File No. 1518/359.
American Legation,
Peking, February 1,
1910.
No. 1354.]
The prayer of the memorial is refused on the ground that the time is not
ripe and the firm purpose of the Throne to adhere strictly and
consistently to the constitutional program is declared.
[Inclosure—Translation.]
imperial edict.
[Reverently received by the grand secretariat Jan. 30,
1910.]
The censorate has memorialized for Sun Hung-yin and others of the
Chihli and other -provincial assemblies asking that the Imperial
Parliament may be speedily opened. We have read carefully the
memorial and are greatly pleased with the sincere spirit of
patriotism that is displayed therein. We reverently received from
our predecessor the heavy responsibility of preparing for
constitutional government, and in the beginning of our reign we
notified all the court and provincial officials that the eighth year
of Hsuan-t’ung would be the end of the period of preparation, and we
fixed clearly the national program. We thus fulfilled our obligation
to the sacred purpose of our predecessor left incomplete, and
satisfied the aspirations of the reformers throughout the
Empire.
Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager Hsiao Ch’in Hsien and His
Imperial Majesty the Emperor Te Tsung Ching (Kuang-hsü) formerly
promulgated an edict containing the imperial decision that there
should be nine years of preparation for the imperial constitutional
régimé of the Ta Ch’ing Empire. The edict of our predecessors states
that while all power is in the hands of the court, all governmental
affairs may be discussed by the people. This has been seen and heard
by all the officials and people of the Empire. Now the court is
toiling day and night, striving earnestly to attain a high ideal.
Already the yamens of Peking and the Provinces have been repeatedly
urged to keep to the program prescribed, in the hope that the
parliament might be soon opened, to the strengthening of the
foundations of the Empire. But our Empire is of wide extent. The
measures of preparation are not complete. The intelligence and
attainments of the people have not been made uniform. If the
parliament should be hastily opened confusion and dissension might
result, which would hinder the success of constitutional Government
in its early stages. If so, we could not satisfy the spirit of our
predecessor, now in Heaven, and how, we ask, would you delegates
answer to the myriad myriads of the common people?
We are acting in a straightforward manner, without any concealment or
pretense. Constitutional government shall be established, a
parliament shall be opened. But care must be taken about the
preparation and impatience restrained about the successive steps to
be taken. Those who aim to travel far must tread firmly. Those who
aspire to great things must not wrangle over small gains.
At present the provincial assemblies have all been established.
During the next year the imperial senate (tzu Cheng Yuan) will be
opened. These constitute the base of the pillar of parliament. We
only desire our officials and people to be zealous in fulfilling
their duties day by day, not losing the substance in clutching at
the shadow. We now proclaim clearly that when the preparatory work
of the nine years has been completed; when the education of the
common people has been extended; at the proper time we will issue a
resolute decree fixing the date for convening a parliament. Careful
preparation is an essential part of zeal for good government. Let
this be widely proclaimed.
