File No. 893.00/1993, 1995.
The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State.
Peking, November 5, 1913.
Three long Presidential decrees appear in the Official Gazette of yesterday, dissolving Nationalist party and expelling about 300 members thereof from the Assembly. Some are imprisoned. The party name is prohibited as treasonable. Anyone using it after three days is to be arrested as a traitor. The President charges the party with responsibility for the late insurrection and with plotting further rebellion. By this move the President prevented adoption of the draft constitution, aimed at limiting his powers. There is now no quorum and no legislation is possible until election of members to fill the vacancies.