their produce to market, and from selling the same directly
to their own agents; all restrictions resulting from attempts on the
part of the customhouse authorities and other officials to obtain fees;
all restrictions limiting the classes of persons who shall be allowed to
trade with foreigners; and all restrictions imposed on free intercourse
of a social kind between foreigners and the people of Japan. These all
seem reasonable, and are only what the Japanese Government was already
bound by treaty to fulfil; but as our Federal Government has found
itself embarrassed by South Carolina's treatment of colored British
subjects, so the tycoon's ministers find some of the feudal daimios
nullifying or disregarding the treaty obligations of the general
government.

If, however, a more conciliatory policy on the part of British residents
had been pursued toward the Japanese people, if greater allowance had
been made by English officials for the peculiar difficulties surrounding
the Government to which they were accredited, and if more confidence had
been placed in the good faith of the tycoon's ministers, it is certain
that all opposition would have been gradually overcome. At one time a
majority of the daimios had become reconciled to foreign intercourse;
but the anti-foreign party has been increased and incensed by recent
events; and there is danger that a compliance with the new demands of
the foreigner will involve the country in civil war.

The treatment which the luckless envoys experienced on their return from
Europe after a successful mission, shows how imperfectly the demands of
the British minister will be complied with: we find official accounts
from the Swiss embassy published in the _Dagblad_ of the Hague, that
they were degraded from rank and dismissed from office; the secretary
and linguist having been a pupil and friend of the writer, he perused
their political obituary with much regret. However, office holding in
the far East is not only an equivocal honor, but a precarious means of
subsistence, which, as the aspirants fully understand, one can somewhat
economize his commiseration. Why, they are used to it in that strange
country. The last mail brings intelligence of the degradation of one
hundred and ten office holders of all grades, from the proud minister of
state down to the humble clerk. In this list of casualties, too, a
friend and pupil turns up. Dr. Itowo Gambono was a fussy fellow,
something of a pol