[Enclosure]
Manifesto Issued by Four Southern
Constitutionalist Leaders, June 3, 19209
Since the lack of a quorum of Administrative Directors, there has
been no Military Government at Canton. Since the simultaneous
removal of the two Houses, there has been no Parliament at
Canton. Although the remnants of these institutions usurp these
names and gather together fellows of their kind, they cannot
deceive everybody.
The furthest extent to which they can carry their deception and
force is limited to the confines of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, but
even in these provinces the true sentiments of the people are
not thereby suppressed. Besides, the provinces of Yunnan,
Kweichow and Szechuen still follow the lead of the
Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Ching Kuo Forces, while the
Constitutionalist regions of southern Fukien, southern Hunan,
western Hunan, western Hupeh and western Shensi are yet true to
their cause.
The situation is thus clear in law and in fact, and justifies the
conviction that the body of Constitutionalists is not broken up
by the defection of a few.
Owing to the fact that the seat of the Administrative Council has
been at Canton, it has, since its establishment, been “bossed”
by one or two individuals.
Their conception of war has been to surround themselves with
troops and communicate with the enemy: their conception of peace
has been to struggle for gains and divide the spoils. They
attain their selfish objects by clandestine means and obtain
their desires by autocratic ways with the result that there have
appeared the so-called “Five Articles.”
The Constitutionalist objects have long been sacrificed by them,
yet they continue to use the name of Constitutionalism as a
cloak to cover their acts of injury to the people.
Thus, the poppy is widely cultivated: gambling dens are in
evidence in every street; the fat of the land is sucked to feed
to truculent generals and arrogant soldiery: and where there are
troops, there occur violence and plunder, murder and
incendiarism, and villages and hamlets are laid waste.
Such acts not only set the law of the land at defiance, but also
outrage humanity. Our lot having been thrown together with them,
we have put up with them in the hope of accomplishing some good.
Unfortunately things have come to such a pass that further
association with them has, much to our regret, become
intolerable.
However, since we have received the mandate of the people, we,
the undersigned, cannot but collaborate and, brushing aside all
obstacles, endeavor to attain our original aims.
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We have now, after consultation, resolved to remove the seat of
the Military Government.
I, Tang Shao-yi, when I first accepted the functions of Chief
Peace Delegate, observing that the people were tired of strife
and that external troubles were pressing, proposed to the North,
for the sake of establishing a lasting peace, eight articles,
laying special emphasis on the publication of the secret
treaties and the declaration of the invalidity, ab initio, of the Military Pact.
In continuing to perform these functions I await the reply of
the, North to these proposals, in order to determine the future
course of action.
I, Wu Ting-fang, being Minister of Foreign Affairs and of
Finance, on my departure from Canton, have kept in my control
the balance of the Customs funds to preserve them for use for
proper purposes. Those funds not yet received shall be
negotiated for.
I, Sun Yat-sen, and I, Tang Chi-yao, leading the troops, will
work to the best of our ability for the welfare of the country
and endeavor to find a solution for her present
difficulties.
We jointly make this declaration. Hereafter the Constitutionalist
provinces, territories and armies of the Southwest are, and
continue to be, within the organisation of the Military
Government.
The peace negotiations with the North shall be continued, the
seat for which shall still be Shanghai, and the Chief Peace
Delegate shall make preparations for their resumption.
The masquerading institution at present in Canton, having placed
itself beyond the orbit of the Military Government, all its
orders, acts, its clandestine negotiations with the North and
its loans and mortgages are and have been null and void.
The salt and custom revenues should be paid to this Military
Government.
Pending the removal of the Military Government, the Chief Peace
Delegate is charged with the conduct and negotiation of its
various affairs.
We trust that the North, on receipt of this declaration, mindful
of where the real public sentiment of the South-west is
represented, will continue the peace negotiations in order that
the national troubles may be terminated and an early solution of
the general situation be found, to the fulfilment of our earnest
hopes.
We hope that our fellow citizens and the friendly powers will
take due note of this manifesto.
- Sun Yat-sen
- Tang Shao-yi
- Wu Ting-fang
- Tang Chi-yao
