66 Ii Naosuke (an omission) The broad extent and severity of application of the Ansei no Taigoku - or "the Great Ansei Purge" - were unparalleled; but let me touch on the unclear reason for the purge at that time and some of its most important characteristics. One could simply say that Ii Naosuke was the principal actor in opening up Japan to foreigners, and he swept aside those people who opposed him and were obstinate proponents of expelling the foreign "barbarians"; but upon observing that Iwase Higo-no-kami Tadanari, as the person taking official responsibility for the signing of the Harris Treaty in the 6th month of the 5th year of Ansei (1858), was placed under prolonged house arrest, it is clear that there is more to it. If that is the case, why did Ii Naosuke launch this terrible purge ? And why did he place members of the Court, the shogunate, feudal lords, even people from out-of-power factions, and great geniuses of his day under wholesale arrest ? We will look at that in the next chapter.

　

66　井伊直弼 　 （前略） 　安政の大獄は、その範囲の頗る広い点において、またその処罰の極めて厳しい点にお いて、空前絶後でありましたが、同時にその理由の不明なる点も、その大獄の重大なる 特色をなしています。普通に井伊は開国を主張した進歩主義であって、之に反対した頑 迷なる攘夷論者を一掃したのだと云っていますが、韓国を主張して安政五年六月の日米 修好通商条約に責任者として署名した岩瀬肥後守忠震が、永久蟄居を命ぜられているの を見ただけでも、その説の誤りである事は分かるでしょう。それならば何故に、井伊は この恐るべき大獄を起こし、朝廷においても、幕府においても、諸藩においても、また 在野の人々にあっても、当時の英才俊傑をあげて、一網打尽、処分したのであるか。そ れは次の章に述べましょう。

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