New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-30


modore PERI concluded his treaty In
1853 ard thus opened that intercourse
with Western nations 20 which the en-
pire had until then been closed. Euro
pcan nations followed the example OF the
United states and secured treaties SINH
lar 10 Perrys from the reluctant Jap
aness
Eventually the country became divided
into two camps. the one receiving It's In
SEPARATION from the Mikado's court st
Kloto. standing for the continuance %
the policy OF isolation and the exclusion
Of aliens. Will. the other. led by the SEo-
guns. favored closer relations with for
eign powers. In 1861, indeed, the Shotgun
Keiki dispatched his brother or a special
embassy 20 France and England. where.
owing 10 ignorance OF the true political
conditions IN Japan. he was received With
imperial honors, the late King Edward.
then Prince 81 Wales. being dispatched
by Queen Victoria 10 greet him on his
landing
Twelve years later. 7 NAV remark In
RAISING, when this scion % tho great
Tolusswa house was living In the utmost
retirement a. Paris. after the overthrow
OF the shogunatc. IL was my privilege 10
present him anew to the British heir ap-
parent. who commented with much en-
thus!asm upon his air OF high breeding
and rare distinction The behavior OF the
Tokugawa prince was certainly in accord
With lis appearance. for although in re-
CENT Of large annuity from the imperial
government, he nevertheless lived at
Paris IN the simplest fashion, eXpending
tho major portion Of his income in pen
sions 20 those retainers who had fought
and suffered In the cause OF the Shoglns
and IN the maintenance OF their sons as
students in France and England.
Received Foreign ENJOYS.
u was while this prince was absent In
FnIope in 1857 that the cid Mikado lisa
hito died and his successor, Mutsuhito,
was persuaded by hts reactionary advis-
ers at Kioto suddenly TO decree the aboli-
ton OF tho shogunate as penalty for
opening the country 10 the foreigner. a
civil war ensued. tie great mobiles, the
feudal barons and the lower aristocracy
Cor SamuraD siding with the new EN-
peror. The shCgun's fsrces, In fact, were
literally overwhelmed by numbers.
Among thosS who played the leading
role IT, thus restoring It's former temporal
power 10 the imperial throne were ;he
all-poyerful Daimios OF Choshu and Sat
slma. who both had their respective
s,rongholds, Kagoshima and ShlmonoseKl,
bombarded by an allied fleet OF American.
English, French and Dutch warships In
punishment OF outrages upon white per-
SONS. When victory became assured TO
the young Emperor these same two
Daimios-the only ones who had expert
enced tie force OF foreign arms-seceded
from the reactionary anti-foreign court
partv and EXPRESSED themselves in favor
OF opening the country 10 foreign inter-
course and OF adopting Western innoya-
lions.
They now found the young Emperor
wholly IN sympathy with their Ideas and
IN accordance with their suggestion he
invited the Representative es of the foreign
Powers 10 meet him in audience at
Kioto. While on their way TO the capital
an ATTEMPT vas made by Il number Of re-
dictionary Samurai 10 murder Sir Harry
Parlscs, the English envoy, and as the
vnnneror regarded this az a reflection on
his honor and that Of the Japanese ma
ton. he welcomed the foreign diplomatic
missions with the utmost kindness and.
endeavoring TO make reparation, granted
10 them still greater concessions than
they had ever dreamed OF being able 20
obtain.
In the following year he transferred his
capital from Kyoto to Toxic, whence he
ruled japan for the remainder OF his
reign.
one OF the most difficult tasks which the
young monarch had to accomplish was
the abolition Of the feudal system ard the
surrender by some two hundred and nifty
vassal rulers OF their fiefs. This was car
ried out by appeals to their loyalty and,
above all, to their patriotism. The treat
ment OF their retainers. the petty mobiles,
two.svorded men, or Samurai, presented
a matter Of much greater difficulty. Al