Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-18
Republic Falls to Pieces"


war, and the country has remained too
long in. an unsettled condition. The re-
public has fallen to pieces and means
of remedy have been exhausted.
Chang Hsun. Fen Kou-chang and Lu
Yung-ting have Jointly memotialized
the throne stating that the minds of
the people are disturbed and they are
longing to see the old regime restored.
and asking that the throne be reoccu-
pied in order to comfort the people.
"Chu Hung and others also have
memorialized US, stating that the coun-
try is in imminent danger and that the
people have lost their faith in the re-
public, and asking that we ascend the
throne in obedience to the mandate of
heaven and man.
Iii Yuan-hung has also memorialized
the throne. returning the great power
of state to us in order to benefit the
country and save the people.
"A perusal of the said memorials,
which are worded in earnest terms, has
filled our heart with regret and fear.
On the one hand we, being yet in our
boyhood, are afraid to assume the great
responsibilities for the existence of the
country, but, on the other hand, we are
unwilling TO turn our head away from
the welfare of the millions simply be-
cause the step might affect our own
safety.
eve Answer Their Prayers"
After weighing the two sides and con-
sidering the mandates OF heaven and man
we have decided reluctantly to comply
with the prayers and have again occupied
the court to attend to the affairs of state
after resuming possession of the great
power on the 18th day of the 5th moon
Of the 9Th year of Hsuan Tung.
"A new beginning will be made with
our people. Hereafter the principles OF
morality and the sacred religion shall be
our constitution in spirit and order:
Righteousness. honesty and conscience will
be practiced to rebuild the minds of the
people who are now without bonds People
with sincerity and win not depend on
obedience TO law alone as the means of
cooperation. Administration and orders
will be based on conscientious realization
and no one will be allowed to treat the
form of state as material for experiment
At this time Of exhaustion. when its
vitality is being wasted to the last drop
and the existence of the country is hang
ing in the balance. we, as If treading on
thin ice over deep waters, dare not in the
HlighteFt degree indulge in license on the
principle that the sovereign is entitled to
enjoyment. 1t is our wish. therefore. that
all officials. be they high or low, should
purify their hearts and cleanse themselves
of all forms of old corruption. constantly
people Every bit OF vitality of the people
they shall be able to preserve shall go to
strengthen the life of the country for
whatever it is worth. Only by doing SO
moved by our sincerity"
Ii Yuan-Hung's Memorial.
The second publication was an edict re-
garding a memorial by President Ii Yuan
hung. which he never wrote. Vt reads:
In memorial submitted this day
offering to return the sovereign power
of state and PRAYING that we again as
cend the throne to control the great
empire. Lii Yuan-hung states that some
time ago he was forced by mutinous
troops to steal the great throne and
falsely remained at the head of the adj
but failed TO do good in
the difficult situation. He enumerates
the various evils in the establishment
of a republic, and prays that we as
cend the throne to again control the |
may thereby be saved. As to himself |
ir stituted authorities. As his words |
are so mournfpl and full of remorse |
they must have been uttered from a |
sincere heart. Since il was not his free |
choice to follow the rebellion. the fact |
that he has returned the great power |
of administration to us shows that he |
knows the. great principe of righteous |
ness At this time of national danger |
and uncertainty he has taken the lead |
of the people in obeying their SOW |
erign and decided before others the |
plan to save the country from ruin. The /
merit il indeed great. and we arei
highly pleased with his achievement. /
Ii Yuan-hung is hereby TO have con-
ferred on him the dignity of duke of /
the first class. SO as to show our great