File No. 1518/72–73.
Minister Rockhill
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking,September 28,
1907.
No. 742.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith an
edict of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager, published on the 20th
instant, taking the first step looking to the calling of what I think
may be considered as a constituent or constitutional assembly, although
some doubt still exists as to the exact duties to be performed by the
“Tzu Cheng Yuan.” The choice of officials to preside over it is, to say
[Page 192]
the least, curious—the
prince a young, intelligent, but untried man (he was recently, you will
recollect, appointed a probationer in the Grand Council, the first
office of importance he has held), the other a venerable statesman of
80, who has passed all his official career in Peking, where he has held
offices in most of the departments of Government.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Imperial edict.
[From the
Peking Gazette of September 20,
1907.]
We have received from Her Imperial Majesty Tzu-hsi, etc., an imperial
edict as follows:
“The first thing to do in establishing a representative government is
to get a consensus of opinion in the matter. Upper and lower houses
of representatives are certainly essential factors in governmental
administration. China can not establish such houses of
representatives in a moment. We should immediately, however,
establish a ‘constitutional assembly’ (Tzu Cheng Yuan) that a
foundation may be laid for a parliament.
“Prince P’u-lun and Sun Chia-nai are hereby appointed as presidents
of this body. Let the said presidents, together with the grand
council, carefully deliberate upon and draw up detailed regulations
for it, submitting the same for the approval of the Throne.”
