“Whatever my rights might be I would not be the cause of a national revolution. It is with a view to avoiding such an unhappy disturbance of the peace that I have come to Ōsaka. My reasons for this procedure are not those which superficial observers might presuppose. When I consider this criminal proceeding from the point of view of love for my country and its people, I cannot look with indifference upon the fact that they have made themselves masters of the person of the young Emperor, and under the pretext of the Imperial will, have given the reins to their own egotistical desires, bringing suffering upon the people. This is a complication which I am bound to disentangle for the benefit of my people. Should there be any people who disagree with me, I shall endeavour to persuade them to bow to a majority of a general assembly and to pray earnestly for a successful government of the country. Sharing as I do the zeal of my ancestor, Iyéyasu, in his love for the people, and striving with all my might to carry out the intentions left behind him by the dead Emperor, I am inspired by the earnest desire to unite my strength with that of the whole nation, to carry out with all right and wisdom the task which I have set myself, and to give effect to the views of the assembly. “There is no need for the Powers with which we have concluded treaties of amity to trouble themselves about our internal affairs. All that is of importance is that they should not hinder the course of just principles. Insomuch as I have loyally observed all the conditions of the treaties, I hope all the more to deserve your approbation if I protect the interests of all the Powers. You will, moreover, understand that until the form of government shall have been settled by a general discussion in an assembly of the people, it is my duty to observe the treaties, and to carry out the agreements which have been come to with Foreign Powers, and in general to maintain relations with abroad.” (See Herr von Brandt’s “Drei und dreissig Jahre in Ost Asien,” Vol. II., p. 170.) After this remarkable address, which seems to me to be of sufficient interest to be given in full, the leave-taking was preceded by an anti-climax of the usual platitudes. In the meantime the Daimios were becoming more and more united, and were pressing for the Tycoon’s reply to the proposal that he should surrender to the Mikado property to the value of two million Kokus of rice, in order to form the nucleus of a national revenue. Tosa and other chieftains proposed that they should follow suit, but Satsuma, not yet quite educated up to the glories of self-sacrifice, was said to shy at this idea, for which the time was not quite ripe; yet only a few more months were needed for its consummation.