Since a monarchy has been decided to be the future form of the state, and His Majesty has consented to accept the Throne, the change may be said to be an accomplished fact.  There is no question about it.  All persons of whatever walk of life can henceforth continue their pursuits without anxiety.  In the meantime we will proceed slowly and surely with the enthronement, as it involves many ceremonies and diplomatic etiquette.  In this way both our domestic and our foreign policies will remain unchanged.

    We hope you will comprehend our ideas and treat them as strictly
    confidential.

    (Signed) Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Land and Naval
    Force.

After this one last step remained to be taken—­it was necessary to burn all the incriminating evidence.  On the 21st December, the last circular telegram in connection with this extraordinary business was dispatched from Peking, a delightful naivete being displayed regarding the possibility of certain letters and telegrams having transgressed the bounds of the law.  All such delinquencies are to be mercifully wiped out by the simple and admirable method of invoking the help of the kitchen-fires.  And in this appropriate way does the monster-play end.

    CODE TELEGRAM DATED DECEMBER 21, 1915, FROM THE NATIONAL CONVENTION
    BUREAU, ORDERING THE DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE
    ELECTIONS

To the Military and Civil Governors of the Provinces, the Military Commissioners at Foochow and Kweiyang; the Military Commandants at Changteh, Kweihuating, and Kalgan; and the Commissioner of Defence at Tachienlu:—­(To be deciphered with the Hua Code)

The change in the form of the state is now happily accomplished.  This is due not only to the unity of the people’s minds, but more especially to the skill with which, in realizing the object of saving the country, you have carried out the propaganda from the beginning, managed affairs according to the exigencies of the occasions, and adapted the law to suit the circumstances.  The people have, to be sure, become tired of the Republic; yet unless you had taken the lead, they would not have dared to voice their sentiments.  We all appreciate your noble efforts.

Ever since the monarchical movement was started, the people as well as the high officials in the different localities have repeatedly petitioned for the change, a fact which proves that the people’s will is in favour of it.  In order to enable the people to express their will through a properly constituted organ, the General Convention of the Citizens’ Representatives has been created.

Since the promulgation of the Law on the Organization of the Citizens’ Representatives, we, who are devoted to the welfare of the state, desire to see that the decisions of that Convention do not run counter to the wishes of the people.