Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, July 18, 1874, Page 4

THE CHICAGO DAILY T RIBUNE : SATURDAY, JULY 18, JAPAN. The Romance of Its Recent Revolution, A Sketelh of tho Empiro as it Was Up to Twenty Years Ago, The Tale of the ¢ Forty-seven Ronins.” Fall of tho Shogunate After Sevon Hundred Years of Existenco. Extraordinary and Unaccountable Action of the Great Daimios. The Empire as It Now 1s; Under the Sway of the Mikado, ‘What Will Be the Denoucment of This Grand Historical Drama ? From DMlackicood's Magazine, Japan lias slways boen envelopsd {n mystery, thanks toits jealous polioy of oxclusion; snd, now that its ports aro tbrown open to us, it is more of & mystory than over. The story of our futercourse with it during the lnst quarior of = contury has resombled in all mnpmjls A HISTORICAL ROMANCE. It bas nbounded in sonsations nnd startling sur- priges, It has been a pticcession of plots clov- erly contrived to puzzle us, and of which we searcely yet hold the clno. The grand denoue- wmont i8 to come, and the best-informed obsery- era are watching for it in hopoloss mystification. As for oxciting episodes, thoy aroendless. Teace- ful diplomatists have boen sitting and negotint- ing uuder koon-edged swords that have beon lit- orallysuspandod by throads. Morchants have beeu pushing their trade in the teath of projudices, aud in dofianco of threats,—buying and selling on the treachorous edge of anabyss. Now the country is apparently inundated with Buropesn ideas, and tho loyal subject of tho galvanized Mikado aro supposed to lave renounced their most shorishod projudices, nnd to have taken for their modoele traders and foreignore,—the poople thoy dotested, following a calling thoy despisod. But to messura the movement, aud to eatimate " tho dangors our countrymon have so far tided ovor in comparative satety, wo must glanco at what we know of the condition of the Empira bofore the recont rovolution aud fall of the Buogun, There are & good many excellent works on the subjact—excellent, at lenst, nccording to their authors’ light at tho time of writing; for wo have gradually been fatha:si g the depthaof our Ignorance. “But, of the works that havo Leen wiitten, thore is mone, porhups, that gives o wore thorongh insight into Japaucso socicly than ono of the lightest and loast preteadiug,— MUITHOUD'S ** TALES OF OLD JATAN," One voraoious native history, like that of the * Yorty-seven Rumus," is worth any quantity of speculativa commentary on passing ovents, bit il superficially from the Europcan point of viow, ‘Tho featuresin tho national clhiaractor and institutions, brougbt out by Mitford in tho boldeat rehiof, are pracisely those that would make tho eveurs thathave boon hapgening latoly utdor r 6yes ppesr most fmprobablo. Wo 500, & wastal spinit in the arcendant every- whera: the eoldier-class yauking afler tho uobles ; the ogriculturnus twhing procedence ovor the ingenious artissn; and the trading counterpsrt of tho foreizn sotllers nucup:.-hx;i the Jovest placo of all, We sco tho Coutrn Quvernment, with which foreiguers would nai- urally treat, divided against icself; whilo power- fut feudatories, prying but an ilinsory lleginnca to their lege-lord, overshadoswed the throuve altogethior, aud exrind tho systam of deceuirai- izatfon to ‘an oxtrewmnc, Woueo the patrinrchnl priuciple almost more absolute than it over was among oursolves in the Highlands of Seotland ; the systom of clauship in tho fulleat force, with a scif-sacriflicing dovotion on the part of the clenswon o sublime a8 somotimos to Lorder on tho ludicrous, The point of & tragic story often liew in the grim humor with which o’ vassul - gravely insiats on DISPATCHING UIMSELY FOR A MERE DAGATELLE,— for uotlung porbaps do men part wore lightly with thoir livos than Jupen, Not ouly do the Japaness possess tha inditiorence to doath of the Chinsinan, who will make a bargain for his life ay for any thing clse that belongs to bim ; but thoy have™ the activo and high-tlown courago which inspired the fan- sastic chivalry of our middle nges. Hotting their persoual feelings out of the question altogether, the very idea tlat tho foreignuers wora objocts of detestatlon to their lords, with the knuowledge that their boing under the protection of tho Gov- eramcnt mudo it & sumowhst dangerous mattor to medalo with them, was quite suflicient to pro- volie she awaggeriug Bamuriag to undertake the adveuiure of cutting down individuals, No doubt agsnasination nud attempts at assassination ocewred not unfroquently. Tho ouly marvel is, that maosseres havonot bosn universal, and that cither the Legutions or the mereantils commu- oites have survived o far to seo thoir persevor-~ suce rewarded. T'ake tho talo of . THE ' PORTY-SEVEN RONING " by way of illustrating our arzwment, The Ro- uiny, Who figure soconspicuonsly in Japaucse lo- gonus, are, to borrow tho old Kcoteh phrase, **brokeu meun,"—literally *wave-men,"—who, by aumo crime or accideut, are masterloss for the ke being, and who bave takon to living by sword aud stirrup, in defianco of the law, aud at war with scciety. ‘Ihe famous Forly-seven wero 5"“ of the following of o high dignitary of the iogunate. Boiug thrown ou Lhe world by his unlimely and violent death, they bauded them- gelven in sooret to avengo him. “Their unfortu. nate master had boen condewmned to the hara- kirl—solemu suicldo, with all the forms of state ceremony—for attempting to right & wrong of of his " own, within the sacred prosiucty ol the Bhoguu's palace, They vowed o earry out tho work that their muaster aad Leen interrupted in; bue his ouemy aud theira wus wary and vigilant, and_formidably . ruardod in Lis fortitled residonce. In their loy- sy, thoy deliberatoly dacided to_sacrifico theix swn caroeis, their lives, their character, thoi aappiness, aud their tenderest atfeclions. To Lisarmn suapioion, their lendor Letakos Limsolf to slife of low debauchery, haunis houses of ill- ‘amno, sud rolls about tha_public waya in n stuto M swinish intoxication, Nay, more, ho quarrela Hth his desrly-loved wife when sho remon- \rutes ; and, to make sure that his part shill ne Haved cut to porfection, ho docs not tulke lior nto Lus confidance. On thecontrary, he divoresy ter with abusivo wordy, sending lier away sov- ‘owinfr, to the scundel of their grown-up fom- ly. Somuch for the proparation ; und the cir- sumstauced of tho " uwight-sttack, when 1t iomes off at last, axo soarcoly ey slgnifionut of ibe natiouul maunors. Tue palacs to he as- aniled {8 tho orowded motropolis of Yeddo; and the Forty-sevan send round the quarter to warn its inhabitants not to Lo alumed should shey hear o distu! The formal announce- ment runs thu We, tho Roning, who were formorly in tho gervico of Asuno Takwwl no Ka- i, are this night about to break into the palace of Kotsuko no Hule, toavengo onr lord, As wo aro neithur vighi-robbors nor raiisus, 1o hurt willbe done to the nolghbaing lousos. Wo Ppray you to et your mind at vost.” According- ly, not a soul stirs, although tha dosperate fight is mulntained for hours, Tor the body-gunrdy of Kotsuke uo Bukeshow thrmselvos just ns stanch us the Ronive, and, taken by sUrpriso as they were, thoy fight it ‘out till thoy yail to u mun, TUE PALACE 18 OARMIED, and its occupant ferreted out, hiding himeolt in rather ludicrons eircamstunces, Yet the Chiof of 1ihe Roning, warm from tho fray, in spito of his invetcrats snimowity and tho contemptible uppourauve presouted by tis lmmb)lui{ viotim, mukos it o noint of houor to ¥esume the calm digmity of & warrior's training, He in oxvoptionally punctilious in obsorviug tho forma of humblo respect duo to o superior,. [lo briefly vocalls tho = cirowmstances that Lave brought about the prosout eatautronho, upologiz- Ing withh iuch oourtesy for thedisngrooable ne- aesalty to which Lo and his companions huve boon driven, and respeottully prays the woundad noblemau to excoute tho ** happy dispatoh,” vole nntcerlnflnhimlnlt for *tho honor " of asting ns socond. Kotuuke, howevor, won't hoar of this, He 18 opo of thoseyare charactors in Japaness legond ] fixmm-n eoward Who even ahtinke from donth whent ia Inovitable, Soho fignres passivoly in pinoo of actively ns principnl in the drama that is hastily cuncted, aud