was given reluctantly. I therefore, for the good of my
country, informed the Emperor that I resigned the governing power,
with the understanding that an assembly of Daimios was convened for
the purpose of deciding in what manner, and by whom, the government in
future should be carried on. In acting thus, I sunk my own interests
and power handed down to me by my ancestors, in the more important
interests of the country.[3]....

"My policy, from the commencement, has been to determine this question
of the future form of government in a peaceful manner, and it is in
pursuance of the same object that, instead of opposing force by force,
I have retired from the scene of dispute.....

"As to who is the sovereign of Japan, it is a question on which no
one in Japan can entertain a doubt. The Emperor is the sovereign. My
object from the first has been to take the will of the nation as to
the future government. If the nation should decide that I ought to
resign my powers, I am prepared to resign them for the good of my
country.....

"I have no other motive but the following: With an honest love for
my country and the people, I resigned the governing power which I
inherited from my ancestors, and with the mutual understanding that I
should assemble all the nobles of the empire to discuss the question
disinterestedly, and adopting the opinion of the majority, decide upon
the reformation of the national constitution, I left the matter in the
hands of the imperial court."[4]

Thus was the Shogunate overthrown and the Restoration effected. The
civil war which soon followed need not detain us, for the war itself
had no great consequence as regards the constitutional development of
the country.

Let us now consider the form of the new government. It is essentially
that which prevailed in Japan before the development of feudalism. It
is modelled on the form of government of the Osei era.

The new government was composed of:

1. Sosai ("Supreme Administrator"). He was assisted by Fuku, or
Vice-Sosai. The Sosai resembled the British Premier, was the head of
the chief council of the government.

2. Gijio, or "Supreme Council," whose function was to discuss all
questions and suggest the method of their settlement to the Sosai. It
was composed of ten members, five of whom were selected from the list
of Kuges and five from the great Daimios.

3. Sanyo, or "Associate Council." They were subordinate officers, and
were selected from t