEMENT VS.. ATTAINDER.
A Ceremony Of Self-Immolatien
That is Peculiarly Japanese.

There are few terms more commonly
lsed when speaking of the distinctive
customs of Japan than that of hara.
lari, and there are few customs that
are SO misapprehended. The generally
accepted idea is that hara kari is the
popular form of suicide in Japan, and
hat when any man wishes to get away
from the cares and -orrOws of this life
IS experienced in Japan, he swiftly
and effectually discmbowels himself.
This is altogether a mistaken idea, the
true explanation and history of the
term and custom being the object of
this article.
Seppuku, or hara-kari (bclly-cut), was
4 merciful institution that originated
during the terrible civil wars of the ASH
Haga period in the twelfth century of
our era. Prior and up to that time the
victorious party in war had, by i'm
memorial usage, the right to prescribe
its adversaries apd eSIsrminate them root
and branch. So, whoever perpetrated
treason against the reigning powers
thereby entailed blood attainder on his
family and kindred, and they became ex-
tirpated root and branch. The scenes
of carnage that invariably ensued when
a victorious party came into power were
even more frightful than the proscrip-
tiOns that soaked Rome with the blood
of her best citizens during the memorable
contests between Marius and Sylla. First
one faction and then the other would be
victorious, aud the land was filled with
The slaughtering of multitudes of inno-
cent and helpless people, until it was
found that the flower of the land was be-
ing ruthlessly swept out of existence.
The wild horror of the scenes beggarcd
description. Matters at last grew so
desperate and SD desperately bloody that
the wise men set about devising some
scheme whereby needless blOodshcd
might be spared and Innocent lives
might be saved.
Then it was that the horrible yet
beautiful ceremony of seppuku was de-
vised-horrible when considered in its
CHASTITY details. and beautiful when con-
sidercd in the light of its humane and
beneticent effects. By this ceremony
the leaders of the vanquished party we're
allowed to cut through their bowels into
the portal veii--one of the largest in the
body, and the one that runs through the
liver-and thus terminate their lives.
By this sanguinary act they washed away
blood attainder from their families and
kindred, thus saving them from proscrip-
ton, and, at the same time, cleansing
their own honor from all stains. Their
political shortcomings, whatever they
might have been, were thus fully atOned
for. 1t was, in word blood atoncmcnt
set over against blood attaindcr After
battle thousands of warriors, instead Of
flying from the victOrs, would calmly
kneel down and perform the CHASTITY rite
upon the field, thereby limiting the con-
sequences Of their acts to their own per-
sons.
At first only the nobility, or samurai,
were allowed this privilege, and there
were times when they were very careful
to exact it.
AS time went on the atonemcnt of
hara-kari was not limited in its theatre
to the battlefield, but was made pun
ishment for political offences, around
which there was much formality and GER
emOnial.
In its new phase, however, it was never
looked upon as punishment, but rather
as an act of clemency, and it was discre-
tionary with the Emperor to grant or
withhold whatwas considered privilege.
1t was necessary that there should be
judicial degree or sentence perfecting the
ceremony, otherwise the act lost its eff
cacy so far as confiscation and blood at
tainder was concerned. Unauthorized
self-immolation was of no avail, and the
self-immslator could only perform sep
puku on receipt of governmental permits
sion and in tine presence of two duly APP
pointed officers. San Francisco Chron-
icle.