The Fight for the Republic in ChinaPutnam Weale, B. L. (Bertram Lenox)
History
The Fight for the Republic in China
Putnam Weale, B. L. (Bertram Lenox)
China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949; China -- Politics and government
Next let me ask if you have read the Provisional Constitution, the
Provisional Code, the Meeting and Association Law, the Press
Regulations, the various mandates bearing on the punishment of
persons who dare conspire against the existing form of state? Do you
not know that you, as citizens of the Republic, must in duty bound
observe the Constitution and obey the laws and mandates? Yet you
have dared openly to call together your partisans and incite a
revolution (the recognized definition in political science for
revolution is "to change the existing form of state"). As the
Judiciary have not been courageous enough to deal with you since you
are all so closely in touch with the President, you have become
bolder still and carry out your sinister scheme in broad daylight. I
do not wish to say what sort of peace you are planning for China;
but this much I know, that the law has been violated by you to the
last letter. I will be silent if you believe that a nation can be
governed without law. Otherwise tell me what you have got to say?
It is quite apparent that you will not be satisfied with mere
shouting and what you aim at is the actual fulfilment of your
expectations. That is, you wish that once the expected monarchy is
established it may continue for ever. Now by what principle can such
a monarchy continue for ever, except that the laws and orders of
that dynasty be obeyed, and obeyed implicitly by all, from the Court
down to the common people? For one to adopt methods that violate the
law while engaged in creating a new dynasty is like a man, who, to
secure a wife, induces the virtuous virgin to commit fornication
with him, on the plea that as a marriage will be arranged
preservation of her virtue need not be insisted upon. Can such a man
blame his wife for immorality after marriage? If, while still
citizens of a republican country, one may openly and boldly call
meetings and organize societies for the overthrow of the Republic,
who shall say that we may not in due time openly and boldly call
meetings and organize societies for the overthrow of the monarchy?
What shall you say if in future there should be another foreign
doctor to suggest another theory and another society to engage in
another form of activity? The Odes have it, "To prevent the monkey
from climbing a tree is like putting mud on a man in the mire." For
a person to adopt such methods while engaged in the making of a
dynasty is the height of folly. Mencius says, "a Chuntse when
creating a dynasty aims at things that can be handed down as good
examples." Is it not the greatest misfortune to set up an example
that cannot be handed down as a precedent? The present state of
affairs is causing me no small amount of anxiety.
XII. A POSTSCRIPT
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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