Saionji's involvement in the Democratic Rights Movement became controversial in the government as well as in the Imperial Court, and he was forced to resign from the company because of a private ordinance of Emperor Meiji's that was set up by Minister of the Imperial Household, Tomomi IWAKURA, and Toyo Jiyu Shinbun was forced to shut down after publishing the 34th issue on April 30.
西園寺が自由民権運動に加担することは政府や宮中で物議を呼び、内大臣岩倉具視が働きかけた明治天皇の内勅により退社を余儀なくされ、東洋自由新聞は4月30日発行の第34号にて廃刊に追い込まれた。