these developments,
remained inactive; and this was no doubt responsible for the mad coup
attempted by the semi-illiterate General Chang Hsun. In the small hours
of July 1st General Chang Hsun, relying on the disorganization in the
capital which we have dealt with in our preceding account entered the
Imperial City with his troops by prearrangement with the Imperial Family
and at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 1st July the Manchu boy-emperor
Hsuan Tung, who lost the Throne on the 12th February, 1912, was
enthroned before a small assembly of Manchu nobles, courtiers and
sycophantic Chinese. The capital woke up to find military patrols
everywhere and to hear incredulously that the old order had returned.
The police, obeying instructions, promptly visited all shops and
dwelling-houses and ordered every one to fly the Dragon Flag. In the
afternoon of the same day the following Restoration Edict was issued,
its statements being a tissue of falsehoods, the alleged memorial from
President Li Yuan-hung, which follows the principal document, being a
bare-faced forgery, whilst no single name inserted in the text save that
of Chang Hsun had any right to be there. There is also every reason to
believe that the Manchu court party was itself coerced, terror being
felt from the beginning regarding the consequences of this mad act which
was largely possible because Peking is a Manchu city.

IMPERIAL EDICT

Issued the 13th day of the 5th Moon of the 9th year of Hsuan Tung.

While yet in our boyhood the inheritance of the great domain was
unfortunately placed in our possession; and since we were then all
alone, we were unable to weather the numerous difficulties. Upon the
outbreak of the uprising in the year of Hsin Hai, (1911) Our
Empress, Hsiao Ting Chin, owing to her Most High Virtue and Most
Deep Benevolence was unwilling to allow the people to suffer, and
courageously placed in the hands of the late Imperial Councillor,
Yuan Shih-kai, the great dominion which our forefathers had built
up, and with it the lives of the millions of Our People, with orders
to establish a provisional government.

The power of State was thus voluntarily given to the whole country
with the hope that disputes might disappear, disturbances might stop
and the people enabled to live in peace. But ever since the form of
State was changed into a Republic, continuous strife has prevailed
and