On the early history of New Japan there are many valuable works by Alcock, Black, Dickson, Dixon (W. G.), House, Lanman, Mounsey, Mossman, and others. See also Satow’s translation of “Kinse Shiriaku.” On the war with China (1894, 1895), see “Heroic Japan” (Eastlake and Yamada); and on the lessons and results of that war, see “The New Far East” (Diosy). “The Awakening of Japan” (Okakura), “The White Peril in the Far East” (Gulick), and “Young Japan” (Scherer) trace thoughtfully the development of New Japan. “Dai Nippon” (Dyer), chaps, ii. and iv., may be read with profit. “The Progress of Japan, 1853-1871” (Gubbins), covers thoroughly part of this period. CHAPTER IX CONSTITUTIONAL IMPERIALISM OUTLINE OF TOPICS: The “Charter Oath” of Japan; popular agitation; promise of a national assembly; a red-letter year; the “Magna Charta” of Japan; Imperial prerogatives; personality of Emperor and Empress; Crown Prince and Princess; Imperial grandchildren; Privy Council; Imperial Cabinet; Departments of State; sundry comments; House of Peers; House of Commons; some “firsts”; rights and duties of subjects; criticisms of Japanese politics; popular rights; personnel of two Houses; cabinet responsibility; political parties; persons and principles; constitutional system satisfactory.—Bibliography. When the Revolution, or Restoration, of 1868 ended the usurpation, and overthrew the despotism of the Shōgun, the young Emperor, Mutsuhito, restored to his ancestral rights as the actual sole ruler of the empire, took solemn oath that “a deliberative assembly should be formed; all measures be decided by public opinion; the uncivilized customs of former times should be broken through; the impartiality and justice displayed in the workings of nature be adopted as a basis of action; and that intellect and learning should be sought for throughout the world, in order to establish the foundations of the empire.” In that same year an assembly of representatives of the clans was called to meet in the capital, and was given the title of _Shūgi-in_ (House of Commons). It consisted of _samurai_ (knights) from each clan; and as they were appointed by each _daimyō_ (prince), the body was a purely feudal, and not at all a popular, assembly. In 1871 feudalism was abolished, and later a senate was established; but that was an advisory body, consisting of officials appointed by the Emperor and without legislative power. In 1875 the Emperor convoked a council of the officers of the provincial governments with a purpose stated as follows: “We also call a council of the officials of our provinces, so that the feelings of the people may be made known and the public welfare attained. By these means we shall gradually confer upon the nation a constitutional form of government. The provincial officials are summoned as the representatives of the people in the various provinces, that they may express their opinion on behalf of the people.”