The Tupelo journal., 1905-08-25
IMPERIAL GRANT
TO THE RUSSIANS
Emperor Nicholas Proclaims Ma
tional Consultation Assembly.
A GOSUDARSTVENNAIA DONNA
A Wordy Document Which May
Mean Much or little, Accord
ing to the Exigencfes of the
Times.


st. Petersburg, Aug. 19.-Emperor
Nicholas has announced the grant to
the people of Russia of a national con,
sultative assembly to be formed by
elected representatives from the whole
of Russia. The imperial manifesto:
THE empire of Russia is formed and
strengthened by the indestructible SOL
idarity of the emperor with the people
and of the people with the emperor.
This concord of emperor and people is
the great moral force which has created
Russia in the course of centuries by
protecting her from all misfortunes and
all attacks, and has constituted, up to
the present time, a pledge of unity, in
dependence, integrity, material well be-
ing and intellectual development.
''In our manifesto of February "a,
1903, we called to a close understanding
all the faithful sons of the fatherland,
in order to protect the organization OF
the state by establishing on a firm
basis the domestic life of the empire,
and then We devoted ourselves to the
task of co-ordinating elective public in
situations with governmental authori-
ties and of removing the disagreements
existing between them which had re-
acted so disastrously on the normal
course Of our national life.
"The autocTatic emperOrs, our ances-
tors, constantly had that object in view,
and the time has come to follow out
their good Intentions ami to summon
elected representatives from the whole
of Russia to take constant and active
part in the elaboration Of the laws,
thereby attaching to the higher state
institutions a special consultative body
intrusted with the preliminary elobora-
ton and discussion of measures and
with the examination of the state
budget.
ut is for this reason that, while pre-
serving the fundamental law regarding
the autocratic power, we have deemed
it we'll to form a gosudarstvennaia
douma (lower house of the assembly,,
and to approve the regulations for cleo
tons to this douma, extending the va
lidity of these laws to the whole terri
tory of the empire, with such excep-
lions 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 delegates from the grand duchy of
Finland on questions concerning the
empire in general and the grand duchy
in particular, we will take special
measures.
'tAt the same time we have ordered
the minister of the interior to submit
Immediately for u appreciation regu-
lations for the elections to the douma,
so that deputies from so governments
and from the military province of the
Don may be able to assemble not later
than the middle of January, 1906.
I'VE reserve to ourselves entirely the
care of perfecting the organization OF
the gosudarstvennaia douma; and when
the course of events shall have shown
the necessity for changes correspond
ing completely to the needs of the times
and welfare of the empire, We shall not
fail to give, at the proper moment, the
necessary directions.
we are convinced that those who
shall have been elected by the conf
dence of the whole people, and who will
thus be called upon to participate in
the legislative work of the government,
will show themselves in the eyes Of all
Russia to be worthy of the imperial
trust in the virtue of which they have
been invited to cooperate in this great
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 for the well being of our
common mother, Russia, and for the
Strengthening Of the unity, the security
and the greatness Of the empire, as well
as for the tranquility and prosperity of
the people.
I'm invoking the blessing of the Lord
on the labors of the institution estab-
lished by us and with unshakable con-
fdence in the grace of God and in the
infallibility of the great historical des-
TIMES 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 all her sons, Russia will emerge tri-
umphant from the trying ordeals
through which she is now passing, and
will be corn again in the strength, the
greatness and the glory of her history
extending through a thousand years.
Given at Peterhof, this 10th day of
August, in the year of grace, 1905, and
the eleventh year of our reign.
NICHOLAS"