Joseph Heco

“ Here I remained until the failure of the firm in 1870;—of which more anon.
One day Mr. M., an old gentleman of 65 years of age, asked me whether I knew any officials of the Prince who owned the Takashima Coal Mine. I said I knew several of them, among them being his produce-agent. “If so,” he said, “that is really fortunate. My absent partner has all along been anxious to get hold of that mine at any cost, inasmuch as this Takashima coal is said to be the very best in the East. Can't you contrive to make some arrangement with the Prince who owns it, through your friend, his agent?” ”

“ At present we come as friends to give you timely warning of what may befall you, if you do not refrain from all further dealings with the foreigners in Yokohama. You must be aware that since these foreigners have come into the country the price of every commodity has risen greatly, that in consequence all classes are suffering, and that the country is on the verge of ruin. The Shōgun has no power to protect you, since we hold orders direct from our Sovereign, the Mikado. We are a very different stamp of men from those who behaved so badly in Kiōto some weeks ago. ”

“ The Ministers, upon this, both replied that they should of course report this conversation to their respective Governments. “But,” went on the Gorōjiu, “cannot the Ministers, or any of them, consent to give up the Settlement at Yokohama, without consulting their Governments? Foreigners could go to Nagasaki, and then the Treaties could remain in force. The Treaties with Foreigners had only been made as an experiment to see if trade with foreigners would answer for Japan.” ”

“ The Samurai will do his duty, with more energy, the Hiyakusho (peasants) shall fearlessly work in the fields, the Chonin, and Shoku-nin (merchants and artizans) all shall comport themselves as if We were still in Our Palace. Those who are at the head of the Government, having Our entire confidence, must see that Our will is conformed to, which is, that peace and security reign over all.
“Yedo and the provinces that understand the duties of true Japanese, are happily free of Ronin. Those who have escaped the sword of Our brave Sae-mon-no-jo have retired to Choshiu to help that chief of rebels. ”

“ We repeat that we agree with you that the taking of human life is a very grave matter.
On the other hand the insufficiency of the Yedo Government, which governs and directs everything, is shown by its neglecting to insert in the treaty (with Foreigners) the laws of the country (in respect to these matters) which have existed from ancient times. You will, therefore, be able to judge for yourself whether the Yedo Government (for not inserting the laws) or my master (for carrying them out) is to be blamed. ”

“ Satsuma, Chōshiu, and Tosa had sent in a memorial to the Government at Kiōto in which it was urged that the Shōgun should abdicate his position as ruler of the country. It was a bold step for them to have taken, and they fully expected that there would be considerable trouble among the Court nobles, as well as among the Daimio in consequence of their action. For they (Kido and Ito) did not believe that the Shōgun would give up his post so easily. ”

“ This morning the native population of Kanagawa and Yokohama became greatly excited over the appearance in the Bay of a huge three-decked ship with painted ports and a great swarm of men on board. It turned out to be the English transport Conqueror, which brings 530 marines to be stationed in Yokohama. ”

“ They have bought them up and sent them to Nagasaki, and Kanagawa or Yokohama, and there sold them to foreigners for their own gain. By so doing they have enhanced the price of all articles and all but themselves suffer. Many in the interior are pinched as in time of famine; families can no longer live in one place together; households are broken up and scattered; many have died from sheer want of food. ”

“ In conclusion, then, let us hope that the year now begun will see us through the worst of the troubles likely to attend the conflict between decrepit Feudalism and vigorous Commerce in Japan--a conflict which has been waged for centuries past in various parts of the Globe, with wavering success for the time being, it is true, but which has ever terminated in favor of the middle and lower classes, whose necessities for commerce as a means of livelihood and well-being in the long run admit of no denial and refuse to brook further delay. ”

“ One morning this month two officers called at my house. They gave their names as Kido Junichiro and Ito Shunske (Note : Now H. E. Count Ito, Prime Minister of Japan) and said they were officials from Satsuma. I received them as such, and they at once fell to asking me questions about foreign matters--more especially about the history of England and America, their institutions, Governments and so forth. I answered their queries to the best of my ability. The elder (Kido) expressed himself as very much interested in the Constitution of the United States--he said it was quite new to him. ”

“ The officials, selected from the wealthiest men in the community, were appointed by the Governors of the City. They were entitled to wear two swords, and held a high status in Yedo society.
In Yedo there were five of these Momi-gura. The Government supplied the original stock of unhulled rice, which had to be changed every 7 or 10 years, the surplus old stock being sold at a reduced rate. The new rice was purchased by the accumulation of 7 per cent. of all the Miyoga Kin and by an annual contribution from the guilds of 10,200 Rio, of which the Saké-donya paid 1500 Rio. ”

“ After a good deal of quibbling and repetition, Satsuma's people admitted that even in Japan the utmost that could be done to a person not getting out of the way of a cortége would be to beat him mildly and force him out of the road, but not to kill him or do him grievous injury, and that wilful murder in Japan incurs the punishment of death. ”

“ In consequence of friction between the silk-dealers' guild and the Government in Yedo, no silk has arrived in Yokohama for the last few weeks. However, the Government has now informed the dealers that silk may be sent to the Treaty Port subject to the levy of a small tax. This tax is to be accumulated until it can purchase 23,000 bales of rice, which are to be presented to the Mikado. ”

“ The following extract from the same newspaper purports to be the translation of the reply to the above by the Prince of Satsuma's Minister, Kawakami Tajima:--
It is just that a man who has killed another should be arrested and punished by death, as there is nothing more sacred than human life; and although we should like to secure them (the murderers) as we have endeavoured to do since last year, it is impossible for us to do so, owing to the political differences at present existing between the daimios of Japan, some of whom even hide and protect such people. ”

