The discussion at Genroin those days was inactive, so it was teased on 'Public Opinion Magazine' issued on January 20, 1878 that the members who were discussing sincerely were just 4 members who were two secretaries (MUTSU, KONO), Nobuyuki NAKAJIMA and Junjiro HOSOKAWA.
また、このころの元老院の議論は低調で1878年1月20日付の「輿論雑誌」には、元老院でまともに議論をしているのは両幹事（陸奥・河野）と中島信行・細川潤次郎の4名だけと揶揄されている。