The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-08-12
An Uncle of W. G. P. Smith
of This City.
Was Loved BY the Emperor
of the Island.
Presented a Handsome Sword
BY the Ruler.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
WHY'S G. P. Smith, one of the pro-
prietors of the restaurant of Mention &
Smith on North Front street, is just
Iy proud of the fact that he is the
nephew of E. Peshine Smith, one of the
principal American civilizers of Japan.
1t was during the administration of
Grant, says The Rochester Democrat and
, Chronicle, when William H. Seward was
. still secretary of state, in 1871, that E.
Peshine Smith went to Japan and be-
came the advisor of the present emperor
of Japan on international law, and chief
of the foreign office by the special re-
quest of the emperor. At this time the
United States had only just begun to en-
ter into diplomatic relations with ia
pan. 1t was while Secretary Seward, on
a visit to Japan, was in conversation
with the emperor himself, that the en-
peror, who was at that time young
man of about twenty years, questioned
Seward as to the manner in which his
country carried on its relations with
other nations.
Seward explained to the emperor that
it was by the advice of their attorney
general and other advisors on interna-
tional law, and mentioned in this con-
nection the name of E. Peshine Smith,
who was one of Stewards warmest
friends. The emperor thereupon express
ed the wish that Japan might have its
attorney general and asked if Smith
could not be persuaded to come to ia
pan. On Stewards return to America,
he informed Smith of the fattering offer,
which had been made to him by the
emperor, and on the advice of Seward,
President Grant, Hamilton Fish and
other friends, Smith decided to 60 to
Japan, all feeling that it would be of
great benefit to the United States as well
as Japan to have such friendly relations
established
But, while the emperor was most
progressive man and eager to advance in
the art of civilization, there were many
of the japanese who were opposed to the
American innovations and looked as
kance at the idea of having an American
come over to advise them in the af-
fairs of nations. To allay this feeling
of skepticism in a measure, special
act of congress was passed by the Unit
ed States by which E. Peshine Smith on
going to Japan lost his citizenship in this
country, but provided that he might as
sumo it again on his return. Thus, in or
der that none if the japanese might sus-
pect him of intrigue, Smith became a
citizen of their country, and lost the
protection of his own country while in
Japan. All this he did for the sake of
Japan, whose emperor was so DESTROYS
of the progression of his people.
On arriving in Japan, Smith was most
graceously received by the emperor, and
in short time he had won the friend
ship of the entire Japanese cabinet and
made many warm friends at the foreign
office. He was very favorably impress
ed with the young emperor, whom he OBJ
served to be born leader of men,
though a man careful never to abuse his
power and always working and planning
for the welfare of his country and its
citizens. Smith characterized the Japan
csc as a charming people, intelligent, en-
ergetic and remarkably quick to take up
new ideas.
Smith was Offered $4,000 a year for
his services and he agreed to stay two
years, but he stayed six, and at the ex-
piration of this period he was offered
the position for life by the emperor with
large increase of salary. For private
reasons, Smith felt that he must re-
turn to America, and must refuse the
fattering and remunerative offer. There
upon he made preparations to leave for
his native land. Before taking his de-
parture from the island he was feasted
and every possible honor was bestowed
upon the man who had done so much for
Japan.
One of the many gifts which was priz-
ed by Smith above all others was a
sword and scabbard, being ac-simile of
the emperor's own state sword, which
was presented to him by the emperor
himself. The sword was made of Damas-
Gus steel, which had been tempered two
hundred years, and it was said that it
would cut any other sword in two. 1t
was beautifully engraved and its scab-