Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/62

Yechizen, entered Kyoto to guard the Emperor’s seat of government.

With the dismissal of the Aizu and Kuwana troops from the Imperial escort, the Sei-i Taishogun and all other offices of the old Government were at once abolished on the 9th of December, 1867 (9th day of the 12th month of the 3rd year of Keio). The new offices of Sosai (Minister President), Gijo (State Ministers), and San-yo (State Councillors), were created on the same day. His Imperial Highness the Prince Taruhito Arisagawa was appointed the Sosai. The office of Gijo was occupied by the Prince of the Imperial Family, the courtiers Sanjo, Iwakura, etc., and the principal Daimyos—Shimazu, Tokugawa of Owari, Asano, Matsudaira of Yechizen, Yamanouchi, and Date; and the office of San-yo by the ablest politicians of that time—Iwakura, Saigo, Kido, Goto, and others. The basis of the new Government was thus consolidated by the fusion of the old anti-Shogun parties. The Restoration was on this day brought up to its perfect working order. One of the most marked features of the new form of Government was the fact that the offices of the new Administration were not made hereditary, and not limited to certain families, as had always been the case.

The old Shogun parties—that is, the faithful followers of the old Shogun, as the Matsudairas of Aizu and Kuwana—were greatly dissatisfied with this decisive reformation, maintaining that it had been planned by the ambitious Shimazu and Mori. The rivalry between the troops of these four Daimyos grew more and more bitter until the war of 1868–69 broke forth as its inevitable consequence. This war began at Kyoto, extended over the north-eastern part of Japan, and finally ended with the Battle of Hakodate in 1869 (2nd year of Meiji). Had the foresighted statesmen of the old Shogun’s Government, like Katsu and Okubo, not provided for the settlement of diverse difficulties which arose after the Keiki’s resignation from his office, the disasters of the war would have been far greater than they were.

The new Government, after peace and order had been fully restored, took rapid and decisive steps to promote the well-being and civilization of the country.

The process of development followed since the Restoration is too well known to need description in so short a sketch as this, but before closing it is well to mention the following points:

1. The feudal system of Japan did not cease at the same moment as the abolition of the Shogunate, but remnants of it still existed at the beginning of the new Government. However, all Daimyos, particularly Shimazu, Mori, Yamanouchi, Nabeshima, Tokugawa of Owari, Hosokawa, Ikeda, and Hachi-