File No. 893.00/827.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Peking, November 22, 1911.
Sir: * * * On November 11 Mr. Wu Ting-Fang, former Minister to the United States, sent a telegram to the Legation, asking the Legation to transmit to the Regent a message from the revolutionists’ Government urging the abdication of the Emperor. The Legation, of course, took no action in the matter. * * *
The thing most to be feared in the attempt to establish republican government in China is that after the Manchus are removed, the common hatred of whom forms the bond of union among the seceding provinces, there will be no sentiment to bind them together. * * * The term which they use to express the conception of the form of government desired is confederation or, more freely, a federation of commonwealths. The thought that is uppermost in their minds in using this phrase undoubtedly is “local autonomy.” I had occasion to point out the difficulties in the way of preserving a just balance between local self-government and national supremacy when a delegation from the National Assembly, representing eight different provinces, called upon me on the 20th instant to ask my advice as to the best course to take in the present crisis. Upon inquiry I learned that they had not yet called upon other ministers but intended to do so later; that they had come first to me because of the friendly interest in China’s welfare shown by the American people. I am inclined to believe that they were influenced also by the fact that our own Government is such a federation of States as they desire. I replied to them that I could not as American Minister interfere in their domestic politics, but that I was deeply interested in the welfare of China and hoped they would soon be able to restore peace to their country. I pointed out the need of a long period of preparation to fit people for the exercise of self-government and called attention to the differences that sometimes spring up in our own land between the States and the general Government, pointing out the value of our Supreme Court as an agency for the adjustment of these questions. They expressed themselves as pleased with the conference and stated that they were happy to find that their views coincided with my own. I must own, however, that the present National Assembly does not wield much influence, since the Provinces from which its members come, for the most part, refuse any longer to recognize the Peking Government.
I have [etc.]