belonging to him, is said to have been mortgaged to those merchants, and if the Mikado's government, as now constituted, should not remain a de facto government, or Satsuma become unable to maintain the controlling influence he succeeded in assuming, this Daimio may become insolvent. Every day's delay, therefore, while it does not much affect the Tokugawa clan, adds to the embarrassments of the southern coalition, of which Satsuma still holds the lead.

Among the northern Daimios the Princes of Sendai, Sakai, and Aidzu are the most powerful; and the latter is particularly prominent for his reputed unswerving fidelity to the Tycoon's or Tokugawa cause. This Daimio has been restrained thus far from actively participating in the strife. The Prince of Sendai was ordered by the Mikado to attack and subdue him, but this Prince, instead of complying with the order, replied in a memorial, a translation of which I herewith transmit, (inclosure No. 2.)

In this temperate and respectful memorial Sendai remonstrates with the Mikado against a sentence being passed on one who never had a trial, and in the absence even of specific charges; and he further advises the adoption of a policy of moderation.

It is my impression that even if the southern coalition should succeed in subduing the eleven provinces of Tokugawa, they will never be able to hold and rule so large a territory for any length of time. There may be much more treachery, and considerable accession to their forces from some of the Tokugawa chiefs, but many men of influence have already committed themselves to a course of resistance from which there is no retreat. Many others have everything to lose and nothing to gain from a change of government of their clan, and the members of all these are likely to prove sufficient to prevent a peaceable transfer of the most productive portion of Japan from being consummated.

Enough has been witnessed to prove that a government in Japan under any other than the Mikado as chief is now an impossibility; and it is almost equally certain that the chief of the Tokugawa clan will remain the most powerful personage in this empire. As long as these two powers remain antagonistic, I beg to submit that our true policy is to be most careful, in view of maintaining a strict neutrality, to take no unnecessary action calculated to give umbrage to either party, to maintain our treaty rights with the local authorities at the open ports for the present, and to guard against suspicion of partiality in favor of any one connected with this civil strife.

While this course limits the foreign representatives, to some extent, to a policy of observation only, I feel sure that at an early day its soundness will be fully vindicated. The British minister saw fit at once to deliver a renewed letter of credence to the Mikado at Osaka; the other representatives, like myself, last year delivered our letters of credence to the Tycoon, at that time the de facto chief of the government of Japan. To deliver a new letter of credence to the Mikado appears a useless ceremony, not likely to afford much satisfaction to this sovereign, while it may unnecessarily excite the antipathy of the late Tycoon or Tokugawa, and his adherents, who, if they should determine to use the power still pos sessed, may soon be in a position greatly to influence, for good or for evil, the intercourse of the treaty powers with this country.

On the 18th instant I visited Yedo in the Monocacy, and remained there until the 22d. Edzure Kanga No Kami, a governor for foreign affairs, called on me at the legation, and from him I learned, in confirmation of what had reached me previously, that the Tycoon or Tokugawa civil officers transacted their business in Yedo as usual, and without the slightest interference on the part of the Mikado's officers. With the excep

tion of but little, that had been stolen, the Tycoon's property had remained intact. Reports of fights at the north reached Yedo daily. Arisugawa No Miya was in the castle with a guard of only twenty men. Prince Tayasu, one of the Gosaukes, or families eligible for the Tycoonate, was now the chief of the Tokugawa clan, and rice from the Tycoon's stores was being distributed among the poor by his own officers. If only the Prince of Aidzu, the governor said, would remain quiet and abstain from fighting, there was a prospect of an early settlement of all existing difficulties without further bloodshed.

There were only about one thousand men of the Mikado's army left in Yedo; and the governor further informed me that four-that is, onehalf of the least serviceable steamers of the late Tycoon had been transferred to the Mikado. On my return from Yedo I noticed that four steamers were flying the Mikado's flag; the officers and men, however, had not been changed, and all were still in the Tokugawa pay.

At first the Ronins had no organization. They now fight under the flag of Gongen Sama, the founder of the Tokugawa dynasty, the great lawgiver of Japan and lineal descendant of one of the great Mikados, and whose memory has always been held, even by the Mikados, in profound veneration. With the immense prestige thus acquired by the Tokugawa men, a settlement on a basis honorable to both contending factions may now reasonably be hoped for at an early day.

On the 9th instant two Mikado's commissioners for foreign affairs, Higashi Kuze Jijio and Hijen Jijiu, arrived at Yokohama; and on the 11th, the governor of Kanagawa having peaceably transferred all public property to them, those officers, together with two others who are acting as governors of this port, entered upon their duties, and the foreign marines and soldiers were all withdrawn.

