was given the name of Tokio, meaning the "eastern capital." During the civil war the Mikado, who had so strongly opposed the treaties and foreigners, died, and was succeeded by his son, Mutsuhito, a youth of fifteen years, who is still the reigning sovereign. After the resignation of the Shogun and the restoration of peace, the emperor in 1869 took what is sometimes called the "charter oath," promising to give his people a deliberative assembly, to rule justly, and "to seek for wisdom in all quarters of the world."

In the same year an event occurred which is without precedent in the history of nations, and which is the highest testimonial of the patriotism of the public men of Japan. For ages there had existed in the country a feudal system of the most rigid character. The princes, or daimios, were the supreme rulers in their respective provinces, the lords of the domain, and entitled to the unreserved service of their retainers and the people. The most intelligent and thoughtful of the daimios saw that the emperor, to be all that the name implied and in a position to rank with the rulers of the Western world, must be possessed with the powers which the princes. then enjoyed. Hence they brought about a voluntary surrender to the emperor by all the feudal lords of their titles, rank, lands, and revenues, and thus enabled the government to be thoroughly reorganized under the modern system of nations.1

An interesting fact connected with Christianity was brought to light by the civil commotions and the

1 U. S. Dip. Cor. 1867-1869, "Japan"; Kinse's History, chaps. ii. and iii.; Adams's History of Japan; Rein's Japan, 355–375.

opening of the country to foreigners. It appeared that, notwithstanding the severe measures which had been adopted in the seventeenth century for the suppression of the "evil sect," a considerable body of native Christians numbering several thousand- - had secretly kept their faith, and the changed condition of the country emboldened them to make themselves known. This awakened the hostility of the government, and a proclamation was issued by the emperor reviving the ancient prohibitive decrees. The matter came to the notice of the American minister. He convoked his colleagues, and an identic note of protest was agreed upon and sent to the Japanese government.

On receipt of the proclamation by Secretary Seward, he replied to Mr. Van Valkenburgh that the President "regards the proclamation as not merely ill-judged, but as injurious and offensive to the United States and to all other Christian states, and as directly conflicting with the eighth article of the treaty of 1858, and no less in conflict with the tolerating spirit and principles which prevail throughout the world. You are advised, therefore, that the United States cannot acquiesce in or submit to the Mikado's proclamation." The minister was instructed to bring the matter quietly and in a friendly manner to the attention of the Japanese government, in view of the civil disturbances, but to "proceed with firmness and without practicing inju rious hesitation or accepting any abasing compromise." The other treaty powers adopted the same course, but not until after much discussion and delay on the part of the Japanese government did the persecution

cease and were all the prohibitions against Christianity revoked.1

The overthrow of the Shogun, the assumption of full power by the Mikado, thenceforth known only as Emperor, the abolition of feudalism, the removal of the capital to Tokio (Yedo), and the establishment of unqualified diplomatic relations with the Western countries, secured for Japan a recognized place among the powers of the world; but it had a long and weary journey to travel before it could take its place as an equal in the family of nations. After much hesitation. and civil commotion, it had turned its back upon the past, but there was before it the task of reorganizing the administration of government, the judiciary, the social system, and commerce. A generation was yet to pass before the reorganization was to be complete in the estimation of the foreign powers.

True to his "charter oath," the emperor was to seek for wisdom in all quarters of the world. The leading nations of the earth were to have their share in advancing or retarding the development of the country, and in enabling it to attain the goal of the patriotic ambition of its people. The United States had been foremost in leading Japan out of its seclusion. The part which it was to play in the development of the new order of affairs will form the subject of a later chapter.

What the country had already accomplished commanded the respect of mankind. The people of the Western world especially were prepared to welcome the

1 U. S. Dip. Cor. 1867, pp. 56, 63; 1868, pp. 749, 757, 796; 1870, 453-486; Murray's Japan, 379.

dawning of a new era in the East. A sympathetic response was made to the motto which the Japanese inscribed over their exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876:

In the ancient Yamato Island, the sun rises:

Must not even the foreigner reverence?

VII

THE CRUMBLING WALL OF CHINA

RELYING upon the effect of the British war and the advantages secured by the treaties of China of 1842 and 1844 with Great Britain, the United States, and France, the Western nations looked hopefully forward to an era of friendly intercourse with the imperial government and one of great commercial prosperity. But they were destined to serious disappointment. Notwithstanding past experience they had failed to estimate properly the conservatism and arrogance of

the Chinese.

Supported by a continuous history of several thousands of years, during which they had developed a high state of civilization, the Chinese felt that they had nothing to learn from the barbarian nations. Their recent intercourse with them led to the belief that the latter were influenced by mercenary and hostile motives, and that an increase of this intercourse would bring only evil results for their nation. They regarded theirs as the Middle Kingdom and all the outlying nations of the world as vassal and tributary to their celestial emperor. Although the superior military power of the Western nations had been demonstrated at Canton and a few other places on the coast, it had hardly pierced the outer rim of the vast empire, and