vending of leather is placed under ban or interdict. Those of this proscribed
class cannot dwell in the towns or villages that are occupied by the
other classes; they are not even numbered in the census of the population.
They dare not enter an inn, tea-house, or any public place of entertainment.
I f they are travelling, and want food or drink, they must wait outside of
the wall of the house, and there he served in their own bowl or platter; for
no Japanese, not of their own class, would ever touch or use the vessel out
of which they had taken food. Out of this class come the public executioners
and gaolers throughout the Empire. In short, they are shunned like the
leper of old.
Before we proceed to speak of the singular system by which these various
classes are governed, it is proper to premise that originally the Kingdom
was sub-divided into sixty-six or sixty-eight principalities. These had
been previously independent kingdoms, and were continued, as principalities,
under the rule of their respective princes, subject, however, to a forfeiture
of the rights of the governing family, in case of rebellion or treason. This
penalty of forfeiture was incurred by many of the reigning princes, and advantage
was taken of the circumstance, as often as it occurred, to split the
ferfeited principalities into fragments; so that, instead of the original number,
there are now no less than six hundred and four distinct administrations,
including therein principalities, lordships, imperial provinces and imperial
towns, of which last the Ziogoon himself is the ruling head.
1. There is under the Emperor (Ziogoon), a grand council of state,
consisting of thirteen, which governs in the Emperor’s name. Of these
thirteen, five councillors are taken from the first class we have named, the
hereditary princes and vassals of the Empire; the remaining eight are taken
from the second class, the old nobility, below the rank of princes. There
seems to be among these a head councillor of state, whose powers and
functions are not unlike those of a grand vizier in Turkey. He is called
“ Governor of the Empire,” and all the other councillors are subordinate to
him. He decides upon all affairs of moment; has the universal appointing
power; receives returns from all the authorities of the Empire; may, on
appeal, sanction or reverse every sentence of death passed; and, in short,
acts for the lay Emperor in all these and some other exerciseB of sovereignty.
To this grand council, too, belongs the very important power of
dethroning the Ziogoon. Important resolutions of the council are always
laid before the Emperor, who generally assents without delay or investigation.
Should he, however, dissent, a mode of proceeding is pursued,
which we will describe presently. I t is doubtful whether all these high
offices are not hereditary; and, under thesé, are—
2. Inferior state functionaries, in regular and interminable gradation,
consisting of lords, guardians of the temples, commissioners of foreign affairs,
governors, ministers of police, superintendents of agriculture, &c. No
relative of the spiritual sovereign, however, is ever put into any of these
offices.
3. The vassal princes still govern the principalities, or such fragments
of them as may he left to them, with an outward show of their former
sovereignty; hut it is show only. The princes themselves can do nothing
without the consent of the Ziogoon and council. And here we find in full
development that system of espionage of which we have spoken. The prince
himself, beside being surrounded with a multitude of private spies, unknown
to him, who watoh his domestic as well as public business and doings, has
also iwo official spies appointed by the chief of the grand council, and these,
in truth, conduct the administration of the principality. These are known
as secretaries, and both are never permitted to reside in the province at the
same time. They alternate yearly. The families of both secretaries reside
constantly in Teddo. The secretary who is in the principality therefore
leaves his family behind him in the capital as a hostage for his fidelity.
When his year expires he may rejoin them, and his colleague then, bidding
adieu to his household for a year, takes his place. Each secretary, therefore,
is a check upon the doings of the other; it is the interest of each to
report any misfeasance in the official conduct of the other; in short, they
are spies on each other. But the jealous suspicion of the government is not
satisfied with even these precautions. The family of the prince himself is
made to reside at Yeddo, and he must spend each alternate year there near
the Ziogoon.
And this feature of making officials serve in pairs, as spies upon each
other, we may here remark, once for all, pervades the entire polity of
Japan. Every body is watched. No man knows who are the secret spies
around him, even though he may he, and is, acquainted with those that are
official. The Emperors themselves are not exempt; vizier, grand councillors,
vassal princes, provincial secretaries, all are under the eye of an
everlasting unknown police. The wretched system is even extended to the
humblest of the citizens. Every city or town is divided into collections of
five families, and every member of such a division is personally responsible
for the conduct of the others; everything, therefore, which occurs in one
of these families, out of the usual course, is instantly reported to the authorities
by the other four to save themselves from censure. I t has well been
said that the government of Japan is a “ government of spies.”
We have said that the Emperors are not exempt. The Ziogoon has his
minions about the Mikado, and the grand council have theirs about the
Ziogoon. And the cowardice engendered by such ceaseless distrust necessarily
leads to cruelty in penalties. Take, as an illustration, the case of a
measure submitted by the grand council to the Ziogoon ; to which, contrary
to his usual custom, he does not at once assent without examination. Suppose
he should disapprove, the measure is referred immediately to the arbi