I transmit inclosures No. 3 and 4, copies of letters addressed to Commander Carter, the senior naval officer, and the consul at this port. The legations are all temporarily established here, and the most perfect unanimity prevails among them.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Ř. B. VAN VALKENBURGH.

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

The Mikado's ultimatum.

The deceitful conduct of Keiki towards the imperial court, ending at last in the most infamous actions, has deeply grieved the imperial bosom. In consequence, his Majesty has made war upon him in person, and forces have been sent against him by sea and land from all sides. Upon this, Keiki becoming repentant and submissive, his protestations of sincerity were admitted. His Majesty, with superabundant clemency, has therefore decreed the accompanying terms, which must be respectfully accepted. By the 3d of May these conditions must be fully carried out. The time allowed being perfectly ample, no petition or prayers will be listened to. His Majesty is fully determined to maintain his authority as well as his clemency. Let there be instant acceptance, and no disputing.

ARTICLE I. Since the twelfth month of last year (January, 1868) Keiki has practiced deceit upon the imperial court. In aggravation of this he has used arms against the imperial capital, and for several days continued to fire against the imperial standard. The government forces were dispatched to punish him for these flagrant offenses. Upon this he displayed a sincerely obedient and submissive temper, and acknowledged his fault. His ancestors, in governing the country for more than two hundred years, have performed much good service, and the late Dainagon of Mito* also for many years

*The ex-Tycoon's father.

diligently served the imperial cause. His Majesty is therefore graciously pleased to take these things into account, and the following conditions being faithfully performed, he will extend his clemency, so that the name and family of Tokugawa shall continue, and Keiki's sentence of death being commuted, he shall retire to Mito and live there in

seclusion:

ART. II. The castle to be evacuated and handed over to the Owari clan.

ART. III. Vessels of war and fire-arms to be surrendered; a suitable proportion of these shall afterwards be returned.

ART. IV. Retainers resident in the castle to retire outside and remain in seclusion. ART. V. The persons who assisted Keiki in his rebellion are guilty of a flagrant offense. They deserve the severest punishment, but by his Majesty's special clemency their lives are spared. A report must be made showing that they have been appropriately punished. The imperial court will deal with those who possess revenues above ten thousand koku, (i. e. Daimios.)

We believe that these terms will be accepted by the Tycoon, who performs the part more specially by his leaving Yedo to-day. He will be accompanied by his body-guard, composed of the two bodies called Yu-geki-toi and Sei-yei-tai.

It is worthy of notice that no mention is made in the above ultimatum of the amount of revenue to be allotted to the Tokugawa family. We have good reason to believe that this omission has excited a good deal of suspicion among the retainers of the ex-Tycoon as to the genuineness of the Mikado's declaration that the clan shall be allowed to exist in the future, especially as the third article calls for the surrender of those weapons on which they rely as a means of making their rights understood. ingly we expect to hear that Article III is evaded to a great extent.

Accord

[Translation.]

Reply of the retainers of the Tokugawa clan to the Mikado's ultimatum.

Military weapons are instruments of the greatest importance, not only for holding the castle and territories, but also as being the basis of the protection of the empire. We have the honor to request that this article may be left in abeyance for a short time.

The castle of Yedo is the center from which the divine ancestor put an end to war and directed the government. If possession of this be lost to [our chief] he is cut off from what is of vital importance to him. We have the honor to beg that possession of this may, by a most liberal exercise, be left to him.

The eight provinces of Kuanto, Sumga, Totomi, and Mikawa were bestowed by Heaven and man upon the divine ancestor, as the rewards of his exploits and labors, and are held under that title We have the honor to beg that by a liberal exercise of grace the possession of them may be bestowed forever upon the person who is to perpetuate the name of the family.

The body of retainers venture boldly to express their inmost thoughts, and to present a humble petition on two important points. With respect to one of these, they are unwilling to express themselves verbally or in writing; the other is, that they know not where they shall die. The gist of it is this: By the occurrences of the first month our Naifu (the ex-Taikun's title) lost the multiplied favors [of the Mikado.] The devotion which consumed his entrails became of no avail; censures were passed upon him by everybody; and the mutual relation of benefits and duties which had existed between the civil and military classes for three hundred years were violently interrupted. In what words will Heaven and man describe this? His memorial resigning his office, and that which sought to purify [the Mikado's] surroundings, were but acts of unsel fishness and patriotism, of disesteem of self and respect for the Emperor. How could Keiki forget the claims of his country? How could he forget his prince? Though men should call this rebellion, the gods of heaven and earth still gloriously exist; the sun and moon have not yet fallen to the ground; a man may be slandered by a hundred tongues, but how can the gods be deceived? How can Heaven be deceived?

