Naval Minister KABAYAMA Sukenori, made a speech condemning the Minto (populist parties) for stopping the funding of a new battleship From "Kinsei Meishi Shashin" ("NDL Digital Collections")

In the 4th Diet, the government and people's parties wrangled fiercely over the issue of funds for naval construction. The House of Representatives had sent a proposal to the Emperor to impeach the Cabinet, and on 9 February 1893 (Meiji 26), the Cabinet presented the Emperor with a petition bearing all the Cabinet members' signatures, asking him to decide on whether to impose reconciliation through an edict or to dissolve the House of Representatives. The following day, the situation was resolved when the Emperor's issued an edict proposing the scaling back of Court expenses in order to raise enough funds for naval construction. Thereafter, the ties between the Satsuma-Choshu clique and the political parties became a norm.

This document is a draft proposal of the Imperial Edict, in the collection of then Prime Minister ITO Hirobumi.