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THE BARBARIANS." 325
court was so pleased with the suggestion that it sent
for the writer of the letter. Orders were at once
given to the great daimios of Satsuma and Choshiu
to keep the ronins and lawless characters in order.
Shortly after the Mikado sent an envoy to order
the Yedo government to carry out the idea in the
prince of Choshiu's letter, and call the national assembly
of daimios in Kyoto. To enforce the orders
of the imperial court Ke"iki was appointed guardian
of the young Tycoon, and Matsudaira, the prince of
Echizen, was appointed supreme dictator of affairs.
This was a proud day for the men of the Fukui
clan, thus to see their beloved prince, who, for oppo-
sition to arbitrary measures, had once been impris-
oned and dishonored by li, now raised to a position
of authority even higher. Matsudaira's efforts had
always been directed toward the use of argument
and reason rather than the sword in matters of gov-
ernment, and the truest patriots rejoiced when they
saw such a man at the head of affairs.
Among
the three hundred or more daimios of
Japan very few were of any great strength of char-
acter, and in general all real power and influence
were wielded by their karo, " family elders " or ad-
visers, who were able men of low rank. But among
the crowd of titled nobodies the daimios of Echizen,
Mito, Hizen, Tosa, Owari, and Uwajima shone con-
spicuous for ability and personal worth. The prince
of Echizen, thus suddenly exalted to be the virtual
administrator of all Japan, had the advantage of
high reputation and popularity.