The order to punish proceeds from the Emperor, but the person to be punished is our prince. Shall we obey the imperial will, or shall we protect our prince?

This is why we know not where we shall die. Though the imperial decision now pronounced is called a liberal sentence, in fact it is next door to destruction, since we know not where to place the person of our prince, and his retainers may not hold possession of his castle and territories. How can we retainers keep silent and quietly look on at this juncture? Though we may be overcome by superior force, and oppressed without good reason, a thousand years hence, when men have fixed their opinion and the rights of the case are plainly understood, what will,virtuous men say of us? Will they call us human beings or brute beasts?

Our great Japan is the divine country, founded by the sun goddess. This title is given to it because the Emperor in ruling the people makes tenderness for their welfare

his guiding principle, because subjects in respecting their superiors regard fidelity as of great importance. Now that the imperial forces have come eastward, and the enormous merits of our divine ancestor have disappeared like bubbles on the surface of water, when the Taijin (Shôgunate) is in danger of destruction, were there none found to share the misfortune of the country (i. e. the Tokugawa clan) it would prove that not a single dutiful child, not one faithful servant, existed. Could it be said that the disgrace attached to the retainers of Musashi alone? It could not be called erroneous to say that such an approach to entire disappearance of tender care and fidelity showed that the country no longer existed. This is that unspeakable thing which the retainers have dared to say, and their ignorance of the place where they shall die arises from this also.

Who does not reverence the Emperor? Who does not fear death? Who does not love life? Then what is the reason that, casting aside fear of death and love of life, we have dared to say what we would have left unsaid? It is that for own nationality we cannot bear to rebel against the spirit of the sun goddess, and for our office we cannot abandon our fidelity.

Right principles are most important for a country, and fidelity is its most precious possession. How can we act like brute beasts with the azure heaven and bright sun over our heads?

The Emperor is a god he is our father and our mother. Would that, exercising his bright and all-pervading tenderness and love, he would deign to look upon this lament, which we can present to no one else, and think of the meritorious deeds of our ancestor and founder, Iyeyasio; would that by a special and extraordinary act of grace he would grant our petition, so that the family name being perpetuated, faithful service might be eternally rendered and the mutual relations of favor and fidelity between prince and servant be continually carried out.

The retainers in writing this have mingled many tears with the ink, without fear of death, but with profound respect. Memorialized by the body of servants and retainers of Musashi.

[Translation.]

[From the Yedo Home and Foreign News of May 5, 1868.]

Memorial of the Prince of Sendai.

Orders have been received in writing to the effect that, as a decree has been issued commanding the imperial forces to proceed by the Tokaido, Toryando, and Hokurikudo, to punish the treason of Tokugawa, the clans of Mutsu and Dewa, bearing well in mind the respect they owe to their sovereign, must consult together and make up their minds to assist the imperial arms in the work of subjugation; and further that, as Yoho* of Aidzu assisted Tokugawa in his rebellion, and committed flagrant treason himself by firing at the imperial banner, and is therefore to be attacked.

# #

Your servant, Yoshnkuni,t is ordered to attack the castle of Aidzu with his own unsupported forces, and report a victory with all speed.

These orders have been received with the greatest respect.

Though Wakamatsut is but an isolated castle of the northeast, that I, Yoshikuni, should be ordered to attack it with my own unsupported forces is a tribute to my military feelings which I cannot but be grateful for. I have issued a proclamation to my clan, and placed everything in readiness to march, so as to be ready to join in the expedition with the imperial forces as soon as the time comes.

My clan, however, being situated in a remote part of the country, on the shore of the Northern Sea, with long roads intervening between it and the capital, we do not understand with distinctness what are the views implied by the decisions of the court, and we learn the state of affairs in the home provinces by mere report, so that it is very difficult to ascertain the truth. In venturing, therefore, to submit the opinion of a remote and ignorant person, I humbly beg pardon for my presnmption; but since free expression of opinion is permitted, I feel that I should be wanting in the duty of a subject if I were to abstain from giving utterance to my views; and I give these below without standing upon ceremony.

In the present return to monarchical institutions and reformation of imperial counsels, I venture to suppose that this important measure of putting the forces of the empire in motion to conquer Kuanto has not been decided on without mature consideration on your Majesty's part, but at the same time this should not be done unless the popular voice is in favor of it.

*The name of the Prince of Aidzu, retired in favor of his son.

