The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1905-11-02

St. Petersburg, BY Cable.-The au-
tocraey of the Romanoffs. and the old
order Of things ceased 10 exist in Rus
sla
Emperor Nicholas has surrendered
and Count Wltte comes into power as
Minister-President with an imperial
mandate which will enable him TO con-
vert the farcial National Assembly
into real legislative boldly, elected by
greatly extended suffrage, and to con-
fer upon the people fundamental civil
liberties, including free speech.
These welcome tidines reached St.
Petersburg shortly before 6 o'clock
Monday evening. Count Witte had
spent the day with the Emperor at
Peterhoif, going over the final draft of
the manifesto to which he insisted
that minor notifications be made. and
before taking the train for st. Peters
burg he telephoned TO a friend that
the Emperor had affixed his signature
and that the imperial mandate COM
prlsing the conditions upon which lie
had agreed to accept Office was in his
pocket. These includs freedom of the
press, the right of assembly and the
immunity of the person, including the
right of habeas corpus.
Gear Wanted American Plan.
Count Witte insisted on a cabinet
on the British model with a selected
Premier responsible to the imperial
Douna, or Parliament, while the En-
peror clCng to the appointment Of
members of the cabinet on the Ameri-
car plan by the Emperor as Chief
of State.
The State Department has instruct
ed Charge D'Affaires Eddy, in case
OF emergency, to give American citi-
zens asylum at the embassy, and If
necessary to charter a steamer.
Foreign Minister Lamsdorff is re-
assuring the ambassadors by formal
ly guaranteeing the safety of foreign
residents. He announces that the gov
ernment is prepared TO afford them
military protection in st. Petersburg
and elsewhere in the event of disord-
ers. The following is the text Of the
imperial manifesto:
Russia's Magma Carta.
"We, Nicholas the Second, by the
grace Of God Emperor and Autocrat
of all the Russias, Grand Duke of
Finland. etc, declare to all our faith
ful subjects that the troubles and agi-
tation in our capitals and In numerous
other places fill our heart with ex-
cessive pain and sorrow
''The happiness of the Russian SOW
ereign is indissolubly boundd up with
the happiness Of our people, and the
sorrow Of our people is the sorrow of
the sovereign.
''F'rom the present disorders may
arise great national disruption. They
menace the integrity and unity OF our
empire.
1.-The supreme duty imposed upon
us by our sovereign office requires Us
TO efface ourself and to use all the
force and reason at our command to
hasten in securing unity and co-ordi-
nation of the power Of the central
government and to assure the success
Of measures for pacification IN all elr-
cles of public life, which are essential
to the welI-being Of our people.
"We therefore direct our govern
mcnt to carry out our infexible will
In tie following:
Privileges and 1mmunities.
First, To extend to the population
the immutable foundations of civic
liberty, based on the real inviolabillty
Of person, freedom Of conscience,
speech, union and association
..Second, Without suspending the
already ordered elections to the State
Douma, TO invite to participation ID
the Douma, so far as the limited time
before the eonvocation Of the DouIaa
will permit, those classes Of the pop
ulation now completely deprived OF
electoral rights, leaving the ultimate
development Of the people OF the
electoral right in general to the newly
established legislative order OF things.
Third, To establish as an IN
ehaugeable rule that no law shall lie
enforceable without the approval OF the
State Douma, and that it shall he
possible for the elected Of the people
to exercise real participation Il the
supervision of the legality Of the acts
Of the authorities appointed by u.s.
.We appeal to all faithful sons OF
Russia to remember their duty to
wards the fatherland, to aid in tremi-
mating these unprecedented troubles;
and to apply their forces In eo-opera-
ton with us to the restoration oi
calm and peace upon our national
soil.
"Given at Peterhoff, October 30, n
the eleventh year of our reign
lSignedl NICHOLAS :