the Ronina avaduate il palace, carryiug off his hond, Itis their in- tontlon to olfor it on thoir mastor's tomb, Al. though tho ity is all it oxeitament by this time, 10 ono nttempts to obutriet thoir rotreat. Itis underatood that tho hond of their Inte master's fomily has got his roiainers all undor arms, rondy to como to tholit support if nocossary, Ilo will “protect thom from the populace, or the followera of othior Princes ‘ ho oven offera thom o banquet of honor 3 yet ha will not interpose betweon them and the Inw. Thoir lives woro dovoted boforehand, and thoy hind counted the cout when thoy sworo themselves to tho dospor- nata adventure, ‘They fenst thomnolyes solomnly with “‘gruecl " and wine bofore completing their r[ouu work by offering the hend of his eucmy to ho manes of tholr mastor, Thon thoy calmly await their fato in tho sanc- tiary whore thoy had trken refuge, al- though tho country ia boforo them, and they caun tly If thoy plenss, *Lhe senlence comes &t lnst irman ordor that tho whole forty-soven SIALL PERFOUM HARA-KINL, Thoy havo knowingly brolen the luw, and tiers 18 no remitting tho pennlty. But, although di- vided in their deaths, thoy are once more teny- #ombled, in an honored dopulchre, around the master thoy Joved so woll: and from that day untll now thoir momory has beon reverenced, and thoy have been worshiped. Now, this {8 no picturesque logend of another ‘and ontllor stata of sucloty, like an oxploit of Robiu Hood or Rub Roy, or aven of some high- wayman on Bagshot Meath, Until tho other year, if not to the present day, the un- Taltoring loyalty of tho warliko Samurais to their foudal lords was similar in kind, 1f not in intensity, to that which lins immiortalizod the Forty-sevon Ronins, Bul- cides on the point of honor wore just as com- wmon latoly as then, aud wore often committad with far loss renson. Tuus, Mr, Mitford tells us biow, 80 Inte as 1808, o man had solomuly dls- empowoled bimselt among tho gravas of the Rontus, simply boeause he hind been rofused ad- mission among the followers of tho Prluco of Chosin ; and no ono acomad to think the pro- cooding anylhing but natural. An individual act may bo prompted by fanatictsm or insanity ; but thore {8 no misintorpreling the auunls of tho rocont wars, Oue of the most striking wmstances we can recall is furnished by the ropeated ro- volts of that Princo of Ohosiu, the " warlike and turbulont Daimio of Naguto, Chosiu took-the fleld in 1864 with 50,000 men ; and of conrso, u any ordinary war, the men ho nourished would naturally follow bim. But HE FLEW AT HIGH GAME, e and actunlly assanlted the pulnce of tho Mikado. Now the explanation of the late revolution of- fored by Iwakuura, the prosont Premior, and othor leading politicians, is, that it has fts springs in the profound reverence of tho nation for tho person and oftice of the Mikndo,~= rev~ ovence which survived the usurpation of his nu- thority by the Bhoguns during a period of 700 vears, Yot Ohosiu' troops stood by him in his deed of sncrilego, and thoy fought galiently, thongh tho assault failed, 'Fho Shogun and the Duimios in alliance with him turned out, and eamo to tho rescus, Chosiu had to succumb to the forces of this Loaguo; he and his son shaved thelr heads and rotirod from public lifo to sanctuary in o tomplo, just as tho benton mon- avchs of oarly Christian monarchios woro some- times permitted to withdraw iuto cone vouts, s contrition and submission were bolh feigued; but, to give =& lively colur to them, and to carry off his part suceess- fully, he informed his great ofiicors who bad headed bis troops that it was his ploasure THEY BHOULD PERFOR NARL-KINIL Then Lo duly transmitted tho heads of those stanch {rionds of his to the Shogun by way ot vouchors, A more cruel, cowardly, und treach- erous procoeding—one bottor fitted to nlienato the affections of tho most loyal subjocts~it in diflleult to concaivo, Yot, in the following year, whon o was again in tho flold, his mon followed him as lovally as aver, although tho miiitary udda wors a1l againgt him, and although, in the disturbed r*te of tho country, they could havoe deserted him with absolute impuoity, Rat, in trutl, not only was thers blind devo- tion sraong the mep-at-arms to their im- diato chiefs, but 1 most doferential submisaon among all clugses to those ubove them, ~Tirst camo tho nobles, then tho soldiers, then the agrieulturists, artisnng, traders, The men who tilled the ground hald high honor comparatively in tho social hlor- archy ; but they submitted in resigned scquivs- conco to tho impouots of their landlords, until somelimes whon their burdens became at lost absolutely intolorable. "o veoture on remon* stranco or appoal uceded heroism almost ax sol sacrificing s that which animated tho Rowuins ; and next to the tale of the Forty-seven, tho u‘\!ox-r i‘u Mitford which is most charactoriatio is that of THL OTI0AT OF FUKTUNA. Sogoro is_hoad-man of & villn%n Ina district whicl 18 beiug ground to the dust by vxactions, ‘I'ho migorablo inbubitants take heart of grace and potition their lord, who is su absentss pro- priotor residing in Yeddo. They take nothing by their petition but a warning not to do it again, Driven to dosperation, Sogoro, know- ing full well what ho bas to oxpect in nny enso, resolves on appesl to the Shoguy, stopshim w8 Richio Mnnip‘lan stopped King James, and thrusts a petition into ks litter. ‘Ihe ** sifilica- tion" ia favorably reseived, tho truth of its oontents being admitted on inguiry—things must Linve come to a meluncholy pass with the villagers baforo such an act of Insubordination was upproved—and the lord is commanded to do justico. 1lo daro not disobey tho Shogun, but Bogoro is his, to deal with as "he pleases; nor doos the Shogun, fv tbe fuli plenitude of his power, feel 1t his pravinco to interposs for the unlucky villager's' protection, Sogoro is con- demned to crucifixion, with his wife and family. The poputation of the district ho has saved are full of sympathy, sithough uot groatly sur- prised. Sogoro is s lost muu, thoy seo ; indeud, ‘hin lfo is forfeited by cnstom, it not by law. But they mnmke su” effort to wmave his wife aud children, and nothing can be wore thoroughly Jupanese than the quaint wordlng of their ystllmn. “With deep feur we humbly veuture;" * With raverenco snd joy we uminnul{ acknowledge the favor » squoezed out of thia vindictive lord; ** With foar and trom- blivg we recognize tho Justice of Sogoro's sen- teuce,” Sogoro hias boen *guilly of ' heinous crima.” “* In his caso wo reverontly admit THERL CAN DE NO REPMIEVE." Tu fact, when wo established rclations with Jupun, it was a federation of feudal dospolisms, administerod more or less honavolendly secord- iuyg to the individus! dispositions of tho Daimiau, and gl nominally subjected to the Shogun, who was despotic within his own territorios, and so farug his power extended boyond them. The groat Dninnios resided for & good part of the year in Yeddo, the Shogun's oupital, in vast pale oes that covered whols quarters, The bar- racks of potentutes liko Batsuma or Chosiu had acconunodation for 10,000 or 15,000 men, und wera ofton overfluwing. And those formid- 2bln body-guscds worn not regularly drilled and diseiplinod troops. Thoy wero reckloss swash- bugklers, idle eud ponniless, for their bread lit— arally dopeuded “on tho daily ratloys of rica by which their mustofs muasured their Incomes. Wa have scen how highly life is hold by ali einsees ; aud those men wore trained from their boyhood to show contewpt for death, Not aman of the gentlomen among them but bad Desn regularly instructed in tho ceremoninl of the hari-kayi, with the view of dying with digni- 1y and eredit shoula his ever be vondomned .to vulemn enicide, The Japauese youths WERE TAUGHT 10 DIG a6 hoys with us uro taught 10 dence. Not o man amougs them but would have thought himself honored ot beiug uin%h}\l ouk to commit un assaesination on his Yrince’s belnlf, sud who would not have felt his mission the moro flattoer- ing bad ho beon conmanded to mako himuolf s seapagout and koop hiv Frince's vounsel, They wore far quicker to take murderous hints than the duller bralng of the Iarons to whom Henry spalie so plainly when he longed to bo nd of thie