The ruling minds in the government feared that the people were too inexperienced and too unaccustomed to deciding and acting for themselves to be entrusted with the grave duty of constitutional government. As a preparation for so important a step local assemblies were authorized and established in 1878. Matters referring to the government of each fu and ken were to be discussed, and to a certain extent decided in these assemblies. It was believed that the experience gained in such bodies would go far towards preparing men for service in an imperial legislative body. The expectations founded on these local assemblies were realized and in a fair degree they continued to fulfil their purpose.

In further pursuance of the plan of constitutional government, the emperor, on February 11, 1889, at his palace, promulgated a constitution[340] for his people. In the presence of his cabinet and court he took a solemn oath to govern under its limitations and powers. This constitution contains seven chapters consisting of one hundred and eleven articles: Chapter I. The Emperor; II. Rights and Duties of Subjects; III. The Imperial Diet; IV. The Ministers of State and Privy Council; V. The Judicature; VI. Finance; VII. Supplementary Rules. The emperor also announced that the imperial diet [pg 396] would be convoked in the twenty-third year of Meiji (1890), and that the constitution would go into effect at the date of its assembling.

Ito Hirobumi.

It would seem that no great advance can be secured in Japan without the sacrifice of a valuable life. As Ii Kamon-no-kami was murdered in 1860, and as Ōkubo fell by the assassin's hand at the close of the Satsuma rebellion, so now on the very day when the emperor was to promulgate this liberal constitution, Viscount Mori Arinori fell a victim to the fanatical hatred of one who looked with distrust upon the progress which his country was making. No one could look, or did look, on this progress with more interest than Mori. He had so long and so earnestly advocated a liberal and tolerant policy in the councils of his country, and had been a leader in all that was high and noble, that we cannot regard, except with profound regret, his untimely death.

Appendix I. List Of Emperors.

(The list here printed is the official list issued by the government, and has been revised by Mr. Tateno, the Japanese Minister at Washington.)

Name.	Date of Access.	Date of Death.	Age at Death.
1. Jimmu	660 B.C.	585 B.C.	127
2. Suizei	581	549	84
3. Annei	548	511	57
4. Itoku	510	477	77
5. Kōshō	475	393	114
6. Kōan	392	291	137
7. Kōrei	290	215	128
8. Kōgen	214	158	116
9. Kaikwa	157	98	111
10. Sūjin	97	30 A.D.	119
11. Suinin	29 A.D.	70	141
12. Keikō	71	130	143
13. Seimu	131	190	108
14. Chūai	192	200	52
Jingō (Empress Regent)[341]	201	269	100
15. Ōjin	270	310	110
16. Nintoku	313	399	110
17. Richū	400	405	67
18. Hanzei	406	411	60
19. Inkyō	412	453	80
20. Ankō	454	456	56
21. Yūriyaku	457	479	——
22. Seinei	480	484	41
23. Kenzō	485	487	——
24. Ninken	488	498	50
25. Muretsu	499	506	18
26. Keitai	507	531	82
27. Ankan	534	535	70
28. Senkwa	536	539	73
29. Kimmei	540	571	63
30. Bidatsu	572	585	48
31. Yōmei	586	587	69
32. Sujun	588	592	73
33. Suiko (Empress)	593	628	75
34. Jomei	629	641	49
35. Kōkyoku (Empress)	642	——	——
36. Kōtoku	645	654	59
37. Saimei (re-accession of Kōkyoku	655	661	68
38. Tenji	668	671	58
39. Kōbun	672	672	25
40. Temmu	673	686	65
41. Jitō (Empress)	690	702	58
42. Mommu	697	707	25
43. Gemmyō (Empress)	708	721	61
44. Genshō (Empress)	715	748	69
45. Shōmu	724	756	56
46. Kōken (Empress)	749	——	——
47. Junnin	759	765	33
48. Kōken (re-enthroned)	765	770	53
49. Kōnin	770	781	73
50. Kwammu	782	806	70
51. Heijō	806	824	51
52. Saga	810	842	57
53. Ninna	824	840	55
54. Nimmyō	834	850	41
55. Montoku	851	858	32
56. Seiwa	859	880	31
57. Yōzei	877	949	82
58. Kōko	885	887	58
59. Uda	888	931	65
60. Daigo	898	930	46
61. Shujaku	931	952	30
62. Muragami	947	967	42
63. Reizei	968	1011	62
64. Enyū	970	991	33
65. Kwazan	985	1008	41
66. Ichiyō	987	1011	32
67. Sanjō	1012	1017	42
68. Go-Ichijō	1017	1028	29
69. Go-Shujaku	1037	1045	37
70. Go-Reizei	1047	1068	44
71. Go-Sanjō	1069	1073	40
72. Shirakawa	1073	1129	77
73. Horikawa	1087	1107	29
74. Toba	1108	1156	54
75. Shutoku	1124	1164	46
76. Konoye	1142	1155	17
77. Go-Shirakawa	1156	1192	66
78. Nijō	1159	1165	23
79. Rokujō	1166	1176	13
80. Takakura	1169	1181	21
81. Antoku	1181	1185	15
82. Go-Toba	1186	1239	60
83. Tsuchi-mikado	1199	1231	37
84. Juntoku	1211	1242	46
85. Chūkyō	1222	1234	17
86. Go-Horikawa	1221	1234	23
87. Yojō	1232	1242	12
88. Go-Saga	1242	1272	53
89. Go Fukakusa	1246	1304	62
90. Kameyama	1259	1305	57
91. Go-Uda	1274	1324	58
92. Fushimi	1288	1317	53
93. Go-Fushimi	1298	1336	49
94. Go-Nijyō	1301	1308	24
95. Hanazono	1308	1348	52
96. Go-Daigo	1318	1339	52
97. Go-Murakami	1339	1368	41
98. Go-Kameyama	1373	1424	78
99. Go-Komatsu	1382	1433	57
100. Shōkō	1414	1428	28
101. Go-Hanazono	1429	1470	52
102. Go-Tsuchi-mikado	1465	1500	59
103. Go-Kashiwabara	1521	1526	63
104. Go-Nara	1536	1557	62
105. Ōgimachi	1560	1593	77
106. Go-Yojō	1586	1617	47
107. Go-Mizuo	1611	1680	85
108. Myōshō (Empress)	1630	1696	74
109. Go-Kōmyō	1643	1654	22
110. Go-Nishio	1656	1685	49
111. Reigen	1663	1732	79
112. Higashiyama	1687	1709	35
113. Naka-mikado	1710	1737	37
114. Sakuramachi	1720	1750	31
115. Momozono	1747	1762	22
116. Go-Sakuramachi (Empress)	1763	1813	74
117. Go-Momozono	1771	1779	22
118. Kōkaku	1780	1840	70
119. Jinkō	1817	1846	47
120. Kōmei	1847	1867	37
121. Mutsuhito (reigning emperor)	1868