Great Throughts Treasury

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Meiji, aka Emperor Meiji or Meiji the Great, personal name Mutsuhito NULL

Japanese Emperor

"Since all are brothers in the world, why is there such constant turmoil?"

"Mr.
 President [Ulysses S. Grant]:
 Whereas
 since
 our
 accession
 by
 the
 blessing
 of
 heaven
 to
 the
 sacred
throne
 on
 which
 our
 ancestors
 reigned
 from
 time
 immemorial,
 we
 have
 not
 dispatched
 any
embassy
 to
 the 
Courts
 and
 Governments 
of 
friendly
 countries.
We have 
thought fit 
to 
select
 our
trusted
 and
 honored
 minister,
 Iwakura
 Tomomi,
 the
 Junior
 Prime
 Minister
 (udaijin),
 as Ambassador
 Extraordinary
 …
 and
 invested
 [him]
 with
 full
 powers
 to
 proceed
 to
 the
 Government
 of
 the
 United
 States,
 as
 well
 as
 to
 other
 Governments,
 in
 order
 to
 declare
 our
cordial
 friendship,
 and
 to
 place
 the
 peaceful
 relations
 between
 our
 respective nations
 on
 a
firmer
 and
 broader
 basis.
The 
period
 for
 revising
 the
 treaties 
now
 existing
 between
 ourselves 
and 
the 
United 
States
is 
less 
than 
one
 year
 distant.
We 
expect 
and 
intend 
to
 reform 
and
 improve 
the
 same 
so
 as 
to
 stand
 upon
 a
 similar 
footing 
with 
the 
most 
enlightened 
nations,
and 
to 
attain the 
full
development
 of 
public 
rights 
and 
interest.
 The 
civilization
 and 
institutions 
of 
Japan
 are 
so
 different
 from
 those
 of
 other
 countries
 that
we
 cannot
 expect
 to
 reach
 the
 declared
 end
 at
 once.
 It
 is
 our
 purpose
 to
 select
 from
 the
 various
 institutions
 prevailing
 among
 enlightened
 nations
 such
 as
 are
 best
 suited
 to
 our
present
 conditions,
 and
 adapt
 them
in
 gradual
 reforms
 and
improvement s
o f
or our 
policy 
and 
customs
 so 
as 
to 
be 
upon
an 
equality
 with 
them. 
With
 this
object 
we 
desire 
to 
fully 
disclose 
to 
the 
United 
States 
Government 
the 
constitution
 of 
affairs 
in
 our
 Empire,
 and
 to
 consult
 upon
 the 
means
 of
 giving
 greater
 efficiency
 to
 our 
institutions
 at 
present
 and
 in
 the
future,
and 
as 
soon 
as
 the 
said 
Embassy 
returns
 home 
we 
will 
consider
 the
revision
 of 
the 
treaties
 and 
accomplish 
what 
we 
have 
expected
 and 
intended… 
Your 
affectionate
brother
 and 
friend, Mutsuhito
, Sanjō 
Sanetomi,
Prime 
Minister "

"Knowledge shall be sought for all over the world and thus shall be strengthened the foundation of the imperial polity."

"After careful study and observation, I am deeply impressed with the belief that the most powerful and enlightened nations of the world are those who have made diligent effort to cultivate their minds, and sought to develop their country in the fullest and most perfect manner."

"From you, nobles of this realm, whose dignified position is honored and conspicuous in the eyes of"

"If we would profit by the useful arts and sciences and conditions of society prevailing among more enlightened nations, we must either study those at home as best we can, or send abroad an expedition of practical observers to foreign lands competent to acquire for us those things our people lack which are best calculated to benefit this nation."

"I have to-day assembled your honorable body in our presence chamber, that I might first express to you my intentions, and in foreshadowing my policy also impress you all with the fact that both this government and people will expect from you diligence and wisdom while leading and encouraging those in your several districts to move forward in paths of progress. Remember your responsibility to your country is both great and important. Whatever our natural capacity for intellectual development, diligent effort and cultivation are required to attain successful results."

"To you, nobles, I look for endorsement of these views; fulfill my best expectations, by carrying out these suggestions, and you will perform faithfully your individual duties to the satisfaction of the people of Japan."

"Liberty is therefore granted wives and sisters to accompany their relatives on foreign tours, that they may acquaint themselves with better forms of female education, and on their return introduce beneficial improvement in the training of our children."

"The people at large, I ask and expect conduct well becoming your exalted position, ever calculated to endorse by your personal example those goodly receipts to be employed hereafter in elevating the masses of our people."

"Travel in foreign countries, properly indulged in, will increase your store of useful knowledge, and although some of you may be advanced in age, unfitted for the vigorous study of new ways, all may bring back to our people much valuable in formation. Great national defects require immediate remedies."

"Thus convinced, it becomes my responsible duty as a sovereign to lead our people wisely in a way to attain for them results beneficial, and their duty is to assist diligently and unitedly in all efforts to attain these ends. How otherwise can Japan advance and sustain herself upon an independent footing among the nations of the world?"

"With diligent and united efforts, manifested by all classes and conditions of people throughout the empire, we may successively attain the highest degrees of civilization within our reach, and shall experience no serious difficulty in maintaining power, independence and respect among the nations."

"We lack superior institutions for high female culture. Our women should not be ignorant of those great principles on which the happiness of daily life frequently depends. How important the education of mothers, on whom future generations almost wholly rely for the early cultivation of those intellectual tastes which an enlightened system of training is designed to develop!"