“ We have it from an authentic source that all the Western Powers have come to a full understanding, and will henceforward insist upon the most complete execution of the Treaties. For too long have their most important provisions been evaded, infringed, set at naught by the native authorities of this country, to the serious inconvenience and loss of the foreign as well as of the native traders. ”

“ He said that if I accepted the invitation the Prince would send his steamer to meet me at Mogi, a place distant some 7 miles from Nagasaki. He told me that the Prince's desire to see me was inspired by the fact that he wished to learn all he could about foreign countries and their institutions, for it was absolutely necessary for all Daimio to be accurately informed about them in these transition times and in the present unsettled state of the country. ”

“ But so long as we shall continue to have two rulers in the land, we shall have nothing but uninterrupted quarrels and troubles--just as is the case in a house with two masters.” He then requested me to aid in forwarding the Mikado's cause, by explaining the above facts and the position of the Choshiu clan in the light of these facts to foreigners, who, in general were not well instructed in the history of the country.
In the following October, Messrs. Kido and Ito again called on me and asked me to act as their agent in Nagasaki. ”

“ Besides, the murderers are not one but several persons, and therefore, they find easier means of escape.
The journey to Yedo (undertaken by Shimadzu Saburo) was not with the object of committing murders, but to conciliate the two Courts of Yedo and Kioto, and you will, therefore, easily believe that our master (Shimadzu) could not have ordered it (the murder) . Great offenders against the law of their country (Japan) who escape, are liable to capital punishment. ”

“ To-day news came to hand that at length the Shōgun proposed to make a visit to the Mikado in order to consult about the punishment of the Rōnins of Chōshiu and Satsuma--the former for firing on the Palace of Mikado, and the latter for firing on the English fleet at Kagoshima. ”

“ It is just reported that Yedo has been placarded by some unknown hand with notices forbidding any silk to be sent to Yokohama and threatening anyone sending it with a heavy penalty.
March 2nd. We have just heard from Kiōto that the manufacturers have begun to buy up all the raw silk of the “Ida” class, and that in consequence the price of this kind of silk has advanced to 700 rio per picul. Foreign piece goods are in great demand there, and the holders in Yokohama have raised their prices. ”

“ Abe Bungo-no-kami, late Governor of Foreign Affairs and of Kanagawa, has been made a member of the Gorōjiu. Since Prince Hitotsubashi has been appointed keeper of ōsaka castle by the Mikado, he has been mustering a large force for some purpose or other.
August 10th. This morning's paper says; “H. B. M.'s Barrosa and Cormorant have just returned from the cruise on which they started hence on the 21st ult. “The great curiosity which has for many days agitated this community as to the reception they would meet with, can be only very partially satisfied by any intelligence we can afford. ”

“ By the time he reached Hiōgo the troubles at Kiōto had already begun. The Shōgun had resigned his post, and had retired to his Castle in Ōsaka. Then followed the rising of his followers, and the Battle of Fushimi, which was lost to the Tokugawa cause mainly through the treacherous defection of Tōdō, who went over to the Mikado's party with 20,000 men. On account of all this the Shōgun's party had fired their own Castle of Ōsaka, and blown up the magazine, while the Shōgun himself had got on board an American war-ship at Tempozan and fled secretly to Yedo. ”

“ The various neighbouring Daimio were now all eager to adapt themselves to the new order of things and to acquire steamers, sailing ships, guns and munitions of war generally. For this purpose, as well as to acquire Western knowledge, their agents and officials were literally flocking into the town. The largest traders in the place were their agents. When any of their special officials came to Nagasaki, they would lodge with these agents during their stay. Every foreign house had its native clerks, whose duty it was to call on these agents
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“ The two Japanese returned on Sunday to the island, saying as they left, that the Prince of Nagato would probably open the Straits in a little time. The people with whom intercourse was had are said to have been unusually uncivil; saying that they wished our ships would go away; they did not want us at all.
“They report that Nagato has some sixteen
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thousand Rōnin in his employ, independent of his regular army of 26,000 men.” ”

“ S--, physician to the late Gorōjiu Hotta, came in, and in answer to my query as to why the Kiōto authorities were so bent on expelling foreigners from the country, made the following statement:--
“Christianity was introduced into the country in the middle of the 16th Century and during the sway of Nobunaga (the Master of Taikō Hideyoshi) it was favoured by the authorities, and many churches were erected in various parts of the Centre and West of Japan. ”

“ For full two hours they bore up against superior numbers with all the ferocity of wild-cats, and then Echizen and Higo came up with some 6,000 men. It was now the turn of the Chōshiu men to put the courage of despair into their blows; they fell back, yielding but a step at a time, and eventually withdrew from the city in fairly good order, but with heavy loss. At the first shot the Mikado had escaped from the Palace and found shelter elsewhere, well protected by the Shogun's forces. ”

“ They made a point of inviting the officials in question to tiffin or dinner at their employers' houses, where they were well entertained, and where in some instances, they received valuable presents. Hence resulted business and large contracts. But the foreign trader had to be very careful to see to it that he stood well with the Japanese agents of the Daimio, inasmuch as these gentlemen were the main-spring of the whole system of trade.
January 5th. My friend F. and myself called on the U.S. Consul, and I registered myself as an American citizen in the Consulate in the usual way. ”

“ Those who shew even the smallest liking for foreign people shall be dealt with even as this Yamatoya Wohé has been dealt with. Whoever owes money to this Yamatoya need not take the trouble of repaying it. Should the Governor of Kiōto make any stir in the matter, debtors ought to make the fact known to us by putting a written notice in his place. And as for the Governor and his minions, they shall be served after the fashion of this Yamatoya Wohé.”
September 23rd. The steamer Scotland arrived with twelve high officials from Satsuma, to negotiate with the British authorities about their demands. ”