In a way, Saionji had two conflicting tendencies within him: the liberal thinking he acquired in France and his feeling of having to guard the honor of the Imperial family as the duty of his elite court noble family.
西園寺はフランスで身に着けたリベラルな思想と名門公家の責務として皇室の藩屏たらねばならない意識というある意味で相反するものを共に有していた。