Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-25
CARS MANIFESTO.
Benefits Bestowed on Birth of an
Heir.

st. Petersburg, Aug. 2i.-The mani
festo issued by the car on the occa-
sion Of the christening of the heir 20
the throne, Is introduced by the follow
ing message to the people:
by the will of Cod we, the cZar
ana autocrat of all the Russians, ear
OF Poland. grand duke of Finland, etc.
announce to our faithful subjects that
ON this, the date of the christening of
our son and heir. the Grand Duke
Alexis NichOlevitch, following our
heart, we turn to our great family of
the empire and with the deepest and
most heartfelt pleasure, even amidst
these times of national struggle ana
difficulty, bestow upon them some gifts
of our royal favor for their great IN
joyment i'm their daily lives
The various BENEFITS bestowed on
many classes are then enumerated ut
length. One of the most important pro-
visions relates to the entire abolition
Of corporal punishment among the
, rural classes and its curtailment i'm the
army and the navy.
The manifesto RENTS land purchase
,, arrears which affects one of the largest
classes of the population throughout the
empire end its benefits are also extend
ed to estates in Poland
The general provisions of the mani
fosto include an all-round reduction in
sentences for common law offences, n
general amnesty for political offences
, except in cases of murder and the edu-
cation of the children of officers and
soldiers who have been victims of the
war as well as assistance for such fam
lilies as need it, whose bread winners
have fallen in the service of their coun-
try.
Tho sum of 81 800, 600 is set apart from
tn state fund for the benefit of land
less people of Finland All fines i'm
posed on villages. towns or commune
/ tics of Finland for failure to elect rep
resentatives or to serve on the military
recruiting boards during the years 1902
| and 1903 are RENTED.
Pardon is granted to Firms who have
! left their country without the sane
| ton Of authorities to return within
! year. Those liable to military service
must Immediately present themselves
| for service but Firms who have avoid
! ed military service will not be punish
ed providing they present themselves
within three months of the birth of the
heir to the throne.
Certain classes of offences excluding
theft. violent robbery and emheZZla-
/ ment are pardonad and the governor
! general of Finland is directed to con-
slider what steps can be taken to ale
viate the lot of those forbidden to re-
side in Finland.
Fines imposed upon the Jewish COM
muneS in the case of Jews avoiding
! mlit2ry service are RENTED.
| Persons arrested for offences punish
able by fines, Imprisonment of con-
/ finement in n fortress without loss of
civil rights and who are Still awaiting
sentence Mt the time of the birth Of the
throne are pardoned. Political priso-
ners who have distinguished them
selves by good conduct may on the in
terpOstion of the minister of justice
obtain the restitution of their civil
rights at the expiration of their sem
fences.
| Persons guilty of political offences
committed within the last Is years who
have remained unidentified will no
longer be subject to prosecution. while
tives abroad may apply to the minister
Of the interior for permission to return
to Russia.
| The manifesto concludes:
"Given at Petcrhof. on this, the 18th
day of August, 1904
(SigneD "NICHOLAS."
The newspapers are unanimous in
welcoming the abolition of corporal
punishment as the most important con-
cession embodied in the manifesto.
The Russ says:
at viii be hailed as the disappear
ance Of a great evil. No longer will it
be possible to stigmatize Russia as the
land of the knOut."
The Move Vremya says the abolition
of corporal punishment in the army
any navy was only right and proper
recognition of the heroism displayed by
the men in the Far East
An imperial autograph letter was al
so published. Wednesday morning,
making number Of promotions and
comforting decorations, including the
! bestoWal on NJ. White, president of the
council of ministers, the order of the
Whites Eagle; on Foreign Minister
Lamsdroff, the st. Alexander Nevsky
order in brilliants. and on Minister Of
Justice Muravieff and Myermoloff. the
minister of agriculture, the st. Alex
ander Nevsky order. Prince Filkoff.
the minister of railroads, is appointed
secretary of state.
An imperial order Of the day directs
the Finnish military district. be abol-
ished as a distinctive district and that
IT be merged in the st. Petersburg dis
trict.
Special acts of grace to the army and
navy similar to those enumerated in the
manifesto are also announced,
The date Of the manifesto, Aug II. is
the old or Julian style. coinciding with
Aug. "a OF the new or Georgian style.