Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-29
ADJOURNED.
Zemvtos Deeply Moved by
Government Note.
Gould Not Sign Reply to the
Emperor's Message.
Can Conceive Of No Principle But EN-
peror's Autoeracy.

Moscow. Dec. 2s.-The Zemstvo ad-
1ourned Indefinitely. Tuesday evening.
after the adoption OF a resolution as
follows:
This Zemstvo deeply moved by the
governments note in regard to proceeo-
jngs at Zemstvo meetings, Is unable 10
continue it's business with the neces-
sary calm and therefore adjourns sine
die"
The resolution was signed by "a dele
gates. Seven delegates voted against IL.
Prior to putting this resolution Presl-
dent Trubetzkoi said that two dissen-
tent statements had been appended To
the minutes OF the previous sitting. one
had a single signature attached to 1t.
The other had 13. The latter was as fol-
lows:
1--WE find It Impossible to sign the
proposed address to the emperor To-
gether with the great mass Of the Rus
sian people we firmly believe in the
ancient principle OF the ElnperoTs auto
cracy and Internationally repudiate
any attempt to limit or belittle it, re-
gartllng II as the fundamental basis of
Russa's state life. Every change which
aims at the limitation of the imperial
power cannot but be received by the
people In the most hostile spirit be-
cause they cannot conceive any other
form of government than autOcracy ami
will not permit any alien institution to
be imposed upon them that would be
doing violence to their ancient ideals
and views.
mo less firmly do we believe that the
autocracy power will find the right way
to determine the ,lsorganiZatiOn of the
state and public life and introduce re-
forms corresponding with the matured
needs OF the people without recourse to
n radical rupture Of the existing order
OF things In the state at the present mo-
ment when Russia is involved in a Sc
riOus war.
I'VE regard the attempt to inaugu-
rate radical government reforms as
particularly inopportune. The whole
energy Of the people must he cOncen-
trated toward the attainment of the
goal-namely the defence of the honor.
dignity and might of the fatherland.
All Russia must rally around the
throne and help 1t to extricate the
country from its serious plight. To
utilize such a movement for carrying
ont radical state reforms would bring
to a head the internal disorders from
which the country is already suffering
sufficiently. BY adopting a petition of
n political nature, the Zemstvo quite
exceeds the limits of it's powers and de-
prives itself by openly infringing the
laws OF the right of protesting against
In n the conduct of the
Zcmstvo's own affairs"
The Zemstvo congress of the Moscow
government opened. Dec. 26 Prince
Trubetzkoi. the president. in his open
ing address. dwelt upon the serious
condition of Russia and the regretable
war with Japan.
Pres. Trubetzkoi also reported the
view that the Zemstvos believed thai
the happy day was nigh when through
imperial will the present bureaucratic
regime would be changed and that the
Emperor would summon freely elected
representatives of the people to par
ticipate in legislation. thus strength
ening the close and strong ties between
the throne and the people. This ad
dress was adopted by a majority of th'
votes In the congress.
Tuesday. the Moscow ZemstvO helt
two meetings. At it's first meeting il
the presence of great audience reso.
lutions Of confidence were passed OF
the appointment of Prince Sviatopolk-
Mirsky as minister of the interior and
at the prospect of closer relations and
mutual confidence between the govern
ment and the people. The second
meeting Of the ZemstvO. Tuesday. was
attended with considerable excitement
and gave rise to serious street disturb
ances. The government note referred
to in the resolution adopted by the
Moscow Zemstvo. Wednesday. was is
sued as a warning to the Zemstvos
Dec. &c, shortly after the publication Of
the imperial decree on the subject Of
Russian reforms. This note said in
part:
"Zemstvo and two statutes and every
form Of institution and company must
not go beyond the limits provided for
them and must not concern themselves
in questions in the consideration OF
which they have no legal authority.