eror,
"praying for a change in the form of government, and setting forth the
reasons which, in the opinion of the members of the society, rendered
such a change necessary."

These reasons were nine in number and were developed at great length.
Eight of them formed a direct impeachment of the present government,
and the ninth was a reminder that the solemn promise of 1868 had never
been fulfilled. "Nothing," they conclude, "could more tend to the
well-being of the country than for your Majesty to put an end to all
despotic and oppressive measures, and to consult public opinion in
the conduct of the government. To this end a representative
assembly should be established, so that the government may become
constitutional in form. The people would then become more interested
and zealous in looking after the affairs of the country; public
opinion would find expression, and despotism and confusion cease. The
nation would advance in civilization; wealth would accumulate in the
country; troubles from within and contempt from without would cease,
and the happiness of your Imperial Majesty and of your Majesty's
subjects would be secured."

But again the government heeded not, its attention at the time being
fully occupied with the suppression of the Satsuma Rebellion. The
civil war being ended, in 1878, the year which marked a decade from
the establishment of the new regime, the government, persuaded that
the time for popular institutions was fast approaching, not alone
through representations of the Tosa memorialists, but through many
other signs of the times, decided to take a step in the direction of
establishing a national assembly. But the government acted cautiously.
Thinking that to bring together hundreds of members unaccustomed to
parliamentary debate and its excitement, and to allow them a hand in
the administration of affairs of the state, might be attended with
serious dangers, as a preparation for the national assembly the
government established first local assemblies. Certainly this was a
wise course.

These local assemblies have not only been good training schools for
popular government, but also proved reasonably successful. They hold
their sessions every year, in the month of March, in their respective
electoral districts, and there discuss all questions of local
taxation. They may also petition the central government on other
matters of local interest. The members must be males of the full age
of twenty-five