XII.  THE CHOU AN HUI AND THE LAW

Next let me ask if you have read the Provisional Constitution, the Provisional Code, the Meeting and Association Law, the Press Regulations, the various mandates bearing on the punishment of persons who dare conspire against the existing form of state?  Do you not know that you, as citizens of the Republic, must in duty bound observe the Constitution and obey the laws and mandates?  Yet you have dared openly to call together your partisans and incite a revolution (the recognized definition in political science for revolution is “to change the existing form of state").  As the Judiciary have not been courageous enough to deal with you since you are all so closely in touch with the President, you have become bolder still and carry out your sinister scheme in broad daylight.  I do not wish to say what sort of peace you are planning for China; but this much I know, that the law has been violated by you to the last letter.  I will be silent if you believe that a nation can be governed without law.  Otherwise tell me what you have got to say?

It is quite apparent that you will not be satisfied with mere shouting and what you aim at is the actual fulfilment of your expectations.  That is, you wish that once the expected monarchy is established it may continue for ever.  Now by what principle can such a monarchy continue for ever, except that the laws and orders of that dynasty be obeyed, and obeyed implicitly by all, from the Court down to the common people?  For one to adopt methods that violate the law while engaged in creating a new dynasty is like a man, who to secure a wife, induces the virtuous virgin to commit fornication with him, on the plea that as a marriage will be arranged preservation of her virtue need not be insisted upon.  Can such a man blame his wife for immorality after marriage?  If, while still citizens of a republican country, one may openly and boldly call meetings and organize societies for the overthrow of the Republic, who shall say that we may not in due time openly and boldly call meetings and organize societies for the overthrow of the monarchy?  What shall you say if in future there should be another foreign doctor to suggest another theory and another society to engage in another form of activity?  The Odes have it, “To prevent the monkey from climbing a tree is like putting mud on a man in the mire.”  For a person to adopt such methods while engaged in the making of a dynasty is the height of folly.  Mencius says, “a Chuntse when creating a dynasty aims at things that can be handed down as good examples.”  Is it not the greatest misfortune to set up an example that cannot be handed down as a precedent?  The present state of affairs is causing me no small amount of anxiety.

XIII.  A POSTSCRIPT