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A second ballot was then held; 745 members were present, and, although Yuan Shih- kai received 26 additional votes, he was still 62 short of the requisite majority, while General Li's votes were increased to 162. It then became necessary, according to the article of the law quoted above, to have a third ballot to decide between Yuan Shih- kai and Li Yuan-hung. In this final ballot 703 members participated, of whom 507 voted for Yuan Shih-kai, 179 for Li Yuan-hung, and 17 voted irregularly. President Yuan was therefore elected by an overwhelining majority over one who has been the most loyal of his coadjutors and who has emphatically asserted that he has no aspirations towards the presidency. The announcement was greeted with outbursts of applause within and without the Assembly building.
It is difficult to ascertain the reasons for such strenuous opposition. General Li Yuan-hung, in spite of repeated announcements that he would not accept the presidency, received the votes of more than 150 members on each occasion, and several votes were given to other persons who were never seriously considered as candidates, and who would, in any event, have been ineligible. This attitude of the Assembly was the more unexpected inasmuch as the Kung-ho Tang, or Conservative party, of which General Li is president, at a trial election held recently, decided unanimously to adopt Yuan Shih-kai as their candidate for the presidency. Voting being by secret ballot, it is impossible to ascertain which party in the Assembly persisted in voting for General Li, but it is generally believed that he received most of his support from the Chin-pu Tang, who represent what might be called the Progressive party. One obvious defect of the election was the absence of any formal procedure for nominating candidates. Members were left absolutely free to vote for any name they liked without complying with any formality or even observing the constitutional qualifications of a presidential candidate.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs notified the result of the election to the foreigu legations the same evening in identic notes, and by the following day all those countries which had not already done so officially signified their recognition of the Chinese Republic in the same manner. On the receipt of my note, the Wai-chiao Pu conveyed to me the thanks of the Chinese Government for the recognition accorded by His Majesty's Government. The Minister for Foreign Affairs called on me in person on the 7th instant and also requested that I would transmit the thanks of the Chinese Government for the action taken by His Majesty's Government in the matter, as well as for their attitude throughout the course of the past two years.
The election for the vice-presidency of the Republic of China was held on the 7th October.
Unlike the vote for the presidency, only one ballot was required, Li Yuan-hung being elected by a sweeping majority of 610 out of a total of 719 votes. The remaining 109 votes were distributed over about half as many different candidates, Chang Hsun and Sun Yat Sen receiving one apiece.
I have, &c.
B. ALSTON.
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