†The name of the Prince of Sendai.

Aidzu,'s castle town. Aidzu is the name of the department in which it is situated.

*

The imperial manifesto declares that some time ago Tokugawa received your Majesty's orders to go to court upon your Majesty's business. He therefore proceeded to Kioto, with Aidzu and Kuwana as his advance guard. On the road to Kioto these two clans opened fire upon the imperial forces. That for this flagrant act of treason and rebellion, by which he became a traitor to your Majesty, your Majesty had appointed a commander-in-chief to punish him. But the manifesto of the retainers of Tokugawa declares that, as the advanced guard approached the barrier gate, the Satsuma clan opened fire on them, and that they were thus forced into a fight; and it is reported that it was difficult, in the sudden breaking out of the disturbance, to ascertain distinctly who fired first. Your servant, Yoshikuni, does not mean for one moment to express a doubt of the truth of your Majesty's manifesto, nor to believe that of Yosinoba, (Tycoon,) but as it is so difficult to determine for certain which fired first, men feel considerable suspicion. This is reason the first, why the popular mind is unsettled.

It is hardly necessary to remind your Majesty that the ancestor of the Tokugawa put an end to several centuries of intestine wars, and that by his valuable instrumentality peace and a return to just principles were secured. For more than two hundred years war has slept and peaceful arts have been cultivated, so that the empire has enjoyed perfect tranquillity. By the lapse of time the military prowess (of the Shogoon's followers) became gradually less and less, until in 1853, and in subsequent years, the foreign barbarians flocked to the country in rapid succession, so that the popular mind became disturbed. It is possible that Yosinobu (Tycoon) failed to pursue the right course and committed many irregularities; but having lately returned the governing power to the imperial court in order that, by the consolidation of the government, and by pursuing an impartially just and magnanimous course, he might secure the tranquillity of the empire, how could he be plotting to rebel against the imperial court? This doubt is widely entertained, and forms the second reason why the popular mind is unsettled.

At the present moment the constitution is returning to its ancient monarchical form, and the government and laws are being remodeled; every one hopes to see the imperial fortunes attracting the admiration of the people, and taking the place of Heaven in giving them a principle to follow; whilst your Majesty, not only establishing a policy which shall last for all time, but loving the people as your children, they on their side would look up to you as a parent, and all men would fall into their proper places.

Therefore, to put the forces of the empire in motion and to plunge the innocent populace into the depths of misery and affliction is certainly most lamentable and deplorable, and there is scarcely one man but doubts this being really the will of our young sovereign. This is the third reason why the popular mind is unsettled.

It is reported that, since Yosinobu left [Osaka] he has remained quiet and submissive. Some years ago the retainers of Mori Daizen No Daibu actually fired at the palace. Through an accidental mistake, he was stigmatized as a traitor; but the truth having become clearly manifest, he was restored to his rank and permitted to enter Kioto by a liberal act of grace. And therefore, if your Majesty, disregarding the services of his ancestor, fixes on Tokugawa the brand of traitor when it is merely a question of who fired first, not only will the clans be alienated, but the common people must disapprove of your Majesty's actions. Most men share this feeling, and this is the fourth reason why the popular mind is unsettled.

The intercourse with the foreign barbarians is daily increasing, and there are ten or more countries of them at the present moment. If the forces of the empire are now put in motion and the state thrown into internal confusion, they will not sit quietly by and merely look on. What actions may they not commit at the command of their sovereigns? The national disgrace will be shared by all the nation, and men will not only be full of doubt, but also be animated by fear, alarm, and sorrow. This is the fifth reason why the popular mind is unsettled.

*

Taking all these things into consideration, I cannot help thinking that if your Majesty will delay for a short time the dispatch of the forces of the imperial court, and take the unbiased opinion of all the clans upon the subject of the condemnation of and determine to act upon impartial consideration, unaffected by party feelings, he (the ex-Tycoon) will quietly submit, without its being necessary to fatigue the imperial forces. This is what I desire humbly to present my private petition for. The ancient saying makes the display of virtue, and not the display of military force, a test of the virtues of a sovereign. Haishinko's just decisions, which won the approbation of men, are also cited as an example worthy of imitating, and I wish, therefore, that your Majesty, making such objects your aim, would act so as to make this return to the ancient form of monarchical institutions a thing to last forever. Your servant, Yoshikuni, begs that your Majesty will take these his inmost feelings into profound consideration. Should your Majesty not do so, but, in a sudden fit of anger, and regardless of the approbation or disapproval of the people, make war without consideration, the concurrence of the clans will be by no means certain. The empire will be