ovorboaring Bockett, Without hunts of uny sort thoy undoistood the epirit of thelr musters' nunys, aud know they could rely upon tho pro- tection of thely clansmen should they come bome red-handed aflor cutting duwn a foraigner, Even when thoy went abrond with no particular destgn,—when thoy were swaggeriug ubout in the tos-housey, with those nukod blades of thoirs, the koenor of which are ware rntod to cut through threo corpacs &t 2 blow,—tho tomptation to have o wlush ut & puesing foroigner must often bave boen ulmost iricsistible, As we romarked nofore, the wonder is, not that forolgners weto acensionally sinnghtored, hut that 8 single indi- viduul of ¢hom whs suitored to exist, When & erime wus committed, snd tho Shogun declaved, in auswor to remonstrancos, thut Liy juatico was baflod, it 1 mora than likoly that 112 QENEMALLY SPOKE TUB TRUTIL, It wight huve puzzled n Duimlo to doteot a calprit anjoug the crowd of bis followens ; al- though, no doubt, bud he declared that n seapo- goat was wantoid, thero would have been koca compatition for the honorable service, * Sueh wore the Dalmios und tholr relatumy when tho Awvrioun nud ISuropean war-squad- vaus were llrnvulllng ou_the Bhogun to give us accosa to the country, 8o long ns tho Dairios wora courteous to ike Bliogiun, und spoke raverentiully of ths Mikudo, they hod protty muvh oarlo’bmualw to do ns thoy nluurml, fia; l:omnudg. ‘Iu thn&rha\m do- minlou 6] absolute, Thoy wero Yory bigoted y be sbled of dom wero Yésy tlols ) thoy bad good ronson to. ho satisfiod with tho Taland-Empira thoy bad locked thomselyos up in; thoy dreaded cliango: thoy deteated foroign- ora, and ospooinlly dospised thom 1n their ca- pacity of tradors, tho oapaeity in which tho strangers olaimed admission to Japan., Thoy bad formod their idos of Europonns, Chrlstlans, tradors, from tho Duitols they ponnod up in Nn- ganakd finchor,—for thofr Intoroourso with tio "ortuguors was nn old atory. The abjest sub- mission of theso Dutch slraugers must have confirmed tho Japaness in thoir contompt for tho trading clasaes, For tho asko of proilt, the Dutoh had consonted to all munner of inflistions and rostriotions ; and it had boon the consistont wolicy of tho authoritlos to dogrado tham i tho sight of tho peoplo, 'Mhey wora shut up in" anartificlal fsland; thoy bad to mend n solomn duputation ammu- &lly to play the mountebanks in the presonco of the Mikado by the way of Court-ooremony; hoy wora snid to linve ronounced thelr religion by trampling on tho symbol of tholr salvatlon, nllhul\[{h that may have beon ealumny, So, whon Commodoro Porry sniled his squudron into Yeddo Day, in the summer of 1863, tho Japaneso no doubt belleved that he brought a frosh batch of hwnble petitionors for toleration, ‘Lney woro quickly undoceived, snd tho Americun took A TIOLD LINE FROM THE FIRST. Hao spolto ur ousl to oqual, with un msinuation of nukuown rexources in roscrve that was cil culeted to impross au intollicont people. On shore ho could have dono nothing, aad the fol- lowors of a Datmio of the third-cluss might have disposod of tho party of marines ho might havo landed. But thon, on the othor hnnd, ho was in- vuluerable at ~ sea. ‘hore his squad- rons were floatlog In tho hithorto inviolate watora of tho Empire, {flannting their dragon-pondants with the étrlpuu aud Btars, and regolutely declining to be put off with spoechos, oithor suft or imporious, le was mis- taken, liko tho rest of the world, as to who was tho logal Roveraign ; but he was awaro that the Shogun was actunl ruler, and ho declined to ou- ter into nogotintions with anybody but oflicials of tho highest raul, Thove ho was, nud thero ho seomod likoly to stay. For the Japnueso had 0o navy in their archipelago, although'the ight coasting vessels that scouted about about thoir onomy's shipa wero models of grace and waillful construction in their way. Wo have no intontion of aven skotohing in outline the history of negotiations sinco tho Awmerlenny first broke ground in their straight- torward fashion. Wo will ouly ropent that TUEY WENT TILE BIOUT WAY TO WORK with their practieal sugnoity ; and vory soon— such was the furce of their exnmple—tio Dutch actunlly goi up from thoir knees, and provoked & snub by thoir suddon chauge of demennor. In tho earliost days of forcigu intorposition, we thinit wo eau comprohiond tho progressof thought snd the shifting rolations of partios in tho ua- piro. The Mikado Lad nothing to suy in tho intter, ond probably neither ho nor ing Conrt nobles folt nuy great interest fu it, Tho Hlo-~ guns bad adwinisterod tho roatm for centurios, und it ws tho proviuca of tha Shoyuns to deat with thoso importuuste barbarinns, The Daimios wore disgusted with tho overwesning protonsions of the now arrivals; thoy deteatod thom heartily, with tho ntrange forms of clvilization thoy had imported ; und thoy resonted the Bhogun not having got rid of them abounce, As for the Shogun, ko wns vory sousibly of tho incronsing pregsuro lio was b“‘“fi subjected to. Sbarp and intelligont, liko all lus countrymon, e mude it Lis business to find out what forces thoso intru- sivo forvigners conld dispose of, sud to discover whether they were ina position to make gnod thoir promises. For, whilo they binted that ho must’ te coorced iucass of recaleitrancy, thoy wore vory eloquont as to ali o would ;:neu wero hio only to give in to them with a good prneo, At Alvat, nnquontionudly, it was his purposo to pot credit with his countrymen by throwmg dust in tho strangers’ oyos, for his position wan EXCESSIVELY DELICATE AND DANGENOUN, a8 eyouts hnvo proved. As the strangors would not be blindoed, he had to choose the loster of two ovils : Lo wont iu for the apeculative alter- ontive of obtaining for kimself and his_conutry groat gning by means of trado, at the risk of pro- voking uunpopularity and strong aui- mosjties. Wo talk of the Shogun, for such seems to have Doen tho mue- cousive polivy of the men who fillad the oilics while foreignors hnd auything Lo do with themn. But, in those fow years, the Shoguns chunged fast. An acting Regent was auszssinated in broad day close to tho very gates of hin palace; whilo ong, if not two vthers, died undor strong suspicion'of poigon. But, in' renlity, it was tho last of tho Blwf;nun»—-um instigutor of that audacious avsaasittution of the Regont—who voluntarily embodtod in_his conduct tae policy that had beou forced on his prodecessors by tho very decided line bo adopted. e hurried mat- tors to the crivig that crushed tho Shoguuate, Yoshi Hishn, o Priuco of the family of Mito, bagan to bo so firmly porauaded of the profits of thia foreign connection, that he fell uuder tho svapicion of desiiing to monopolize them for his own advaatago. Hoventoon yoars had olapsod singe Comuodore Porry's ar- rival in Japzneso wators, and the Daimios all the time had been in process of conversion to Europosu idoas, Satsuma hud been bombavded i his capital of Kagowima. A doscant had boen mado on Chosiu’s territorios, 1n rotulistion fur his fiving upon presing ehipping; his battories hiad boon spiked in the Strats of Nagueski, aud the obstruotions tuken pway that ho had laid down in their intricato chnnnel. The Daimios Liad learned the value of Europosn wonpous, and tho comparative worthlesncss of thoir own, ‘They Lad Lsgun to buy srmor-plated stoamors aud ritled guus ; but EACH WAH NLIWOUSLY APPRETHENSIVE that his noighbor might get tho start of him. ‘What chance had o body of frregulur swordu~ men, clothed in chwiu-wrmor, with regularly- drilled bauulions, armed with breech-londers ? And thore was the Shogun a¢ bead- usrters * treating diroetly with the foreignera; fucreasing a strongth thoy were already jealous of, and which hud no un- pemstitious senction, liko that of the ikados, Homado coucession of troaty-ports after a great show of rosistance, and all of ther wers in tor- ritorios that were undor his porsonal control, T'ho eightaeu groat feudatorios could only con— duct their trausuctions with the strangers thbrough tho termodiacy of the Shogun's ofli- cers; tho Prince of Hatsuma boing perhaps an oxcoption, for he always kept himself ona some- what excoptionul footing. At first thewa foudn- tories had boen us bltterly opposed to now-fan- gled innovations