Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Generalissimo of the Military Government of the
Republic of China, tendered his resignation to the National
Assembly in Extraordinary Session on 14th May. His letter to the
leaders of the Southwest, roughly translated, reads as follows:
After the illegal dissolution of the National Assembly
last June, and the unsuccessful attempt to restore the
monarchy, there has been no lawful government in the
Republic of China. Had Feng Kuo-chang and Tuan Ch’i-jui
shown their regret, for their past wrongs and, without
being ambitious to advance individual power and
interests, cancelled the illegal mandate, thus enabling
the National Assembly to resume its regular session, no
one would have accused them further. They, instead of
following wise advice, persisted in employing the
Northern troops to dominate the whole land, arousing
animosity and conflict in Hunan and Szechuan, forcing a
division of country and, at the same time, affording the
armies of Kwangsi and Yunnan an opportunity to rise for
local reasons, to declare independence with very little
regard to upholding the fundamental law of the land.
I, unwilling to see the Constitution of the country
violated without justification, at once called upon the
leading citizens of the Republic in Shanghai and
resolved to organize a government for the defence of the
law, the officers and men of the Navy then there joining
in the declaration and agreeing to move southward
together. Upon the invitation of the Kwangtung
Provincial Assembly, the members of the National
Assembly came to Canton and, on August 31, 1917, or the
sixth Year of the Republic, in Extraordinary Session,
enacted a law organizing the Military Government of the
Republic, electing me the Generalissimo; I, at the time,
was not ignorant of my incompetence for such a heavy
responsibility but, realizing the many difficulties
facing the country, unwilling to shirk my duty
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as a citizen,
and also being one of those who have laboured for a
republic, I felt I could not allow constitutionalism to
die without coming to its rescue. Despite obstacles and
difficulty, I have, since then, tried to promote the
interest of the constitutional cause against militarism
and rebellion, trying to acquaint the people at home and
abroad with the aim of the Military Government, taking
into consideration nothing of the possible success or
apparent failure as long as the spirit of
constitutionalism is maintained.
Since this was done, the Provinces of Kwangtung, Kwangsi,
Yunnan, Kweichow, Hunan, and Szechuan have each
severally or individually declared their allegiance to
the constitutional movement and accepted the
reconvocation of the National Assembly as the common
cause of struggle, subordinating local differences to
the national issue. The ability of the Military
Government, an institution at first without an inch of
territory, in rallying six provinces under its sphere of
influence, besides many others showing sympathy with us,
while it cannot be called a success, may be numbered as
one of its achievements at this critical moment under
adverse circumstances.
Of the many dangers at present facing our country, the
struggle of the militarists for supremacy is the
greatest. This danger is not confined to either the
North or the South. Many of the officials of the
so-called constitutionalist provinces have not been
wholly willing to submit to law and public opinion and
most of the officials elect of the Military Government
have not seen fit to assume their offices. They have not
shown the desired respect and obedience to the National
Assembly in Extraordinary Session as they should. This
lack of whole-hearted internal cooperation has rendered
outside recognition impossible. I have almost exhausted
my energy in calling the attention of the provinces to
this incoherent situation: and only those who are
associating with me in this effort have appreciated my
object, while many outsiders are still wondering about
my purpose.
The question of one’s outgoing or incoming is but a
slight matter when compared with the vital importance of
the preservation or the destruction of our country. I
have suffered abuse and insult and have borne the
present responsibility with patience until this day,
doing everything necessary all this time to secure the
deserved respect and reverence for the National Assembly
in Extraordinary Session. The recent fall of Yochow and
Changsha seemed to have helped to indicate the weakness
of a divided camp, hastened the realization of a more
united organ of administration, and compelled the
obedience to the National Assembly in Extraordinary
Session as an essence to constitutionalism. The
willingness to come together now is not too late to
fulfil the hope which I have exerted my full strength to
realize. Moreover, I have caused to be appropriated from
the salt revenue funds to enable the National Assembly
soon to resume regular sessions on June 12 next, an act
completing my duty towards this institution, to enable
it to reconvene. Now the National Assembly in
Extraordinary Session has acceded to the demands of the
provinces and has amended the law to reorganize the
Military Government which should henceforth receive full
support from all so as to make the righteous cause of
constitutionalism a success and give the country
blessing and happiness.
Labouring almost as an individual without men or arms, I,
therefore, have not been able to do more than what I
have done, but, at the same time, I do not feel I have
to apologize to the nation. As an individual citizen
henceforth, I shall continue to do my duty towards my
country. In these words, I forward my resignation as the
Generalissimo to the National Assembly in Extraordinary
Session.
