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334 HONDA THE SAMURAI. when the imperial court opened a hall wherein all samurai might freely express their opinions on political affairs. This was mightily different from the old days of repression of speech and thought, when hara-kiri was the penalty of discussion or innova- tion. Nevertheless there were fanatics who could and a few months not discern the signs of the times ; later, in this same year, they shed the blood of Sakuma Ei in the streets of Kyoto, because he used a European saddle and bridle and advocated opening Japan to foreign civilization. The Tycoon and his gorgeous train arrived in the capital late in April. Before the imperial throne and the Mikado, who sat behind a screen, his face being invisible, he made his obeisance on his knees as vassal of the emperor. He stayed in the castle of Nijo, while the prince of Satsuma left the city. The one burning question which was now on all lips in Kyoto was that of driving out the foreigners and shutting up Yokohama and the ports. The court sent the prince of Mito to Yedo to superin- tend the ugly job, which the most ignorant Japanese, like hermits or children, supposed they could accom- plish ; and all the daimios whose dominions bordered the sea were ordered home to prepare for war. The ronins and samurai came frequently to wait upon the prince of Echizen on the subject, and urged him to name a day when the foreigners should be swept away like vermin ; but this enlightened prince knew only too well the difficulties in the way, the power of the nations of Christendom, the weak-
BLACK CLOUDS. 335 ness of Japan, and the impossibility of breaking treaties when once made. He saw clearly that these men were as frogs in a well that know not the great ocean; while the foreigners were masters of the sea and of the forces of nature. In a few years these narrow and ignorant patriots would have their vis- ion enlarged, but now they were as unreasonable as crying children. Since matters had arrived at a crisis and nothing seemed to interest the samurai the one class which formed public opinions except the mad scheme of war with the aliens, the prince of Echizen saw that his work was done. He resigned his position as dictator. He left Kyoto quietly and came to Fukui, while his trusty counselor, Professor Koba, went back to Higo to set in motion that train of young students, who have since, in Europe and America, won the secrets of science, and the moral and social forces born of Christianity. About the first of June the Tycoon and his high officers again visited the Mikado at court, and the date for commencing war against the foreigners and sweeping them out of Japan was fixed for June 25. The disagreeable duty was imposed upon the bakufu of notifying all the clans of this solemn act of tomfoolery, and this was accordingly carried out on paper, though the Yedo government knew that the contract could not be fulfilled. The next step in the absurd program was that the Mikado should go in triumphal procession to the shrine of Hachiman, fifteen miles from Kyoto, and there present a sword
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BLACK CLOUDS. 335<br />
ness of Japan, and the impossibility of breaking<br />
treaties when once made. He saw clearly that these<br />
men were as frogs in a well that know not the great<br />
ocean; while the foreigners were masters of the sea<br />
and of the forces of nature. In a few years these<br />
narrow and ignorant patriots would have their vis-<br />
ion enlarged, but now they were as unreasonable as<br />
crying children.<br />
Since matters had arrived at a crisis and nothing<br />
seemed to interest the samurai the one class which<br />
formed public opinions except the mad scheme of<br />
war with the aliens, the prince of Echizen saw that<br />
his work was done. He resigned his position as<br />
dictator. He left Kyoto quietly and came to Fukui,<br />
while his trusty counselor, Professor Koba, went<br />
back to Higo to set in motion that train of young<br />
students, who have since, in Europe and America,<br />
won the secrets of science, and the moral and social<br />
forces born of Christianity.<br />
About the first of June the Tycoon and his high<br />
officers again visited the Mikado at court, and the<br />
date for commencing war against the foreigners and<br />
sweeping them out of Japan was fixed for June 25.<br />
The disagreeable duty was imposed upon the bakufu<br />
of notifying all the clans of this solemn act of tomfoolery,<br />
and this was accordingly carried out on<br />
paper, though the Yedo government knew that the<br />
contract could not be fulfilled. The next step in<br />
the absurd program was that the Mikado should go<br />
in triumphal procession to the shrine of Hachiman,<br />
fifteen miles from Kyoto, and there present a sword