u8 our Engiish squires when their propertios waro threatoued by tha railway compauiea, Now, like the Euglisbmen, whon thoy eaw that iwonoy was bemg lavishod ail around them, thoy recognized thow mistake, and wiod to retriove 1. ‘Ihoy wero enger for opening treaty-ports of thoir own; and the Shogan, who saw that discontent wos rife, and war imminont in auy case, was more rosolved than over not to coucedo those, Wero the war to break out, arne might counterbaluuoe numbers, und ho lLad no idon of reuouncing what advantage ho possossed in the way of ob- taining wuperior oquipuents. Already it up- poored that the warlike Princo of Nagato had mansged Lo get the sturt of him in that respoect, probubly m greut nioasure by woy of eontisbnud irade, it trudo mey be called contrabuud when the robellious pozentato was strong enough and bolut enough to carry iv on in detiuncs of 118 su- porior. ‘Winle the Bhogunate was being throatened by this forwmiduble coalition, it occurred to botl vartiey to TURN TO THE MIKADO, In the 700 years of tho Shogunnato, it had been the juterost und policy of the reigning Bhogun to ignore the Empereur rfa-‘umnt of Kiotoj und this policy of negloct had succeedoa %0 woll that the Daimios Lad come to regard tho Mikado as & phantow. When Lord Elgiu and Buron Gros had trested with the SBhogun as su- preme soveroign, that usurpiug dignuvity led lett thom in thoir mistuke; oud, when tho trontics woro solomnly sigued and soalod, no oue ulso had earod to undeceive thom Indemi, what bad onee boon usurpation hud sinco boon sance toned by time und custom ; and, it presevps tiou and nequiesconce go for anytlung in & mit- ter of tho kind, tho Bhogun was sovoreign by nequicscouco of tho Mikado, 1f mightas well os right bnd romuiued with tho Shognns, wo should luve hourd nothivg of reviviug the tomporal supremuoy of the Mikrdos, But the interconise with tho foraiguers had shaken the political und soclal relatious of the country to their foundo- tion, 'The iutluence ot tho Bhogun had depend- od mot so much on bis poreousl tore rvitorlalb powor s on . wul interest with the most powerful Dai ; for the Hhognuuto was uot lieveditary in o single Tuwily, but olective swony four of the loadmy hauges. Now, the Daimiosboing dividoed aguinst thomselyes, the Shogun, who wus thoir chies, JCGAN TO TOTTER, Tho hostilo Dalinios hed Lethought themsclves of flying tho fhkado's flag, thus turning the tablss on tho Shogun, und declaring him roliol doure, ‘Iho Jost but ona of the Blioguns way o lud’uudn‘mppoz; but those who advised lhim wide counter-advances to the Mikado in self- dofenso, thus nccoptiug the fulso position the houtilo Daimios bud mudo for thour, Lo luet of the Bhoguns, olocted -from & rival family,—he wad o cudet of the powerful family of Nito,— was o smgulerly cloar-sightad man, und provubly e discernod tho sigus of the thuod s plainly sk anybody, Hosuseptud jotlico with pratondod reluc- tanoe; by cortain supulations ue insited upon Lo admitted bitasolf to be mer»\lht Viceioy und COommander-in Qhlef, oharged with careying out the wishow 08 Wié Aiikado, sud leading this foides .in_puttlag bia of the Empire, Ife wan ambitious, no douht, orhe would not have put himself forward in theso troublous timaes & but his ambition wna roguinted by sound judgmont. By tnking ofico on thao torms ho did, " ho ormmrl Tor his ambition ndoublo miternativo. Things might settlo back into tho old poaltion, in which “easo ho might again ho Governor de faclo, as his predacossors hud beon, Or, If tho Bliogunnto was doomod, a8 was much moroe llkulf, ho might rosign hia stnto without loss of dignity; and still romain the foromoat man in thd nmmtr{. ndministorin affairs a8 Minlstor of the Mlkndo, It woul only bo oxchenging bis rosidence in Yoddo for a rosidonco in Kioto. Things turned out as ho probably, expacted, and we neod not traco thelr bistory, The Bhogun WAS DRIVEN TO ABDICATE, but hoe hiad to abdicate undor the pressire of un- successful enmpaigng, sud far too lato for tho Tulilllmont of shat nitornative hope of his, Tho victors spared his lifo and bis urolmrty; and, aithough hio e sinco boon roealled to infarior office, it Is possible that ho has passod from tho history of Japan, Ono shaip, succossful war had disporgessed him. A socond vambaign dis- potod of his northeastern altios, who had trted to rovengo and rostora hit, In thoir jorlousy of tho southwostorn Daimios. ‘he Mikado ~ro- mains, noninally, abroluto mester; setually, ex- erciging such nn authority as none eithor of his predocossors or of tho Bhoguus had over ex- orcised lu tho long aunnls of the Lmpire, Uo—or Dis advisors—lost not & moment nowly-rognined poworn to tho ‘tout, hoy struck whilo the motal was hot, with a vengeauco, aud sont showers of uparks flying.ovor tho length and brondth of the quuntry, thut might have causod explosions ov- erywhero mmoug o far loss intlammablo poople, Yot, until tho other day, evervthing pnssod off nonceably ; nud now we aro ussurod that the ro- cont disfurbancos are & more question of tho Jopularity of » foreign war. Wo asl oursslvens «question upon question, and can find satisfactory answers to nono of them, if wo are to judgo by hitorical precedent elsewhere, or our idea of luman vature all the world over. Who wero the real promoters of tho revolution? Waro thoy tho four groat Dalinfos whoue names have been put forward 8o conspleuously, or wore thoy adroit wire-pullers io humble ranks, who mado uso of thoyo groat mon for thelr own purposes ? WITAT WAS THE BPELL they usod to subvers the miost macrod in- stitutions, to coucilinta the foclinga and tlio pro- Judicos, of the nution? Did it all arignata— us we aro told it originated—in a profound ven- eration for tho Mikado's person and oiMoo? How camo it that the victorious Daimios woro provailed upon to execuie a happy dispatch,— o part with their authority and their lauds, and their formidable 1nilitary foliowing? Thon thero are o varioty of othor quostions, with ro. speot to tho future, roarcely loss invorosting, and of more practical consoquonce, We sliould ba glad to kuow, for example, who aro the real tulers of the cvuntry ; whnt is'tho actual state of feeling under the np}mron& crlm; how tho loroifnaru aro regarded, for they have undoubt- edly beou at the bottom of everything ; what has becomo of the hordes of disbanded swords- mou whose oceupation js gone, aud who sre reduced to ponury; whethor the wecular- ized and disondowed priosts of o oncd populsr religion still rotain thoir hold on their devotoes, and are disnosed to prosch a Lioly war by iuvo{xlug tho support of the interests that have sutfored, Aud last, but not lonst, comes tho finnucial question; indeed, 1t must take procedonco of all the others, in States that ruik ue Japan aepires to do, Wil the new finuncial machinery, #o suddenly improvised, support the strain of those heavy burdeus that aro the consoquenco of this genoral imltation of all things Baropesn ? On &ll theue points we own wo can hazard vothing botter thun conjoctura; and it 1s the very uncertainty in which they are involved that has inducod us to call attention to nifairain Jupan. Tho most trustworthy nuthoritios frank- 1y confoes thomselves puzzled, while moro crad- ulous individuals aro content to accept Japanose oxplanations, which is simply absurd. Only timo can olicit tho tiuth, and timo 18 likely ~ to out' spoodily, 1f multors keop “moving a8 they bave Ueon dolng hitherto. It is possible that some of thoso problome may ba loft unkolvod for the bonefit of posterity, for wo are never likely to Unve bottor moans of forming an opinion than at prosout,—and at prosent wa aro all sbrond,—as to the actiou of the iusurgent Daimois, for in- stauco, and tho use thoy mudo of the Mikndo's uame. Iwakaurn, the present Prime Minlster, volunteered 2t explanation to Baron Huobuer, the Austrian diiflnmnw, whoss account of Japan is tho Dbost that bLas Intely Laon publialied. Iwakaura’s oxplanation wag, thai the Shoguuate had beon socamulating n heavy load of unpopi- larity, while the principle of veneration for the Mikado had remained profoundly rooted in every heatt in tho country, In other words, it only neodod an appeal to that venoration TO WORK MIBACLES; when, by a sudden