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.Vif>lCONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 191")accept the Imperial responsibility, but the response, in thefirst instance, was unfavourable. His excellency acknowledged that the will of the people was supreme and that asthey had, through their representatives, expressed aunanimous desire to change the existing form of government,he had no right to discuss the matter further. On the otherhand, his relationship with the former Emperor was anembarrassment, and he had moreover sworn to maintain anddevelop the Republic with all his power. Finally he suggested that some other person should be recommended asEmperor. Nothing daunted, the acting Legislature sent asecond petition reviewing the meritorious public services ofthe President both before and after the Revolution, liehad done all that was possible for the Ching Family and,therefore, need feel no embarrassment on that score. As tothe Presidential oath the promise was made to the people,and now the people had released him from his promise andhad asked him to establish a constitutional monarchy. Onthe night of December 12th the President signified that he wasprepared to accept the honour and responsibility offered tohim by the acting Li Fa Yuan on behalf of the people.T t A j A few days later the Minister for JapanJapan s Advice . ., 1T^ /wv>visited the Chinese Foreign Office and reiterated the advice that had previously been given, namely,that the restoration of the monarchy should be postponed,and added that the Governments of the Entente Powerswere maintaining an attitude of vigilance as regarded thefuture development of the situation. The Chinese Ministerfor Foreign Affairs replied that the change in the form ofgovernment could not take place for some time owing tothe preparations that had to be made. He also asked for,and obtained, a highly important declaration that theadvising Powers had not the slightest intention of encroaching upon the independence and sovereignty of China.This declaration was important because in many quartersit was held that the tendering of advice on a purely domesticquestion wa.s in itself a violation of China s sovereign rights,a view, itmay be said, that is certainly susceptible ofdefence.