An assault was made on the Czarewitch Nikolai by a policeman at Otsu, Shiga Ken, on May 11th 1891, although he had been assured of complete security before his visit to Japan by the Government of Japan. Hereceived a wound on the head by a saber. It is usually said that the Japanese Government was most anxious that the offender should be put to death in fear of revenge by Russia, but notwithstanding its earnest desires and efforts, the Highest Court sitting at Otsu sentenced him to penal servitude for life on May 27th in the exercise of its high and independent authority.
In my view, the Czar Alexander III did not want to claim any satisfaction whatever with regard to the affair in question. The Emperor Meiji fully appreciated the generosity of him. Any fear of revenge by Russia was gone. It is true that the Emperor wished that the offender who had attacked his exalted guest should be executed against existing laws. The Government made efforts to carry his wish into effect. Moreover the Emperor gave words to the judges that the offender had to be executed without delay. They were driven into a corner. Laws tended to retreat in case of the Emperor and his foreign guests in the Meiji era. Although the judges had the Constitution that the Emperor himself granted two years ago, they had to make up their minds to leave office so that they might give priority to laws.
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