At the time, Issei MAEHARA (who was appointed the successor of Masujiro OMURA, the Hobu-taifu, who had resigned earlier because he was doubtful of the sufficiency of his ability) sent a letter to the grand minister of state, Sanetomi SANJO saying 'Saigo should be reassigned to his work of attempting the harmonization of Satsuma and Choshu. If not, there will be some debates about wise lost', because he was concerned about the future of the Meiji Government.
このとき、西郷の推挙で兵部大輔大村益次郎の後任に補されながら、能力不足と自覚して、先に下野していた前原一誠は「宜シク西郷ノ職ヲ復シテ薩長調和ノ実ヲ計ルベシ、然ラザレバ、賢ヲ失フノ議起コラント」という内容の書簡を太政大臣三条実美に送り、明治政府の前途を憂えた。