ng apologies, which have some claims to be considered as a
justification of their conduct. The Japanese affirm that nearly every
case of assault was designed to avenge personal insult. The linguist and
the sentries of the British legation had perpetrated wrongs upon those
by whom they subsequently fell. When the attack was made upon the
sentries, it was by a solitary avenger, who stealthily crawled on his
hands and knees until he reached and slew the offender; and he killed
the other because this last attempted to prevent his escape. In like
manner, the servants of the French official had committed outrages upon
these vindictive people, from whose resentment they suffered.

It should be remembered that if these men, instead of revenging
themselves, had sought legal redress, it could have been obtained, if at
all, only at the hands of the masters of the aggressors, who would have
been tried and punished, if convicted, according to the foreigners'
code. The Chinese sometimes resort to our tribunals, but oftener submit
to wrong; the nobler Japanese have a sense of honor which will not
easily brook such an invasion of their rights.

With regard to the case which the English make the immediate _casus
belli_--the murder of Richardson--there are contradictory statements; it
is denied by the Japanese that he and his party turned back to make way
for the prince of Satzuma's cortege; they say, on the contrary, that he
was killed only after obstinate persistence in dashing through the
cavalcade. Moreover, patriotism undoubtedly prompted many of the deeds
of violence detailed in the foregoing record. Take for example the
reason assigned by one of the assassins who was slain in one of the
attacks on the British legation, as declared in a paper found on his
body.

'I, though I am a person of low standing, have no patience to stand
by and see the sacred empire defiled by the foreigner. If this
thing from time to time may cause the foreigner to retire, and
partly tranquillize the manes of departed mikados and tycoons, I
shall take to myself the highest praise. Regardless of my own life,
I am determined to set out.'

There were appended to the paper, from which the above extract is taken,
the names of fourteen _Lonins_, or bravos. These impulsive patriots did
not restrict their assaults to the aggressive foreigner, but assailed
also the nobles who acceded to the foreigners' demands. Several times
minist