procoss, resembling thas of religious revivals m our own country, it softened simultanoously the leurts of all tho Daimios in a moment of jutenso politicsl agitation, sud mnde them saerifico, in evidence ot tholr sincerity, overything they had most dearly oborisliod, 'Lhose unselilsh convorts to o patriotio priucipla commenced tholr revolt with a combined attuck on tho palaco of the Mikado, and a violation of the sauctity of hi Bacred porson. Having ouco mnstored bis per- son, they sont out their proclamations in his nawo; ond, in tho ecstatic sublimity of ils ro- viving faith, tho country reaigned itsolf to the wmost revolutionary moasures, ignoring sll that wad suspicious {u the trangnotion. \Wo may grant readily cuough that the people pradently pre- tsudad a taith they did not fesl, aud shrank from trying conclusions with the victorious Princes. bring it But what are we to think of the couduot of the Dnimioa thomsoelves # The Princes of Satsuma, Chosiu, Hitzen, and Tosa bad overthrown tho Shugan, apparente 1y becausa he wus meneeing their foudal wuthori- ity, or at least hecause he scemed likely to in- croase his own in the virtuo of his moro intimate rolutions with the strangors, And the firat stop they took after this victory was to X RESIGN ALL THEY MAD REEN PIOHTING FOR, and infinitely more thau uny ouo would have dronned of exacting of thom, oven had thay been prostrated in a sories of disastrous cam- paigns. Thoy volunteerod the abolition of the feadal systens, to which thoy owed their exist- ouco. Tho offered gunrantees for their wincority by resignine the ~alk of their vagt territorios into tho possesson of the Crown, Thoy sur- renderod their vahied tilles of honor. 'Thoycon- souted to reosive Crown prefels into their horod- itury dominious, to administer them absolutely in the namo of the ceutral authority, In turthor proof of _ straightforward deeling, they consented to diroct upon Yeddo all the troops they did not disbund, with all that mate- »iel of war, whouo rontly accumulation had prob- ably been ut tho bottom of the overthrow of the Shogun. Lot us admit, for tho nale of argument, that tho four leadord of tho moveatont did all this for & blind ; that they kuaw thoy could muke bottor uso of their men and maleriel ut the eapitnl than in thoir outlying dominions, The adminsion iy quite inconsistent with the fact that six-and- thirty other Daimlos, oponly opposed to the movemont, or olse outsiders, imitatod thom blindly. ‘lho memorable documont, the protocol ot the political harn-kirl they wera executing, was drawn up by tho Blmistor Kido, who hus takon o leadiug pirt in the revolution all along, ‘Lilk then Kido had been a simple Bamaurai of the Prncs of Chosiu, and his romurk- uble ability and sagacity are beyond all dispute, “L'his i ono of tho passsgos ombodiod in I8 YAMOUS STATE FAPEI: 4 The placo where wo live is tho property of the Mikado, and the food wo oat {8 grown by hiusub- jeots, How, then, can we make tho land we ugscds ourown ?"* It is us nudacious a bit of umor as we huve over come acrose, consiterin) what munuer of men they woro whose idous 1t professod to embody, 'Thoso were the men who hud madoe thotnsolves unconstitutionally absolute 1 tho course of ¢oven hundrod yeais, and it wne late in the day to ak so doticato a quostion with- out u syllable of opology for deforring itsolong. Yot, it the Daimios have been playing & eane * hypooritically in their own wmbitions intevests, it must bo ndmitted that the gamo is a very dne perate ouo, Thoy had so very littlo to gain, and so very much to lose, "Only one of them jcould attain to a Diotatorship, and that ho could mnot mako herudhu.\'&'; whils tho rest huve, in any cuse, taken u stop thoy cannot recede from, even should they caro to prayoko a countor-rovolution, There s no restoriug & feudal system thut Lias boon tho grad- ual growth of conturios, ‘Lhey huva broken up thelr olany, and subverted the castes on which their foudal supromnoy deponded, Thelr dis- banded uwordsnion aresesking sorvico in the na- tional avmy, or betaking themselves to the agri- vulture uud handioiafis thoy usod formorly to despise, Bither they huve been hoodwinked Into tho most unparalleled not of abnegation recordod In history, or, in thelr short-sighted ambition, thoy have heon gullty jof w most egrogious au wioidal pisce of folly. It 18 possiblo that thoir solf-sacrifice muy be for the pormanent nouelit of tho Lmpire; and that Japan imnuy date 8 now ora of prosperity from tha self-denyitig ordinueo promulgated by ite noblos, In"tha course of Lalf u dozen years, Jupun has TUANSFOUMED ITSELY INTO A OIVILIZED XING- o, and hay adyancad ftaelf more dooldsdly in mauy wespooty than sowe of the auciend mwiarcliies of Europe. It has Btato Couucils and Priy CQouncils } & Houso of Reprosontatives, subdl- vided into Commiltecs ; It hns sixty-nix arron- dlsaemonts, onch with It Profot ; it has ratl- waya and tolographs, mints and eduostionsl os- tablishmants with Europoan Professors 4 it hau sont its Logations abroad, rosidont or with rov- ing commissions ; and 1t has & nationnl dobt that bids fair to Incronso rapidly if the oredit of the country holds good. But, if tho suocosnivo coatiugs of eivillzod varnish havo not boon Iaid on far too quick, the atmosphoro of Japon must bo altogothothor oxcaptional. The revolution wns in no senso a’ popular omo, whatover its promotors may allege. If tho peoplo havo the vigor of “ntollent thoy are crodited with, tho country must bo_prognant with tho olemonty of discontont and disturbance, ‘Lhero aro tho inforlor Daimion, whose teath Liave boon fllad, and whowo olnwa liave boen out, and who must bogin Lo ropent their surronder whon thoy bocome conscious of thoir cumpumuvu impo- tonoy. ‘Thorenre tho priests of Buddhs, who may considor the perminsion to marry but poor componsation fortheloss of the ondowmonta and offerings they conld hnve affordod to marry upon, Where arc tho lowor orders, who nsed to flock {n crowds to the tomples of Buddha, and who nare now commandod to go hack to the ose tablished chnreh, and roturn to the more ortha- dox worship of Bhinto. Thoro fs the vaxatlous imposition of juvreased taxes, which must ho rigorously anforcod {f thie Goyarnmont i to pay its way. " Inold times tho foudal vnesnls paid contributions in kind, and thoy K)nld wothing or very hitla when tho rlco- orop wos o faflure,” In old times it was only the agriculturists who paid, and the indnatrial and commorclal classos escaped altogethor. Now, all aro rated allko. Nor 1u the Goverumont non- tent to nterfore moroly with the consciences sud the pookots of its subjocts,—both of them poivts on which moen are oxtremaly sonsttive all tho world ovor, 1t extonds thuir initintory regu- lations to their porsons, aud NOTIING I8 TOO GREAT ORL TOO BMALL to bo logislatod for in elsborate datail. Now- ailaya tho groatost noblea are donied the liborty of living whoro they pleave, Formerly, thoy wore boind to spend binlf the yenr in the capital of the Mikado ; now, they must pass the wholo of tho twelve montha tharo, aud are forbidden to ronido on their patrimonial domaing. It may bo right to put a stop to tho male of young girls, aud to restrick the unboundod license of di- vorco. Dnt it was a sirong measuro to lay down sumptuary lawa for tho ladiod’ toilet, and to campol evory Japaness to cut his top-lockt and lot his hair grow all ovor his hoad. Thess miscollannois moasures of all sorts and sizes may bo rignt und wike in thomsolves, or thoy may not. But this rauch seams cortafn, that no na- tion with areal capacity for progress and solt- oducation cun sit down complacently and con- tontedly under logialation at onco 80 trivizl and imporious. In making our rapid summary of the vestod interasts thut have boon injured or outraged, wo have left ono class for BP(!CMI mention, bocause our countrymen settled in Japau ars especially concerned iu its future, Wo have no mcaus of estimating the number of TOE DISHANDED SAMURAIS, Wo only know that each of tho Daimios used to ontertaln a lost of these _irregulars, according to bis degreo and tho extont of his rovonuos; that, a8 wo maid, Satsuma and Hitzen thought nothing of bring- ing 60,000 mon into tho fleld, or of keoping & fifth of that number on