(3) Prince Li, O-to-ho-pu, Chang Chih-wan, Hi g-san and Sun Yi-wen presont'a Memorial soliciting the Imperial instructions on the following subject. Some two years ago, when the Emperor assumed personal administration of the Government under the tutelage of HM, the Empress Dowager, it devolved upon the Memorialists conjointly to determine how far the old constitutional usages should be reverted to, in what cases they should be modified, and in what deferred for the moment,' and the suggestions which they then submitted met with the Imperial approval, In view of the entire assumption of the Government by His Majesty in the second moon of next year, the Memorinlists again carefully considered, in conjunction with Prince Chan, to what extent the forme should there be reverted to, and how far the present temporary modifications should still he maintained, and their views on the subject being unanimous, they beg to submit the following proposals for the Imperial sanction 1.—The ceremony connected with the Emperor's visit to the Imperial Acad to hear a discourse on the duti office, will form the subject of a special decree to be issued hereafter.
2,—Memorial from officials in Peking and the provinces shall be addressed to the riperer alone, but those of a purely com plimentary nature shall be made out i Guplicate, one copy for the Empress Dowager, and one for the Emperor, 3.—As regards officials presented to the Emperor by the various Boards, it is sug-fe adhered to, and that the Privy Council ted that the present arrangenient should
should receive His Majesty's instructions respecting them at their usual period of audience.
4.—As regards the Military examinations in the Palace, it was formerly the custom that the Board of War should address a Memorial to His Majesty requesting him to examine the candidates in person, and it is now suggested that this mode of procedure should be reverted to.
5.—It is proposed to revert to the old custom of making out in the Manchu language the lists submitted for the Imperial approval by the Board of War, of those offices selected for inspecting public officers at the period of fasting, and lists in the same language of the Banner troops detailed for practice in blowing the conch on the city walls.
6.—With regard to marking off the names of the criminals to be executed, it is proposed that the present practice should be temporarily continued. The Memorialist would humbly solicit the instructions of their Majesties the Empress and the Em. peror on the forgoing proposals, and would ask that, where necessary, they should be communicated to the Government officers in Peking and the provinces.—Rescript by Her Majesty: Let it be as proposed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.