Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-08-23

which IS published simultaneously here
and at Moscow, and which will be rea d
in all the churches of the empire. is
dated at Peterhof today and is as fol
lows:
The empire of Russia is formed ond
STRENGTHENED by the indestructihle solidar
ity of the emperor with the people and OF
the people with the emperor. This con.
cord of emperor and people is the great
moral force which has created Russia in
the course of centuries by protecting heI
from all miSfOrtuneS and all attacks and
has constituted up to the present time q
pledge of unity; independence, integrity
material we'll being, and intellectual de-
velopment
In our manifesto of February "a 1903
we called to a close understanding all the
faithful sons of the fatherland in order f.
protect the organization of the state by
establishing ON a firm basis the domestic
life Of the empire, and then we devoted orr
selves to the task of co-ordinating elective
authorities and of removing the disagree
ments existing between them which had
reacted so disastrously on the normal course
of our national life.
The autocratic emperors, our ancestors
constantly had that object in view, and
the time has come to follow out their cooC
intentions and to summon elected represen.
tatives from the whole of Russia to ia
constant and active part in the elaborati tor
of the laws, thereby attaching to the high
er state institutions a special consultative
alton and discussion of measures and with
the examination of the state budget
1t is for this reason that, while preserving
the fundamental law regarding the auto
cratic power, we have deemed it we'll r.
form a gosudarstvennaia douma Oowe1
house of the assembly and to approve Inc
regulations for elections to this douma. ex.
tending the validity of these laws to the
whole territory of the empire, with such
exceptions only as may be considered neces
sary In the case Of some regions in which
special conditions obtain.
AS regards the participation in the labors
of the gosudarstvennaia douma of deega ties
from the grand duchy of Finland on cues
tons concerning the empire in general anC
the grand duchy in particular, we will take
special measures
At the same time we have ordered the
minister of the interior to submit immedi
ately for our appreciation regulations fol
the elections to the douma, so that depu
ties from fifty governments and from tht
military province of the Don may be able
to assemble not later than the middle OF
January, 1906.
We reserve to ourselves entirely the care
of perfecting the organization of the
gosudarstvennaia douma: and when the
course OF events shall have shown the ne
cessfty for changes corresponding complete
ly to the needs of the times and the wei
fare of the empire we shall not fail tt
give it at the proper moment the necessary
directions.
We are convinced that those who shall
have been elected by the confidence of the
whole people and who will thus be called
upon to participate in the legislative WORT
of the government will show themselves il
the eyes of all Russia to be worthy of the
imperial trust in the virtue of which theS
have been invited to cooperate in this grea1
work, and that, in perfect harmony with
other institutions and authorities of the
state established by US. they will contribute
profitably and zealously to our labors fol
the we'll being Of our common mother, Rus
STA, and for the strengthening of the unity
the security. and the greatness of the EN-
plre, as we'll as for the tranquility anC
prosperity of the people.
In invoking the blessing of the Lord or
the labOrs of the institution established by
US, and with unshakable confidence in the
grace of God and in the infallibility of the
great historical destinies reserved by divine
Providence for our beloved fatherland. We
firmly hope that, with the help of God AL
mighty and with the combined efforts of al
her sons, Russia will emerge triumphant
from the trying ordeals through which SHE
is now passing and will be born again il
the strength, the greatness. and the glory
of her history, extending through thou
sand years. -
Given at Peterhof. this 10th day Of An
gust, in the year of Grace, 1905, and the
eleventh year of our reign.
NICHOLAS