Specially translated for the North-China 4th March.
IMPERIAL WECREES, We received the other day a memori from Lin Shu-tang, Governor of H nan, concubine. recret inv truth of the cha although the said Provincial treasurer did get x concubine, yet sh= does nor belong Honan and therefor eanunt be counted among the subjects of the "ecused. We are annoyed to find the said Governor mal charges on such trivial mat-ors as this he is reprehensible in bringing it to notice of the Throne. We therefore mand that the "id Governor be publ notified of our dispel sure.
Note—In the patriarchal system of ernment in Cuina, the local author such as a district or department mig'strate are styled "isle and female parents of the p op'e" und the grade of seniority as-candy with the higher ranks of the officials, any for is effect or Taotai ix styled the grand the pup'e." Fora "parent" of his subjects to. marry one of them, i+, therefore, an act of incest according t law; but he does not commit this crime if he' marries 2 woman from a neighbouring province. Governor Lit of Honan was evidently horrified at the idea that his Provincia! Treasurer, who, by right, ought to be " grent-great-grandfather," of his subjects should be guilty of marrying one of his great-great-granddaughters, and so denounced the aged Lothario for incest. But it seems that the young girl was x native of some other province wud this, according to law, freed Neth-lé-ching-ngéh from a serious charge.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.