The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-14

notwithstanding the drastic measures
resorted to for the purpose of annihilatinG
the Christian faith, and notwithstanding
three hundred years interviewed before mis-
sionaries were again permitted to enter
Japan, the Catholics claim that on their
return some forty years ago, they found
ten thousand japanese who through all
those years clung to their faith, handing
| it down from generation to generation
by tradition, and risking their lives for
what they believed
whether or not Catholic missionaries
were conspiring against Japan as charged
by Hdeyoshi. there is no doubt of the
fact that that shrewd politician and able
leader made good use of the charge TO
promote his own purposes and advance
ms personal ends. BY this means he well
ded Japan's hitherto warning clans into
compact nationality and exalted himself
to be the real head OF the government,
and made this supremacy hereditary in
his own family for three hundred years,
down to the time of the revolution which
placed the present Emperor in real au
thority. an interesting event which viii
be explained more fully later
Up to within the sixties. during all the
past, as already stated, Japan had been
loose congeries of warning clans. Under
Hldeyoshhl she became military feudal-
ism. Although it is claimed, and may
be true, that the imperial house of Japan
has come down IN an unbroken line from
time lmmemorial, yet neither during the
earlier ages, nor during the three hun
dred years of feudalism, did the Emperor
exercise any real authority, except in
rare instances, in matters pertaining 10
government. In the former period, what
ever clan obtained supremacy for the
time being, issued its edicts and decree.
I'm the name of the Emperor. SO also in
feudal times. the last three hundred
years of Japanese history, up to the
opening of the country fifty years age.
the Shotgun (chief military commander)
used the imperial seal as talisman.
Sometimes q child was on the throne
II an emperor exhibited too much sense,
or undertook to "meddle,'' he was taught
to abdicate. and a more pliable person,
atty ascended the throne. II is even
said that in some instances mere imbe-
Giles were on the throne. because such
better served the purposes of the clan
which for the time held the Emperor vir
tually prisoner, or were more pleasant
to the Shogunate military cabineD in
feudal times. The Emperor had his court
and royal splendor. but he had no real
place in governmental affairs. except es
his name sacred to the common people
gave force to a decree or when in later
feudal times the Shogunate wanted 20
play him off against European and Ameri-
can diplomacy, when these countries
first undertook to make the treaties for
the opening of Japan.
After the bloody effort to stamp out
Christianity and the permanent establish.
ment OF feudahsm, some remarkable but
consistent laws were made and enforced
Among others, for a japanese to 70
abroad and set foot on foreign soil. the
penalty was death. A coasting junk was
blown out TO sea and had drifted for
days on the Pacific. Food was exhausted L.
and death by starvation impending, when
an American sailing vessel discovered the
junk and humanely, greatly to their sur
prise, took the japanese crew on board
and nourished them back to life. They
were brought on and landed in San Fran
cisco. There a wealthy man adopted one
OF the crew. a bright young fellow, and
educated him. II seems providentiai
This young man had Just finished schoo.
when Japan signed Perry's treaty, ana
he proved of great service both to Japan
and the United States in the earlier years
Of intercourse between the two govern
ments. But for years after his return
10 Japan he could not live among ms
own people. and had to keep himself
very close to avoid assassination, AMI
many were his narrow escapes Since
the development of the country has pro.
ceeded apace. and the people have be-
come lberalized. he has been told of fire.
quent plans laid to kill him. Some of
the men engaged in these plots .lave
become his friends.
AT that time the presence Of a foreign
er In Japan was supposed to pollute the
soil on which he trod, and the first man
70 plunge a sword or spear into the heart
of the foreign devil" was hailed a la
triot and hero. Three fourths OF mil
lion who composed the soldier class ruled
the remaining thirty seven milliona of
people as with a rod of iron. There were
forty odd capital offences. The execu
ton ground i'll Tokyo was a pool of
blood refreshed with the red life currents
Oh daily victims whose heads having been
severed from their bodies were stuck
up on the sides OF the roads and s.reets
to warn evil doers to cease doing wrong
and so shun a like fate.
Ordinary criminals were beheaded with
the sword. In very rare instances men
were crucfied tied to a rude cross and
beaten to death with bamboo poles. For
the most heinous crimes the criminal
might be boiled in oil. A soldier when
condemned to death was permitted TO
commit hara-karl (to disembowel him
self) Only a soldier was supposed to be
brave enough to perform this act, and
the law forbade others TO do so. To die
by this method in a large measure blot
ted out the disgrace of his offense
hen soldier was to be executed, rs oc.
casionally happened, if a man OF rank
and jealousies and backbitings frena"Rt-
ly brought men of renown TO this torri-
bic penalty, he was turned over 70 come
lord of a province who had the execu-ion
attended to and reported to headquarters
The condemned man was taken under
guard to the park grounds surrounding
the mansioit OF his captor, and there
seated on 4 piece of mating spread on
the ground! He was dressed in a s;ngle
white garment Two vases of som. sort
of evergreen were placed in front of him.