The Washington times., 1902-05-04
No Restriction of Auto
cratic Power Con-
templated.
APPROVED BY A PREDECESSOR
Alexander III Endorsed Measure Two
Hours Before His Assassination-Pres-
-ent Plan Identical in Substance With
Former Draft.

prepared by the late count LOFTS Melikov
and approved by the Car Alexander ii
on the very day of his assassination. For
state reasons strict silence has been
guarded over the incident in the published
official records of the Russian govern
ment brief account Of il. however. is
found in The Empire Of the Tsars and the
Russians by the famous French writer
Anatole Leroy Deaulien. member OF the
Institute of France English translation.
Part II. PIP. 547-55D. The author collect
ed the material for his work in the course
OF his extensive travels in Russia and
consulted with men Of prominence in all
stations of life in the empire.
Source of His Information.
He vouches that he has the facts from
one who WAS minister" at the time the
events took place, although, for obvious
reasons. the identity of his informant is
not disclosed. Some facts relating to the
same incident were published in France
by the authority of Princess Yurievsky,
morganatic widow Of Alexander ii. A
circumstantial statement of the matter
was published afer the death of the
Count Loris Melikov by the fund of the
Russian free press. (''The Russian Con-
stitution Projected by Count Loris Nell
kov,'' 43 PIP. London: 1881 The author.
who appears TO be a man of high social
position in Russia has not signed his
name to the pamphlet. 1t is based, how
ever, upon official documents on file in
the imperial archives. Copies of the doc
uments were kept by the late count; when
on his deathbed he had them sent to a
confidential friend. In the letter accom-
panying the document he wrote: Let
them be preserved among your private
papers; perhaps. in twenty-five years or
SO, when we shall be orcrgrown with
grass, they will come into the hands of
the future historian"
The Facts Summarized.
The facts relating to the proposed con-
stitution are summarized in the report
submitted by Count Loris Melikov to Car
Alexander III, on March (1s). 1881. five
days after the assassination of Gar Alex
ander II. The report recitcs that on the
2Sth OF January 10Th Of February, of the
same year. certain recommendations were
submitted to the Gar by the minister
Of the interior (the count himsclf these
recommendations were referred to spe-
cial committee appointed by the Car, and
after being diScussed at two consecutive
sessions were approved by the Car on
February IL March u, and the minister
of the interior was instructed to prepare
an official announcement for publication
in the official gazette Ohe Government
Messenger. The announcement was pre-
pared and returned with the approval Of
the Gar to the minister on March l (13),
at l2:39 p. m, with instructions to have
the same read. previous to its publica-
tion, at the regular session of the cabi-
net, which was to be held on March l6l
Two hours later, the Car was assassi-
mated.
Plan of the Constitution.
The plan Of the constitution thus ap-
proved did not contemplate the restriction
of autocratic power. 1t merely gave
representation TO the commons in a low
er house added TO the now existing nation
al Legislature, the imperia; council. which
is appointed by the Car, and has only a
consultative voice. This lower house.
called ''the general commission" was to
be constituted as follows First. the thir-
ty.tMo provinces Whlch now snioy the
privilege Of local self-goyernmer, were
to elect one or two representatives each.
IN proportion to theiy population. The
election was not TO be by popular vote:
the representatives were to be elected bv
the assembly of the province (the Zem.
stvo).
Second, the municipal assemblies of 81
Petersburg and Moscow were to elect two |
representatives each, and those of a few
other principal cities, one each.
Third, where no local self-government is
organized. (which embraces the greater
part of the empire), representatives to !
the general commission were to be ap-
pointed by the government.
Fourth. In addition to these, there were
TO be some members of the lower house by
imperial appointment.
Election of Representatives.
The provincial and municipal assem-
blies were not to be confined to their own
membership in the election OF repre-
sentatives; any resident of the province
or city, as the case might be, was eligi.
BILE. As there were at that time over
seventy provinces, the general commits
sion was thus TO be a body of about l50
members, OF whom not more than sixty
eight were to be elective; in fact. many
provinces were TO have only one mem
Der each; in this computation, however.
allowance is made for the representation
of the principal cities. Moreover. the
government reserved to itself the power
of apportionment, and was, therefore I'm
any case. sure of majority of appoin-
tive members. Furthermore the presid-
ing officer was TO be appointed by the
Gar.
The general commission was to have
no power TO initiate legislation. That was
TO be the Office OF a number of special
commissions created by Imperial appoint
ment, and composed of representatives OF I
the departments of government and ex- i
perts. All legislative bills prepared by ,
these commissions were to be cabinet ,
measures, and could be introduced in the
lower house only by imperial authority. S
The appointive members of the house
were TO be selected from the membership
of these legislative committees. All other {
members OF the same were also to be
seats in the house, each of :
them with a vote upon all bills coming {
from his respective committee. .
Methods Of Procedure
All measures, after passing the lower :
house. or general commission, were to be {
introduced in the imperial council by the
,abinct ministers, with their recommen-
,ations. The procedure in the imperial
council was not affected by this proposed
Under the law In force all
,ille adopted by the council are submitted s
% the Car for approval; In case OF d.
Vision minority bill may be likewise
submitted The Gar may approve either
he majority or the minority bill, which ,