Respectfully submitted regarding a petition. It is our humble belief that sovereignty of the Republic of China resides in all the people, as enshrined in the Provisional Constitution for already nine years. Yet during these nine years, although citizens should have enjoyed various freedoms under the Constitution, in practice such rights have been almost entirely stripped away by a small clique of bureaucrats and warlords. This stems not only from the failure to establish a fundamental national charter but also from the non-implementation of local self-government. In Hunan Province, coups have repeatedly erupted year after year, bringing one calamity after another. Whether Hunanese govern Hunan or are governed by others, the distinction ultimately lies merely in the quality of official rule, having little to do with genuine self-governance by the people. Thus, under perpetual military strife and continuous turmoil, we citizens can only endure hardship together, seeing no other way to secure life and ward off death.

Fortunately, the situation in Hunan has now stabilized, and public sentiment universally looks forward to good governance—the praise of a golden age, the longing for a haven of popular self-rule—so that both domestic and international expectations have largely converged. Bearing in mind the great difficulties of the past and recognizing the arduous challenges ahead, we citizens have deliberated carefully, meeting again and again. We hold that unless local self-government is promptly instituted, there can be no hope of restoring Hunan to its former prosperity; nor, without the swift convocation of a People’s Constitutional Assembly, can we expect self-government to reach full maturity. The organic law and electoral law for this Assembly, in particular, are of utmost importance to us. Summarized, our six principal points are as follows: (1) Deputies to the Constitutional Assembly shall be allocated according to the size of each county; (2) the constitutional drafting period shall be limited to three months; (3) direct elections shall be employed; (4) ordinary electoral procedures shall apply; (5) no deputy may concurrently hold civil or military office; and (6) the electoral process must be completed within a maximum of two months.

By basing the People’s Constitutional Assembly on these six key principles, it will surely be able to broadly incorporate the views of the majority, thereby producing a comprehensive constitution that enhances the well-being of the people of Hunan and sets a national model. Moreover, given Hunan’s unique position, we should embrace a revolutionary spirit, severing all previous ties and entanglements, so that Hunan Province may achieve complete self-determination and independence—neither relying on the central government nor aligning itself with other provinces—eradicating outdated practices and founding a new state. As for the subsequent governing philosophy, we ought to adopt principles of popular self-government and socialism to resolve the specific political and economic difficulties confronting us, thus preventing any future bloody revolutions. Furthermore, in light of Hunan’s present circumstances, we advocate a policy of “Hunan-centric autonomy”: Hunan shall enjoy full self-governance, neither interfering in other provinces nor allowing external interference.

On behalf of the majority, we respectfully submit these proposals to Your Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, earnestly hoping that they will be accepted and implemented.  Signed by the Citizens of the Entire City of Hunan, in the Name of General Tan, Commander-in-Chief of Hunan Province.