management of underlings (and by various forms of legal fraud and oppression, families are ruined, and lives lost), &c. &c.
5. Put down the vicious, who rebel against the higher social relations, and offend against parents, senior brothers, &c.
6. Seize on bandits, who belong to brotherhoods, or to clubs and societies, and who swear attachment to each other.
7. Seize sharpers and vagabonds, who make themselves the terror of the neighbourhood, and who carry weapons about them, and try to get into quarrels, and insult the desolate, and injure the feeble, &c.
If these, my instructions, be but roughly regarded, tranquility will prevail amongst the people; if they are nicely guarded, a complete renovation of the public manners will be the result.
I desire that all my officers, gentry, and common people will not consider this as vague loose moralizing; nor view this document as a paper issued for form's sake; but in deed and in truth respectfully receive it, and act upon it, and the good effects will long be felt, and my hopes will appear to have been substantial, and well founded.
Taou Kwang.
2d Year, 11th Month, 8th Day.
- (December 28th 1822.)
