Matsuzawa Kyusaku

Freedom and civil rights activist. Born on June 15, 1855 in Nagano Prefecture, as the eldest son of a middle-class farmer and soy sauce brewer. He studied at private schools from an early age, and honed his civil rights theory at Mitsukuri Rinsho's Hogakusha (Tokyo). He composed civil rights plays, such as those based on the peasant uprising of Matsumoto Domain in 1686 (Jokyo 3), and served as editor-in-chief of the Matsumoto Shimbun and other publications. In 1880 (Meiji 13), he formed the civil rights association Shokyosha, and was instrumental in the establishment of the National Diet Promotion Alliance in Osaka and in drafting a petition to the National Diet. He traveled to Tokyo as the representative of Shokyosha, and launched the National Diet petition movement, after which he served as a standing committee member of the Promotion Alliance and was involved in the preparations for the Liberal Party. In 1881, he became the printer-in-chief of the Toyo Jiyu Shimbun. On June 25, 1887, he died of an illness in Ishikawajima Prison while serving his second sentence for being involved in a case involving the omission of exam questions for a former Liberal Party member he knew. His grave is in Hotaka, Azumino City, his hometown, and a monument commemorating his death is in Matsumoto City.

[Kamijo Hiroyuki]

"Hiroaki Nakajima, Civil Rights of the Hoe: The Life of Matsuzawa Kyusaku" (1974, Ginga Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

自由民権運動家。安政(あんせい)2年6月15日、長野県で、中農・醤油(しょうゆ)醸造業の長男に生まれる。幼少から私塾に学び、箕作麟祥(みつくりりんしょう)らの講法学社（東京）で民権論を磨く。松本藩の1686年（貞享3）の百姓一揆(いっき)を題材とするなどの民権芝居を創作、『松本新聞』ほかの編集長を務めた。1880年（明治13）、民権結社奨匡社(しょうきょうしゃ)を結成、大阪で国会期成同盟の成立と国会請願書の起草に尽力。奨匡社代表として上京、国会請願運動を展開後、期成同盟常務委員、自由党準備にも携わった。81年『東洋自由新聞』の印刷長。明治20年6月25日、知人の旧自由党員が代言人受験の際の試験問題遺漏事件に関係したとして、2回目の服役中に石川島牢獄(ろうごく)で病死。墓地は郷里安曇野(あづみの)市穂高(ほたか)、頌徳(しょうとく)碑は松本市にある。

［上條宏之］

『中島博昭著『鋤鍬の民権　松沢求策の生涯』（1974・銀河書房）』

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