Chang, Viceroy of the Hukuang provinces, ex officio President of the Board of War and Vice-President of the Court of Censors, etc., ete., and Yi, Governor of the province of Hupeh, ex officio Vice-President of the Board of War and Vice-President of the Court of Censors, ete., etc., do jointly issue the following proclamation for the information of all concerned We have already issued as a proclamation the Imperial decree of the 2nd of August which was transmitted to us by Yuan, Governor of Shantung, but in reading certain portions of the said decree, for instance in the sentence "repent of their sins and reform," ete., we upon reverential investigation find that this was especially meant for the converts of the North, who took possession of villages in the country, dug up entrenchments and opposed themselves to the Imperial forces. The Throne however, in consideration of the fact that those converts had veen cotapelled to do so by the fear of their crimes, had therefore opened a way of escape to them from the meshes (in which they were involved] and allowed them a chance to repent of their sins. As for those converts in the various provinces who continue to attend to their usual avocations in peace—all such are equally treated by the Throne as its children and subjects with those who are non-converts; there has never indeed been any difference made between them. Nor will outlaws and desperadoes be permitted to falsity assume the name and designation of patriots Boxers" are probably meant as "patriots to seek revenge upon cor-verts, and slay and plunder them.
The wording of the said Imperial decree is, as a matter of fact, perfectly clear and plain to all. Nor is there anything in it that can be made to construe that the Throne desires to force the converts of all the provinces to revoke their faith; but as we fear that there may be ignorant people who may misapprehend the idea contained in the sentence "repent of their sins," ete. into an order to force converts everywhere to abandon their faith, and so become the cause of disturbances and riots; let it be understood hero that those who take such a course (and attack converts) are the very ones whom the present decree signifies as urning the name and desigua~ tion of patriots." In such cases we have nothing to do but to strictly obey the nds of the said decree and severely punish all who are guilty.
It is our duty now to clearly explain the true meaning and intent of the said Inperial decrees, remove all doubts thereon and prevent improper suspicions. We, therefore, hereby issue this proclamation for the information of all our people, soldiers and citizens of all classes and we exhort you all to exercise proper care and beware of misapprehension for by so doing you will find yourselves in the meshes of the law from which there will ba no escape. Let all obey this special proclamation.
20th (14th August, 1900.)
26th year of Kuang Hu, 7th moon,
all and to be posted as " proclamation.
The foregoing is for the information of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.