幕末見聞錄出版者不明, 1878 - 156 pages |
Common terms and phrases
6th month affairs Aidzu Aidzu clan arrived attack Bakufu Banriu battery Bizen capital castle chastise Chikuzen Chôshiu clan Chôshiu forces clan command Court nobles daimiôs defeated despatched Déwa eastern army Echizen English Enomoto envoy Esashi ex-Chiunagon ex-prince expel the barbarians expulsion fight fire fled fleet foreign Fujita Fushimi garrison gawa Geishiu Government Hakodaté Higo Hikoné Hiôgo hundred Ichikawa Imperial Court Inshiu ironclad Japan Japanese Kamon no kami Keiki Kikonai Kiôto Kishiu Kokura Kuaiten Kujô Kuwana large number loyal army loyal forces loyal troops Matsudaira Matsumaë Mikado Minister Mito Miya Nagasaki Nagato Naifu Nijô occupied Ôgaki Ôno Ôtori Keiské Owari Ôzaka prince of Aidzu proceeded province punishment retainers retreated ronins runaway vessels Sadowara Saigô samurai Satsuma Satsuma clan Sendai sent Shimadzu Shinagawa Shitotsubashi Chiunagon Shôgun Shôin Shortly afterwards Sumpu Takéda territory Tôkiô Tokugawa family took Tosa town treaties Utsunomiya Wicked Party yama Yedo Yokohama
Popular passages
Page 80 - The march of events has brought about a revolution, and the old system can no longer be obstinately persevered in. You should restore the governing power into the hands of the sovereign and so lay a foundation on which Japan may take its stand as the equal of all other countries. This is the most imperative duty of the present moment, and is the heartfelt prayer of Yodo. Your Highness is wise enough to take this advice into consideration...
Page 16 - J6ren-In and many Court nobles, and putting numbers of the Samurai and common people to death ; and fifthly, of being frightened by the empty threats of the foreign barbarians into concluding treaties with them, without the sanction of the Mikado, and under the pretext of political necessity. These five crimes being such as neither the gods nor men could pardon, they as the representatives of divine anger had chastised him.
Page 96 - Not more than a few court nobles were allowed to approach the throne, — a practice most opposed to the principles of Heaven. Although it is the first duty of man to respect his superior, if he reveres that superior too highly he neglects his duty, while a breach is created between the sovereign and his subjects, who are unable to convey their wants to him. This vicious practice has been common in all ages. But now let pompous etiquette be done away with, and simplicity become our first object.
Page 59 - ... of the clan to organize troops on a new system. This consisted in breaking through the prejudice which existed in favour of birth, in selecting strong able-bodied men from the common people as well as from the samurai class, and in fixing the pay of the battalions which he thus formed at a high rate. The strictest discipline was enforced, and even the most ruffianly vagabonds willingly obeyed him. His troops were bold and valiant in fight, and went by the name of Kiheitai, or the
Page 97 - ... the uncivilized customs of former times should be broken through; and 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.
Page 22 - Ki6to to keep the ronins in order. It happened that the ronins at Ozaka and some Satsuma samurai of the same way of thinking heard of this, and were enraged at what they called Idzumi's temporizing policy. Some forty or fifty started for Kioto at once, intending to put pressure on him, and proceed to action. On receiving this news, Idzumi sent some of his retainers to stop them at Fushimi, and to persuade them to remain quiet. The efforts of the retainers were unavailing, and after a long dispute,...
Page 9 - ... was not a man to hesitate. As the native chronicler writes : " He began to think that if, in the presence of these constant arrivals of foreigners of different nations, he were to wait for the Kioto people to make up their minds, some unlucky accident might bring the same disasters upon Japan as China had already experienced. He therefore concluded a treaty at Kanagawa, and affixed his seal to it, after which he reported the transaction to Kioto.
Page 79 - ensure that they do not treat us in an overbearing man" ner. Besides, the opening of Hi6go is stipulated in the " treaties, and we cannot break our word. I pray, there"fore, that the Imperial Court will give its consent." The Imperial Court consulted the clans, most of whom signified their approval, and it accorded its consent in the month of June. In the 6th month (July 2 — 30) a rich merchant of Ozaka, named Yamanaka Zenyemon, was chosen with nineteen others to form a trading corporation (Shosha)...
Page 6 - August 22) batteries were erected at the two mouths of the Ozaka river. During the same month an American named Harris arrived at Shimoda in Idzu, bearing a letter. He stated that he was entrusted by his nation with full powers, and . that he was instructed to reside in Japan. He also requested leave to present his credentials to the Sh6gun.
Page 50 - They had been sent in the previous year on a mission to the various countries bearing the order for the closing of the ports, and arriving first in France proceeded to explain the object with which they were sent. The French rejected their proposals and refused an answer. The eyes of Ikeda and his companions were opened by the high state of material and moral prosperity which surrounded them, and they returned, without proceeding any further on their mission, to report the failure of their attempts...