pormanont garrison duty at Yoddo. And we know that, roughly Apeaking, tho new nationnl army, iucluding tha line and tho Imperial Guard,” consists of no moro than some thirty infautry battalions, A fow of the Bnnurais have taken servico with the Goyernment ; tho rost are thrown on their wits and the world, These are the mon who would have turned Ronins a fow yoars ago, roaming tho country in sesroh of rockless adventure. BSoms very inndequats provision Las boen made for thom by the Logislaturo, and they are ofli- clully recommonded to betake thomuolves to more poacoful professions, Evon wero thoy roady and willing to do 8o, it muat be long befora industrial society could absorb so many in- dividuals utterly unfitted by pravious train- ing for ordiuary work. But, in reality, work of any kind must be intongcly repugnaut to their training aod tastes. It i derogating from their superiority of caste, and renouncing thels esprit do corps. ~ Agriculture is relatively respoctabla ; but it ean searcoly Lo pleasant for a Court- swashbucklor to oxchange the sword for the spade. As for handicrafts, they ara contempti- ble, and commorco ia atill more 80, Thus theso men, who aro strong onough to coerce the com- munity, and who possibly might got tho botter of tho troops of the State in spite of brecch- loaders aud riflod fleld-picces, hnvo everything in the world to gain by & revolution. Even do- maostic disturbancos or a foreipn war would re- store them, in tho moantime, their 0ld occupa- tion. And, in tho avent cithor of a revolution or an emoute, what would ba their foelings to- wards foraigh merchants and tho foresign Legn- tions ?—for it 5 certainly foroign iuntorforonce that has turned their world upside down, So Iar n8 we can judge, a knot of able and pushing statesmon aro tho only porsons who 28 yot bisve profitod by tho changes, and ALL OF THESY ATE ADVENTURERS, moro or less. Thers aro Iwakaura, who {8 Pro- viniona! Primo Ministor; and Sanjo, who was Preyident of tho Council. Both are mon of tho flrac rank and connections, but thoy aro both taken from tho olass of the Kugos, or nobles of the Court of the Aikado; and the Kugos had unoithor tho territorinl influenco nor the warlike following of thie Daimios. Thero is Kido, whom we have alrendy spoken of, pethaps the' ablost of thom all; and thoro is Ofmnm. Kido came to powor as delogate for tho Chosiu clan, as Olkuma for_tho Hijon, aud Itagaki for tho Sat- suma ; and, provious to tho revolution, Kido was nolhing Lut an ordinary Samurni, while Olkuma was & humble student on his pro- motion. | Whether they worled upon moro pow- erful men or woro put forward by them, it ap- pears clear that, at the preseut moment, they ac- tually direct tho State volicy. In other words, the formidable olements of the old society aro being dextronsly eat off against ouch»othnr, by sleight-of-hand ‘or shrowdness of brain, Tha recont troubles ara said to havo srisen outof the quostion of the Coren war, and it is ro- ported that they have beon protty nearly sup- prossod. Yot the symptoms were very omiu- ous. ‘Therc was an nttempt to mssussinnte Iwalnura, whick nently proved successful ; aud men who aro woll informod assure us_that the mutiny iv the Island of Kinsin is believed to bave been fomented by those Princes of Sat- suma, Tosn, and Chosiu, who already bogin to ropont of the precipitate surrender of their foudal powers. Do that as it may, 1t i cortain that the disbanded Samurais must Liave sei their heatts upon a foroign war, and that the pacifio policy of the prosent Minister must have gone far to AGARAVATE THE PREVAILING DISCONTENT, Wo hope tho bost, because eversthing wo have lataly soon of them nesures ug that the Japaueso linvo grent capabilities for improvement, But, juet becauso thoy bave groat capabilities, Le- causo they have shown thomsolves thoughtral and intollogont, with T“ck feelings and oarnest convictions, wo can hardly help apprehonding tho worso. Tho AMinistry “whko havo mado the revolution must uunderstand their countrymoen far bottor than wo do, and may bo ablo to guide it through shonls aud breakers, Inany caue, tho progreas of ovonts must speodily give us a oluo to '{\m donouement of tho historicel drama, —_— e Destruction of Dogs in Philiadelphin. ‘I'he Ponusylvanin Socioty for the LPrevention of Gruelty to Animals, whose hoadquartors aro in Philadolphis, vreotod some two years sgo & Sheltor and Howe for Vagrant Doga and Other Animals, The city authoritios provided the ground,—about 2 acres,—ond ilo Boclety orected thereon buildiugs suitablo for tho work, ineluding a small houso for the keepor und hiw awuigtunt. The city also pays tho Bociety 82,000 por aunum for doing the work. The grouud is inclosed by a high woodon fonce, and tho do- struction of worthless animals is douo privately, During the year 1873 the oflicors of the Boclet) cupuured, by meaus of nots, 3,080 dogs, of whicl numbor 744 wore rodeomed by their OWROYH ¢ 2,378 wero killed and 68 sold ; 214 dogs weroscnt by privato individuals to bo meroifully killed ; uid i sinall tuanbor woro browght to the sholtes to Loard, Tho moans ut first used to destroy tho onimnls was ourbonie meid gas nnd a woodsn teok similar to tho one now used in this city, This was soon discarded, hLowover, na belng found totally uunfit by the reoson of loak- g0, oud the uso of the cirbonio acid gas Lias beon also given up us not being swift onongh 1n its destruction of life, A smothering-room bulle of briok nud Jinad with gaod emont, 11 foot loug, 4 feot b inches wido, and 2 feot 11 inchos high, has replaced the wooden box, and carbonons oxide gan is used fustuad of carbonic acid gas, It in genorated by u charcorl stove, aud a bol- lows i8 used to forco it in volumo into the air- tight compartmont, ‘This oxide is an active narcotic polson, 1 per cont in the nir proving fatal. ‘Phe numbor of dogs dostroyod nevor ex< coods forty larga or olghty small ones, Sevon minutos fu ocenpied in mnu‘; tho room with the gus, and two minutod and u quarter only to destroy lifo, doxy are eaptured by men’eni- plui' tho Hooiely, Who go round tho city with cavty ond scoop-nots. AN worthtess animaly uro dostroyed in twenty-four howrsattor Dbaing rovuived. The yurd for dogy in dividou— ouo boiug occupled by malea audl thoe otber by fowalos, Lnch snimnl haw a wsaparato konnel rovided for it, This fs tho plan which Ay, ds‘r'gh propennd to the duthositles of New York v GUBMUH. Ronder, Ia tbis world big enough for you? Can you draw o froo, manly brenth 'neath tho lowly arch that opprosses you o'erhond? Are yon content to oxlst forever within the puny cirolo defined for you by an arbitrary and imperfect syntom of astronomy ? Bink through tho earth, You cannot: tho an- Upodes aro boneath the surfaco, and you are stoppod—Dbreant-high, Hoar aloft. You daro not, lest you dorange tho solur systom, Alss! Low can you escape ? . . . P . . . DIAGONALLY, It wag o dnrk, cheerlosn winter's morning. Bnow was on tho ground, honr-frost on tho win- dow-panos. I was awakanod by a dull, ominous prosage of Homothing, pressing on my con* gestod brain, My hip-bath stared mo in tho face. I shuddorad—but it must b dono. Icropt out of bod, and paused irrosoluto, It was bltterly cold! Tho presngo was atill thore. Huddenly, I rushed to the fire-place, snatohed up tho mna- slyo poker, flow back to the bath, and, with one mighty blow, dashad tho solid Ico into & million frugmonts. Thon—then—(oh, ronder!)—I plunged in, The majesty of the shock obliterated con- aclounnogs, For the trillionth of asecond I was dend—dend to all savo the pressgo—which low- ored upou the troubled bosom of my oblivion in a muuner poculiar to such visitations. Thon— mercy I—Fwnu violently dismombored, and frac- tionuily fmpallod, with & frightful velocity, along a rigid dingonal line, atrotchod from the utter~ most contlnoa of concoption to—~to—(bo still, 1y panting soul ] )—to aunyun] I found myself on a low moasy bank, looking holplosuly upon my fragments. My head, body, logs, and anng were lying around in picturesque coufusion, Btill, strauge to say, I folt nv pam. ‘'ha presage was gono, and o poacaful, uninquiring calm had #ottled on my hond. Nor did my other portions manifest any inconventence. . I wue but mortal, however; and, after wo had remmnod liko this for a faw minntos, my brain bogan to oxperience monotony, and conceived an oarnost dodirs for & new excitomont, £ Ou that Instant, we all {low into spaco ! 