File No. 893.00/2916
The Minister in China (
Reinsch) to
the Secretary of State
No. 2319
Peking,
November 8, 1918.
Sir: I have the honor to forward for your
information copies of a telegram from Dr. Wu Ting-fang in which in
behalf of the “Military Government” at Canton, he protests the
election of President Hsü Shih-ch’ang as illegal and announces that
the Cabinet of the “Military Government” will perform the functions
of President.
I have [etc.]
[Page 117]
[Enclosure—Telegram]
Dr. Wu
Ting-fang to the Dean of the
Diplomatic Corps
Canton,
October 12,
1918.
I have the honor to forward for your perusal the following
despatch which I request you to be good enough to transmit to
your Government and also to communicate to your colleagues for
transmission to their respective Governments.
The Military Government has received a despatch from the National
Assembly announcing the following declaration made by the two
Houses at a joint session held at Canton the 8th October
1918.
The election of the President is the duty of the members of
the National Assembly. According to Article 3, clause 2, of
the presidential election law, three months prior to the
expiration of the President’s term of office, the members of
the National Assembly of the Republic shall themselves
convene and organize an Electoral College to elect the
succeeding President. Owing to the unusual political
upheaval of the country at the present time, the business of
electing a succeeding President must be postponed. From the
10th day of the 10th month of the 7th Year of the Republic
(i. e., 10th October 1918) the Military Government is hereby
empowered to exercise the functions and duties of the
Cabinet and in accordance with Article 6 of the presidential
election law the Military Government is to perform the
functions and duties of the President until the day when the
succeeding President shall have been elected.
In accordance with the above declaration, the Military Government
of the Republic of China as from the 10th of October 1918
exercises the functions and powers of the Cabinet and, in
accordance with Article 6 of the presidential election law,
performs the functions and duties of the President until the day
when the succeeding President shall have been elected.
Wu Ting-fang
Administrative Director and Minister for
Foreign Affairs in the Military Government of the Republic
of China
