Joseph Heco

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Kido and Ito to see the Admiral,
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Image for printing MR. KIDO.
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who upon reading the letter, welcomed us very kindly. We then explained that the Prince of Chōshiu had lately ordered several men-of-war and gun-boats from England through an English firm in Nagasaki, and that although some of these would be out directly, they would be practically useless, since the Prince had no officers who knew anything of navigation, and that he (the Prince) was consequently exceedingly anxious to have some of his people placed on an English war-ship. ”

“ But on the following day, when I got to my office, I found a note which had come from the commander through a ship-chandler's chit-book. I opened it and read as follow:--
Nagasaki, 22nd October, 1867.
MR. J. HECO,
SIR,--In your note of yesterday written to Lt. S--, of this vessel, you stated that the Prince of Hizen desires to come on board. Upon inquiry I am credibly informed that the Prince is not in town, and until the mistake made in your note is explained, neither yourself nor your friends will be admitted on board. ”

“ Under this agreement I acted as agent for Chōshiu in Nagasaki for two years without any remuneration. Nor did I ever hear anything subsequently of the appointment in Hiōgo offered by Messrs Kido and Ito. I ought also to remark that, in the previous September, Mr. Kido had asked me to find a foreign chemist for his government, and I had engaged my friend Dr. Vedder, of the U.S. ship Jamestown, who went to Choshiu in that capacity.
Immediately after handing me the above document Mr. Kido asked whether I could not place Mr. Ito on board some English man-of-war on this station. ”

“ He personally might be inclined to do so, since he would recognise the justice of their demand in the memorial, but his friendly Daimio and Hatamoto would strongly oppose the step, in which case there would undoubtedly be a civil war. ”