IN-CHIER, October 3rd.—(1) The Hunan Commissioners were further directed by the Emperor to enquire into the truth of a lon list of serious charges made ayainst Li Sheng, Acting Commander-in-Chief in that rovinee. According to the allegations of is accuser, during the six years that he had occupied his post he had "exercised no control over his troops and had omitted to fill up vacancies as they occurred. He had forced his officers to make him presents on his birthday and on quarter days. He had moved about freety among ordinary people, paying visits of congratulation or condolence in person and going out to dinner when invited, accompanied by a theatrical troop. He' had kept. his ofice closed to the public, but allowed men of bad character access to it as they pierised. He had adopted the Magistrate of Wucling asa member of his family, and used his influence to obtain the settlement of law suits, constantly going in private clothes into the houses of the clerks and, office servants. He had forced merchants to join im in trade, sharing their profits but not their losses. He had compelled people to sell him land in the district under his charge, and while honest men suffered at his hands, he took no pains to keep down robbers. The Commissioners appear to have investigated the case with great thoroughness. Besides interrogating Li Shang himself, they communoated with the Governor and high provincial authorities, as well as the principal military officers, They also caused the Protect at Chang-te Fu, the head-quarters of the commander-in-chief, to make private enquiries among the merchants and people of the town, They find that, where any vacancies were not filled up among the troops, it was done in accordance with orders from Peking to reduce numbers. The officers deny that they made presents to their chief, No one had
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