1 mystoriously understood from this, that I ought to wish the other way. did 80, and presto—wo all flow together againl I wasan in- mgml AU once more. roso, shook mysolf, spoke a fow words alond (to guard against drenms), sud took u long, dis- criminating look around mo, I was in s boautiful moadow, with all the pooticsl appurtonnncos, aud a broad, shining river running past me into tho illimitablo por- spoctive, Thero wore several little poiuts about shis Iandscape WHICI STRUOK ME A8 PECULIAR. I noticod that the troos grow with thoir roots in the air, aud their foliago (if thore was auy) underground. Thore was au immenso varioty of charming flowers embedded in the ground, with their closoly ramified stnlks sticking out, The rivor ran b foob above its banke; o that, when I stood by its edgo, tho water was as high'as m nock § aud b; aluop‘nllf alittlo I could see tho fla swimming about ; still it did not overflow. I 8oy, thoue things strnck mo as rather odd at firat: butit is ustonishing how quickly ono gots used to romarkablo sights ! I walked about the mondow for some time, and amusod mysolf with diggiog up the various sorts of fruit which I saw pooping out of the ground. The applos wete espocially juicy, Now, I waualways fondof this fruit ; and, with such abundance as I saw around, Ioonld not help iudulging rather froely. I bad enten five large, red, luacious fellows, and - was half-way through tho sixth, whon and«luuly I experienced a very romarkablo fooliog. Ifolt gotting hgator! Thoro ‘was 10 doubt about it: & pleasant, mild exhilara- tion was soon followed by au actual physical loss of weight. Icould hardly put my feot on the ground as I'walked along: Istamped as heavilynsX could, but no mark wny left ou the gruss; and in fow minutos more, justas I comploted my sixth apple, I positively FLEW INTO THE AIR ! With & veloolty, to which that of lightning is trivial and uninteresting, I sbot upward with an evor-increasing impetus. Being totally unused to wuch thiugs, I shricked with torror: the im- mediate effect of which was to materially in- crease my spood. Then, like magio, all my fears vanishod, and I felt a mavvolous sounsation of dreamy: ploasure floating o'er my soul. I laughed: sloud, and oagerly strove to go faster. A huge net was at onco flung over me, and I was draggsd violently to the ground. Oh! the impotonce of human wishes in this marvelous plnco | Alter an intorval of oblivion, I recoverad my souses, wriggled out of tho net, and sut up. Bending ovor mo way & man, scowling riously, with his arm uplifted as ir thirsting for my life, And yet, strange torolate, I felt no alurn, T emiled plonswntly, and made Some un- important remarl about the weather, e flod 8 1f Death bud been after him, and I was onco wove alouo, h 1 thon found that a conple of enormons wolghts had boon tied to my sukles, and I could not gob np. o 1 eat atill. Prosently o wholo army of men approached, honded by him I biad first acon, ‘They_wera all smiling most affably, and soomed perfectly do- lighted to seo mo, Al at once, tho lender drew o gort of horse-pistol from bis belt, and pointed 1t straight at my hord. I was in & gront fright; out, thinking to intimidata him, I put on o ferr~ {ful frown and shookmy hoad tlorcely, Back wont tho pistol to its belt, and the mob returned my seowl with intorest. I was on tho point of giving myaelf up Ior lost, when, by o peculiar specios of {tuition, for which Indod Lardly ne- count, I comprehended that in this wonderful country FROWNE MEANT FRIENDSIIF, AND BMILES 8LAUGH~ TEH So I continued to lool furious; and presently ono of them haudad me & bowl of something ro- markably like milk, I tookit; and, strange to oy, it dido't disegroo with tho apples. Waraed by provious exporiouce, I continued to frown horribly ; and, in less timo than it takes to tell it, I was comfortably housed in the rosidence of tho Chiof Magistrate of Gubmuh. ‘The first thivg Lliad to do wus to learn the languago, In o short narrative of this descriptionit Is un- necessary for wo to stute minutoly row 1 didit ; nor can I, without tiriug “tho render, go into & discussion us toits origin, otymology, eta, ; al- though theso are oxccedingly curious, and in- torested mo much at the time, ‘I'herefors, when I roprosent any one as saying anything, i this history, it must be distinctly underatood that I hovo translated it from pure Unbmuhbghoese, During my stay st the houso of the Chiof Magistrute ot Gubmub, [ bad abuudant oppor- tunitics of contompluting the munners and customns of tho people, Mi; Lost was un agreo- ablo, woll-sducated mnn, whoss liberal and on lightenad mind prompted him not to trouble bimeolf about my antecedents; aud ho took my sudden appearance in the reahns of Gubmuh ay an evory day affair, requiring noither commont nor explanation, This waved mo o vast amount of troublesome cross-oxamination, ‘which would have beon ns tedious to rond as relato, X found thus Lo was what we should cull a philosopher ; aud spout all his spare time in trying 0 ** ACCOUNT FOR " THINGS, Ho was woll versod in tho history of Gubmuh, which {8 handed down by tradition from fathor 0 son, uud presents many featurss of interest. Unliko the history of other countries, It contning not 8 singlo battlo. The ucccenstve Kings oatn to the throno without auy of thowo iudoecont strugglos to bo found in our bhistory; and uni- vorsel pence hias reigued over siuco the first woman ; for the Gubmubgheso aftirm that Adwin was anfterthought, My host was aluo loarnod in physlcal sclonco ; and toid me that the reason why everybody wora woights round thoir aukles was that ‘tho centro of firnmy of Gubmun way situite a couple of million milon above tho enrth ; and, taking mo into the back vard, he kindly showed it to wo. 1t was a small black ballin the contro of vous, in thoe exuot placo that (with us{ the sun ocoupies at noon, 1y-the-by, thore 4 no sun at Gubmul, the place belug lghted ou a highly ingouious principlo, hitberto undisoovered, T'he contre of geravity thus boing outwide of tho onrth, my houli usaured me it was oasy toses \\‘hx' avorything giow topsvturyy in Gubmub j ud, for farther information ou this intoresting aubjeet, I would refer tho reader to the Ldin- bury Funoyelopedia, Lotter G, Art, Gravity. © T'ho Governmeut of Gubmuh is an abiolute monarchy, sudthe King is thorofore not allowed to muarry, 1o has unlimited authority over the wholo Pupulation, sud nover abuges it In fuct, tho polltios of Gubinuh ey bo studied with groat advantugo. lvig A"uuriaua fact, which may, porhaps, bo mecounted for by the poculinr position of the cantre of gmvny—lhnt, in Qubmub, overybody suyd * you " whon Lis moans “‘uo," and vico vorsa, “Thoy look ungry wheu thoy uro plonsed, and wmilo sweotly when in n_passion. Whis yathor confusod me at fivut, but I soon got nuo\momfl to it; .and, being unsious to be thought we ofl; Dblo as possiblo, durlug my stay, I CONTRAUTED A BTEADY HCOWL the hon- which defles ubliteration, sud hes dono me fns | blo fnjury siuco 10y xeturn, "“gfil‘uh‘i’fiésmwi peoullisitlon of Gubs mul fs, that nobody has a name there. No one i called anything wbnlovori whioh maves an oxtraordinary amonnt of trouble in the long run. It they wish to alludo to any ono, thoy spproach him andtouch him gontly on tho shoulder ; If o 18 not Brnnnnt at tho timo, they cheorfully poite pono thelr remarks, which, after all, ia s vory utionsl way of doing things. I canmot holp winhing,—but no matter; I amin othor climes Just now, L munt not forget to apoak of tholr mystem of marriago; Thoe women aro, withont a suglo ox- coption, bonutitul: the mon remarlmbl({ hideous, A8 with us, the women aro considore: minutoly Inforior to tho mon, and thoraforo liold tha place of honor smongst thom| Thoy enjoy ovory luxury that tho cheerful _folf-saoe rifico of the ‘men oan afford: they aro treated with the mont tondor respeck and thelr slightest wish {s consultod, and, when practicable, promptly gratified. The' men worl, that the womon may livo at eanos and regard their tofl but a8 & proclous moana of