DECREE OF THE EMPRESS DOWAGER, DATED JULY 16rm, 1886, (From the Shen Pao of July 20th.)
The Empress Dowager issues the following, deer he Prince of Chun has memorialised Us begging that out of cor ation for the difficulties now besetting the country Wo may be graciously pleased to continue to administer the government Ourselves, Shik-to, Prince of Li (one of the [ron-hat Princes) and others jointly address Us begging that We will continue to administer the Government for sume yenrs to come, Po-yeu-no-mu-yn (Prince of the Khoi chen Mongols) and others memorialise the Us begging that We will defer committing 4 to the Emperor, in order shat His Majesty may have leisure to study assiduously the Holy Doctrines, Etch of these Memorials has received Gosernmenthy Regency waa imposed 1 Us by necessity; for of Our ce Wo have guided Iis Majasty by Our counsels and have observed with pleasure Lis advance towards perfect quirement of the statutes and doctrine We have specially decreed that in the first moon of the coming year His Maj shall take upon himself, as is expedient, conduct of affairs, carry out the statutes and ceremonies, carefully determine the Imperial policy, proclaim His will to the Eupire, and holding His haud supreme conteol. Wocannot longer allow any inde If the difficulties surrounding the Ewpi are great and manifold, it right. th lowes be made for Bai ty's part on fir of government, The responsi ing and supporting His Majesty with united loyalty and absolute devotion of mind rests entirely with His Majests Ministers of State; within, the Mi of the Cabinet, without, the administrators of the provinces, All these are as the Emperor's limbs, and carry on their admi trative functions with a single hei Those assisting in the Government of this mighty patrimony (i.e, the hereditary Empire) cannot delegate their responsibility to others; they are bound to use their utmost exertions of mind and body, and devote all their strength to the task. traveacting the business which devolves upon them there must be no laggards or murmurers, no shifter: on to other 8, nove who turn their backs on the duties confided to ti Majesty will atill during his leisure hours study the Statutes of the Empire, as also the Sacred Books and Histori matter of Manchu Translation Tutora of the Yii-ch' Palace (the Emperor's schoolroom) will continue their ing and evening without laxation, so that His Majesty's education may leave nothing to be Uesired, and that He may acquire by examples'a through insight uto the duties of an Emperor and the principles incumbent on aruier. Once His Majesty has assumed umeut, He will be able by Hi ive proof of the principles and thus reassure th winds of His Ministers and people throughout the Empire, " consummation devoutly wished by all of you, Our Ministers.
We decree therefore that the requests of the Princes and Ministers who have aug-gested Our continuing the Regency for some years and deferring for the present the committal of the supreme control into His Majesty's hands, need not be considered.
The Prince of Chun in his Memorial makes furthermore the following proposal: The administration of internal and external affairs, i.e. of the Palace and of the Empire in general, are of equal importance. It is suggested that after the assumption of government by His Majesty, it is advisable to continue the practice hitherto prevailing as regards affairs in ne Palace; viz. that the Ewmpress be first asked to express Her wil and that Her decision be then communicated by Memorial to the Emperor, who will thus be enabled to devote all' His energies to the general affairs of the Em. pire.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.