with passions, ambitions, and selfish interests of men, as well as
with the moral and intellectual consciousness of the people. Tongue
and pen wield, undoubtedly, a great influence in shaping the thought
of the nation and impressing them with the importance of any political
measure. But the tongue is as sounding brass and the pen as useless
steel unless they are backed by force and money. Even in such a
country as England, where tongue and pen seem to reign supreme, a
prime minister before he forms his cabinet has to be closeted for
hours with Mr. Rothschild. Fortunately this important measure of
abolishing feudalism, which a few patriots had secretly plotted and
which the scholars had noised abroad, was taken up first by the most
powerful and wealthy Daimios of the country.

In the following noted memorial, after reviewing the political history
of Japan during the past few hundred years, these Daimios said: "Now
the great Government has been newly restored and the Emperor himself
undertakes the direction of affairs. This is, indeed, a rare and
mighty event. We have the name (of an Imperial Government), we must
also have the fact. Our first duty is to illustrate our faithfulness
and to prove our loyalty. When the line of Tokugawa arose it divided
the country amongst its kinsfolk, and there were many who founded the
fortunes of their families upon it. They waited not to ask whether
the lands and men that they received were the gift of the Emperor; for
ages they continued to inherit these lands until this day. Others said
that their possessions were the prize of their spears and bows, as if
they had entered storehouses and stolen the treasure therein, boasting
to the soldiers by whom they were surrounded that they had done this
regardless of their lives. Those who enter storehouses are known by
all men to be thieves, but those who rob lands and steal men are not
looked upon with suspicion. How are loyalty and faith confused and