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on the 2nd of August, it was decided that the ‘foreign judges’ in the project of the revised treaty should be interpreted ‘foreign jurists naturalized in Japan,’ and a law of naturalization was projected with great haste. But the measure was considered to be still objectionable on two grounds: first, because the limitation of the Imperial right of nomination by treaties was contrary to the idea of independence; and secondly, because the fact that seven out of the twelve judgeships of the Supreme Court were open only to naturalized subjects was in distinct violation of the article of the Constitution by which all public offices are open to all the Japanese subjects alike.

Never was political controversy so loud and so heated in Japan as at this time. The members of Count Okuma’s party energetically defended the revision in speeches and in the papers, but all the other parties denounced it as national dishonour. New associations, clubs, and newspapers sprang up in all districts and among all classes of the people especially for the purpose of opposing the new treaties, which were understood to become effective from the February of the next year. At the end of September the addresses presented by the people to the Senate^[1] concerning the revision amounted to 305 in all, of which 185, signed by 63,616 persons, were against, and 120, signed by 6,759 individuals, were for the revision.

The Minister President, Count Kuroda, decided to support Count Okuma at any cost, but Count Matsukata, Minister of Finance, proposed to set up a special Commission for the investigation of necessary preparations for treaty revision to be made in the various branches of the Administration; and Count Goto, Minister of Communication, at whose back stood a powerful group of political associations, all opposed to the revision, demanded a Cabinet Council in presence of His Majesty, for deciding the question of revision or not revision at once. At last the great Cabinet Council was held on the 15th of October, 1889, under the personal presidency of the Emperor. It continued from three o’clock in the afternoon till dark, Count Okuma strenuously advocating his measure, Count Goto opposing it with convincing arguments, and Marquis General Yamagata, as Minister of Home Affairs, lately returned from Europe, proposing several weighty questions to Count Okuma. No conclusion was arrived at before the Minister President asked His Majesty to adjourn. On the 18th of October another Cabinet Council was held, without the presidency of the Emperor, and it was almost decided that the revision should be postponed, when Count Okuma, driving back to the Foreign Office at four o’clock in the afternoon, was seriously hurt by a