gaining ona fominine amilo: tho mon davotedly love—tho womon graciously allow its aud yot thero aro no Woman's Rights In Gnbmuh, Whon youlove & fair Gubmuhgheo, you ars Aupposad to lovo all tho family for hor sakoj therofore, you must MARRY TIE TOURE, an it is callod, and this inoludex any ono who hape pensto bainside on the wedding morning, Ican- not holp thinking that the Mormons must bave got somo of their idoas from Gubmuh. Aftor I had boen some littlo timo a guost of the Chiof Magiatrate, I had an opportunity of soeing soms of tho laws of Gubmub, I wng thrown into prison for soma h‘ulinr offento (I forgat what it was, now), and shortly atterwards brought up for trial. I was much struck by tho apposrance of the Court. The Judge, instead of Leing elovatord above the counsol, nudience, and wituesses, o8 in this country, satn & sort of a wall, in tho middle of the flaor, and put his hoad up through a trap-door whon ho wantad to say anything, Tho counsel wore tights, and bed their honds shaved ; aud, indeed, tho practical sanRe of this arrangemont cannot be tao highly commended, for a vailoty of rossons which wonld be out of place hero, Tho jury consistod of 200 honssholders; and tho vordict of the minority we couclusive. Tho calm and impartial gpirit which seomed to aui- mato the wholo procoedings was a lesson to evory amo and country. I wos unanimoui- 1y aequitted by ono of tho jury; and lofs the court, as tho Judge declared, ¢ without n particlo of virtuo in my charactor," i 1f wo could only imitate—but I am digrense ing. On my return to the honse of the Chiof Mag- 1strate, his gecoud daughter camo up to me nod said, * You brute! I'm o sorry you've got off 1 “ Vulgnr minx,” T returned, with a low bow, **if you plesso,” (Tho reader underatands thab thin moant thank you.) ‘Thon bLer father appronched, with a farions look, aud sald: *I'trust that we ahall soon soe the Iast of you—you miscraant " “‘You are intolorably disagrooable!” eald I, Yullimz hig noso violently; for they never shaks hands in Gubmul, Then wo sat down to fill ourselves; an oparne tion which bears some resomblance to dinin, with us, A pleasant family party wo weral- 3Ty place was noxt to the socond daughter, and I was hapry. Why should I disguise it—in so short & skatoh as this? T was VIOLENTLY IN LOVE WITH WER. 1t would hardly be possibla to go through advon. tures of this kind without falling in love with somebody; tho only difticulty, and the one which most painfully besot mo, was—how the douco was it all to end ? Many a weary midnight honr did I pass in thiuking this over, At lnst—glorious inspirs- tion!—Ihit upona plan for carrying off my bee loved (withont the formality of marrying ths house), aund retiring with ploasing precipitancy to my native land, whero I datormined to subatic tute warm bath for cold, and live happily evor “LI";‘ “r?lsh[ in th den, dlggl found hor in the gurdsn, digglng up grance L approachod her sottly, and claspod hsr'g: ny srms. Clutoh me tighter!™ she criod, hyatericallv. You bag,"” breathed I into hor ozr, **I hints you! Eversince I firat beheld yonr stunted fig- nro, and beard your nasal twang, I have loathod the very sight of you. I would' not marry yor for millions 1" Ovorpowered by the nsusl feslings, se slapped my face, pulled my hair, and bit s picce out my fluger. $0¥! IT WAS MUTUAL ! Tlod her to & convenient arbor olose by, and we sat down. * You virulont ahrew,” eaid I, in a flerce tong, ““dont point your squingoyos at mo!* for sie bashe fully avertod her gaze from mino; *‘the ques: tiou is—and I dare you to prevaricate—will you marry me or not?" Thon it came. “ Vicious boast,"” she hissed, throngh har bean. tiful teoth, *‘my soul abhiors your vory being 1" “ Angol!" T shouted, but instantly corrected mynelf—*'*lot us not atir honeco!” and, snatching horup inmyarms, I rushed to = couvenienl spot, cut the cords whiok kopt the weights ta our respootive ankles, nnd next minute we were flying up into the hoayvens at the rate of & hune drod miles an hour! It was dolicious]! Tho pure, clear aimos. phore bathed ue in_ its dewy radianco, the azuro heavons smiled sorene apiroval on ow courage and devotion, the picturosgue beauties of Gubmuh sank rapidly to rest bencath om engor fost, while abovo—good gracious!—the coutre of gravity | How we cscaped I know not. I fanciedI folf a sott of & jerking bump; but my firet thoughd wag for my beloved, who lay, spparently i a stupor, at my feet. I lifted her up, and tool Ler fo » smnil farm-houso which happened to ba at hand; where she was put to bod and tens dorly nursed until she had quite recovered. ‘We wero married st onco, by spacial licenssy snd took modest but_comfortablo apartments, in which we havo lived happily ever since. Oh, the boon of a trus, loving wifo ! NOTE. T have beon somswhat aunoyed by certaia pors #ons, who lhave asserted that thero are sevarcl points in this narrative which roquire sxplana- tion. Thoy want to know how I was dresscl when I found mysolf on the mossy bank in Gui- muh; thoy maintain that the farm-houso ta which I carried my fainting bride is not sufii- ciontly acoounted for ; and, lastly, they desira to bo informed where I am now. I regrot that ¥ can give no public reply to theso questious ; but 1 shall bo happy to communicate poraonally witix any one who tales a bous fide intorest in my dis- covery., and who will voluntoer to join & pros jocted expodition to Gubmuh, which {s arranged for noxt summor, Advertisemonts will shortly appear in all the leading journals,—Zondon So« cloty, i A Family Failing. From the Pall dall Guzette. An interosting iittle eatablishmoent hns jusg been broken upat Trebizond, uunder circums= atances which have oreated, 1f not & ** sonndal,” at leaat o sonsation, in that placo, It appears that for somo time pnat Trebizond has been Tept in & stato of uneasinesy, owing to the pros ceedings of this houseliold, which conalsied of & father, six sons, and one daughter, Delight« {ul na was tho charm which roigued over their domaestic circlo, it did not extend beyond the hearth, for, unfortunataly, the family weake noss was murder. In a brief epaco of time the ecight persons composing tho family managed to get through no fower than 235 murders. Out of this numbor the gontle= mon of the family woro each rewpusiblo for thirty murders, while the young lady come mitted twonty-five, though, but for the proe matura interference of tho nuthorities, it is cone sidered probable that she would have comploted an equal number. 'Tho predecessor of tho proa- ent Governor most ungallantly caused her to bs arrosted, togetlier with her amlable paront and four of her brothers, It is not atated what Lo- camo of .tho romnining brothora, but the poor old gentloman wis hanged about throa inonths ago, and two of his sous mot with a shnllar mels sucholy accidant on the 25th of last month, ‘Tho othor £ywo nud tho young Jady aro still lavguleii- ing in captivity, and much anxiety is folt on their bobalf ; for, uuloss tholooal judges take & leniont view of their offonscu on acooant of tholr youth, they have but a poor chouco of resuming tueir posttion in gocloty, . Altogethor it is a sud story, and it s not surprising that those youny peoplo and thoir miefortunes have of lato beon tho talk of Trobizound. By the death of the Batoness Emille von Qleichon-Russwurm, Hohiller's lagt surviving !mmmr, unys tho Academy, the iutorosting sud hithorto uupublished corrospondonoo of tho povt and his eistor Christophiua and ber hu:band Roluwald, Las passed into the bauds of Here Weudolin von Maltzahn, undor whose direotion it will bo published in the courso of the presont yoar, The lettors begiu with the yoar 1783, when Behillor, as & homoloss fugitive, bisd fled ta J' wu- erbaoh, whore, under the nsmo ot Ritter, b:had found protoction aund lelp in the houso ol ilie Frau von Wolzogen, It was hovo ihut encours aged by the sympatby of Lis triond Reluwald, Lo wroto “linhn.llu und Liebe," complete. hia #Tiosco,” and skotohed tho plan of ** Don Cure tos” and *Marle Stuart.” Tho correspondonce, which cousiuts of sizvy-eight latters by Soliller, and as mauy more by bis slster and ber hu.lmml‘ ludes {n 1805, ‘sud thus embraces somo r gfi::"‘i’.}‘.. oventiul and produdtive years of tia Tl »