Los Angeles herald., 1905-06-20
DELEGATES CALL
UPON THE CzAR
ZEMSTV0ISTS VOICE THEIR
GRIEVANCES
MEET WITH CONSIDERATION
Nicholas Says His VIII Is Sovereign,
and That Elected Representa-
tlves VIII Participate In
State Affairs
MEET WITH CONSIDERATION
BY Associated Press.

ST, PETERSBURG, June 19.-Emper
! or Nicholas received the zemstvo depu
| tation this morning.
The reception took place at noon II
the Alexander palace at Peterhof
Prince Troubetskoy, president of thu
zemstvo congress of the Moscow gov
ernment, in behalf of the Moscow dele.
cation addressed the emperor in Ions
speech in which he described the serious
international difficulties which have
caused the zemstvoists to approach his
majesty direct. The emperor was evi.
IDENTIFY much impressed. NJ. Fedoroff
! representing the st. Petersburg deega-
tion, also spoke. His majesty replied
expressing deep regret at the great sac
rifices consequent on the war and
above everything, at the disaster to the
Russian navy.
Following is the text of the emper-
or's speech to the zemstvo delegation:
"I am happy to have heard you. I
have no doubt you are guided by an
ardent sentiment of love for the father
land in addressing me directly.
II have been grieved in my whole
soul, with all my people. at the calam-
tiles which the war has brought upon
Russia and at all those which may
still be feared, as we'll as at our in
ternal disturbances.
"Dissipate your doubts. My will is
sovereign, and it is my unalterable will
that the admission of elected repre-
sentatives to the works of state shall
be regularly accomplished.
II watch daily and devote myself
to this work. You may announce that
to all your friends in country and
town.
IT am firmly convinced that Russia
will emerge strengthened from the
trials she is now enduring and that
there will be established soon, as for
merly. union between the emperor
and all Russia, communion between
myself and the men of Russian soil.
This union and communion must serve
as basis for the original principles of
Russia.
II have faith in your desire to help
me in this atsk."
Upon completing his remarks the en-
peror graciously greeted the individual
members Of the delegation, shaking
hands with them and having few
cordial words for each.
Delegation Deeply Impressed
The fact that the emperor not only
received the bold. plainspoken address
disapprobation, but expressed full
sympathy with efforts to ameliorate
the deplorable state of affairs depicted
therein, and in the most direct and eX-
plicit fashion renewed his promise to
summon the representatives of the peo-
pie. made the deepest impression on the
delegation.
The delegation is now preparing an
account of the audience which will be
presented to the ST. Petersburg Duma
structions and the imperial wish, be
communicated to all the zemstvos and
mayors of Russia.
The address adopted by the all-Rus-
sia zemstvo and municipal congress
assembled at Moscow was taken to
st. Petersburg for presentation to the
emperor by a deputation headed by
Count Hayden and M. Shipoff, for
mer president of the Moscow zemstvo
but 1t does not appear from the cable
dispatches that the document was
handed to his majesty, although doubt
less Prince Troubetskoy and M. Fed
croft in their speeches communicated
the substance of the address to the
emperor.
Historic Document
The document in it's original form
bids fair to become historic. The GUS
tomary phrases of respect at the open
ing and closing were omitted and 1t
was otherwise unceremonious, employ
ing the direct personal pronoun.
The address arraigned the bureau
cracy and reminded the emperor that
his pledge to convoke a national as
sembly was slow of fulfillment. 1t
said the country was on the verge OF
civil war and even ventured to criti-
else royal measure, contrasting the
increase of the police power by the
ukase issued June with the weaken
ing of the administrative process which
the country had been led to expect.
The address urged the summoning of
national assembly, in order that the
war might become national or cease,
and concluded with a solemn reminder
of the sovereign's duty to God and to
the fatheriand. and a prayer for action
before II was too late