Page:The National Geographic Magazine Vol 16 1905.djvu/260

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Heavy as they felt the foreign pressure on one hand, the Tokugawa government could not ratify the American treaty on account of the strong internal opposition. There appeared a martyr in the person of Ii Kamon-no-Kami, who assumed the portfolio of the premier of the Tokugawa government at this critical moment, and who, in defiance of the Imperial order and the public opinion, ratified that American treaty. He was a real martyr, because soon after he fell by the hands of assassins, being regarded by the opposition as a traitor to the country. Whatever might have been the popular verdict upon his conduct at the time, it is clear now that he acted in that spirit, as is explained in the following poem of his own:

Agitation was intensified by this daring act of Lord Ii. A revolution followed, and the Tokugawa shogunate, which prospered during two centuries and a half, and under whose wise and peaceful administration the arts of peace made such advances as to have surprised the world, finally came to an end, and the present Emperor, Mutsuhito, was proclaimed on the 27th of March 1867, as the sole and absolute ruler of Japan. At the same time the feudal system, which was originated seven centuries ago, was blotted out from the pages of Japanese history by the voluntary sur- render by the shogun and Daimios of all the rights, privileges, and properties descended from their illustrious ances- tors or earned by their own distinguished exploits. This noble deed, which in- volved such an enormous sacrifice, was entirely due to the public spirit of the men who had been convinced by the turn of events that the only way of de- fending the country against the external aggression was to bring about the unifi- cation of the administration and cen- tralization of power — a condition which was possible only on the absolute aboli- tion of the regime then existent.

The Emperor, on his accession to the throne, proclaimed the following articles of oath, thus solemnly laying the foun- dation for the grand policy of new Japan :

"1. A broadly based deliberative as- sembly should be convened for the pur- pose of conducting state affairs in con- formity with public opinion.

"2. High and low should unite their minds and vigorously carry out the grand affairs of the state.

"3. Civilians and military, as well as common people, should be allowed to freely carry out their minds' aspirations, and their spirit of progress should not be suffered to be hampered.

"4. Cast off the uncivilized customs of the past and let us found our principles on the laws of nature.

"5. Seek knowledge in the world and strengthen the foundation of the Empire.

"Desiring to introduce the reforms unparalleled in the history we, ahead of all our subjects, took the oath before the gods of heaven and earth and solemnly established the fundamental policy for the Empire and endeavor to lay the foundation for the way of promoting the happiness and prosperity of the people. You should likewise share the same principle and cooperate with us."

The tasks attendant to the consummation of this grand revolution, which shook to the heart the political and social organizations of the country, taxed the wisdom, energy, forbearance, and self-sacrifice of the patriots of Japan in a manner almost unknown in the history of mankind. An anti-foreign, con-