THE TOKUGAWA COURT
curate description of these officials is to say that they acted as the Shōgun's political and administrative advisers. Not much delay attended the discharge of the business submitted by the chamberlains. Questions of reward and punishment, of promotion and dismissal, which had to receive his highness's approval, were quickly settled, and other matters also were expeditiously dealt with. It is plain, however, that the Chamberlains might tell the Shōgun just as much or as little as they pleased about the events of the time, and that had they been his only medium of communication with the world outside the Court, he might often have remained very ill-informed. To avert that danger and to secure for the people a means of direct appeal to the Shōgun, an interesting device was adopted. It consisted of a petition-box (meyasu-bako) placed in the principal Court of Justice where any one could reach it. At certain fixed times this box was carried to the Shōgun, who inspected its contents. Historians have spoken of the meyasu-bako as a mere make-believe, their idea being that only such part of the contents reached the Shōgun as his high officials desired him to see. But, in truth, the most elaborate precautions were adopted to prevent any tampering with the contents of the box. When the time came for carrying it to the Shōgun, it was taken from its place by a certain set of officials, who, under the eyes of a metsuke, carried it to the Roju. These, in turn, passed it to the
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