49
1.
This Usurper who holds the reins of Government is a lewd,ob-
scure,
covetous and aged woman who is misled by her favourites.
She has no experience in the administration of foreign nations
nor is she willing to change the methods (in vogue in) China.
She has always grasped great power to bring the greatest in-
jury (lit.worm-wood and poison) on the people, and has appro-
priated $30,000,000 from the Naval Department, $30,000,000 from
the Liu Han Railway fund and $260,000 from the Peking Official
Emoluments for the repairs of the I' Wo Park. She has weakened
the nation and impoverished the people. All on account of her
usurpation of power and oppression! This Usurper has hitherto
been (gullty) of licentious conduct. Her lewdness and great
wicknedness were exposed at the time when Siu On the Eunuch
was decapitated. She has now issued an edict by which she feigns
to seek for doctors, when in reality she wishes to poison our
great Emperor. This will not be tolerated by heaven and earth
and evokes the indignation of (both) spirits and men. This Usur-
per has a son the issue of illicit intercourse. His name is
Tsun Ming. She will certainly place him on the throne, and the
ancestral line of succession will be cut off. This will be a
great disgrace to China. But does it seem probable that such a
•
wanton and cruel woman, who has deposed the Sovereign and usurp -
ed the Throne, will he recognised as an equal by your Honour-
able nation, and acknowledged as the ruler of a friendly em- pire? To save from calamity and to pity the distress (of the
people) is the excellent aim of the administration of a friend-
ly nation; to oppose ignorance and establish enlightment cons-
titutes