The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-01

~, class, which at the present time consti-
tutes the most dangerous class of spectators
and usurers. The reforms of the government
are only sinking the people into deeper depen-
dence. The government has brought Russia
SO far, that at the present time the masses are
IN the most abject poverty and ruin, that they
are subjected to the most insulting supervision
and are not free, even at their own hearths to
attend. like free men to their worldly and So
cial affairs. The protection of the government
is only extended to robbers. The most revolt
ing thefts remain UNPUBLISHED. But on the
other hand what terrible fate awaits him,
who has the welfare of his country sincerely at
heart You are fully aware your majesty, that
not socialists alone, are prosecuted and exiled.
VI what good then is government which pro-
tects such an order Of things? Is it aught but
band OF robbers, most incarnate usurpa-
tion?
That is why the Russian government has no
moral influence, no support among the edu-
Gated and well-intentioned. That is why
there are so many revolutionists in Russia.
That is why even such deed as the murder of
the car, calls out in an enormous part OF the
population, joy and sympathy. Yes, your
majesty, do not let yourself be deceived by the
reports OF fatterers and sycophants; the mur-
der OF the car is very popular in Ru ,sia.
There are two ways OF meeting the situation
either by a revolution, which Is unavoidable
and cannot be turned aside by any repressive
measures, or by voluntary transformation of
the supreme power into popular one. In the
interests OF our native country. for the sake Of
avoiding the unnecessary ruin of useful people
and OF those terrible calamities which always
accompany revolution, the executive COM
m1ttee advise you to choose the latter. Believe
US, that as soon as the supreme power ceases
TO be arbitrary, as soon as it firmly determines
to carry out the demands of the peoples con-
vlction and cons ;ience, you can sa ELY send
away the spies who dishonor your government
aud the body guards who surround YOU as
we'll as burn the gibbets which demoraiizs the
people. The executive committee will stop
their activity OF their own accord and the
members Will disperse in order to devote them
selves to the task Of civilizng their fellow
countrymen. A peaceful, Intellectual strug-
gle will succeed the violent measures which
are more distasteful to us~than to your hire
lings, and which we only carry out from dire
necessity.
In addressing you we put aside all precon-
ceived opinions, and stif1e that mstrust which
the Government deserves for its actions dur
ing the last century. We try to forget that
you are the representative of that power which
has so frequently deceived the people and done
it so much harm. We address you as citizen
and an honest man. We hope that the feeling
OF personal wrong will not stifie in you the
consciousness of your duties and the desire to
know the truth. We too complain of grievous
wrongs. You have lost your father. We have
lost not only our fathers, but our brothers,
wives, children, best friends. We, however,
declare ourselves ready to stife our personal
feelings for the good Of Russia and we expect
as much from you.
We put no conditions. We pray that our
proposition may not check you. The conditi-
ons which must be fulfilled in order to trans
form revolutionary tendencies into peaceful
ones are not created by us but by the march Of
events. We only remind you of them.
In our opinion there are only two:
l. A complete pardon to all political crimi-
nails OF the past time, as they were not crimi-
nails but men who did their bounden duty
as citizens.
q A call for representatives from the whole
kusslan people, for revision of the existing
social as well as imperial laws, and their modi-
fcation according to the peoples wishes.
Here we lind 1t imperative to remind you
that the legalization of the supreme power by
tae peoples representatives can only be valid
II the election is carried on with full liberty,
and that is why the following conditions must
be observed during the election:
L. Deputies must be sent by all classes ire
spectiyely and in proportion to the number Of
inhabitants.
limitations. 3. The preparations for the votes
as we'll as the votes themselves must be free
from all intimidations, and the Government
must therefore grant the following as a meas
ure preceding the decision of the popular As
sembly: 1. Full liberty of the press; 2; Full
liberty OF speech; 3. Full liberty of meetings.
4. Full liberty for the arrangement of vot-
Ing preliminaries. The above mentioned con-
ditlons are the only means for Russia's return
to regular and peaceable deeelopment. We
in our turn declare solemnly before our coun-
try and the whole world, that our society will
submit unconditionally to the decrees of the
popular assembly chosen conformably to the
above mentioned conditions, and will hence
forward not allow itself any violent measures
against government sanctioned by the popu-
lar assembly.
And now, your majesty decide. Two roads
are open before you and the choice is left with
your common sense and your conscience NAV
prompt you to decision solely in accordance
with the welfare of Russia, your own dignity,
and your duties before your native land