Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-20
zEMSTV0IsTS HEARD
DELEGATION RECEIVED AT THE
CARS PALACE YESTERDAY.
Russian People Assured Again of Rep
resentation in the Government-Ad-
dress Adopted Notable.

Emperor Nicholas received the zemstvo
deputation at st. Petersburg yesterday, as
reported in The Star. The reception took
place at noon in the Alexander Palace at
Peterhof
Prince Troubetskoy president of the
Zemstvo congress of the Moscow govern
| ment, in behalf of the Moscow delegation.
addressed the emperor in dong speech
In which he described the serious conditions
existing in Russia which have caused the
zemstvos to approach his majesty directly.
The emperor evidently was much i'm
pressed. NJ. Fedoroff, representing the St
Petersburg delegation, also spoke. His
majesty replied follows:
Il am happy to have heard you. I have
no doubt you are guided by an ardent SEN
timent of love for the fatherland in adj
dressing me directly.
Il have been grieved in my whole soul,
with all my people, at the calamities the
war has brought upon Russia, and at all
those which may still be feared, as well as
at our internal disturbances.
"Dissipate your doubts. Ny will is SOW
ereign, and 1t Is my unalterable will that
the admission of elected representatives
to the works of state shall be regularly
complished.
Il watch daily and devote myself to this
work You may announce that to all your
friends in country and town.
II am firmly convinced that Russia will
emerge strengthened from the trials she
Is now enduring, and that there will be
established soon, as formerly union be-
tween the emperor and all RUSSIA COM
munion between myself and men of Rus
sian soil. This union and communion must
serve as basis for the original principles
of Russia.
u have faith in your desire to help me In
this task"
Gracious Greeting by the Gear.
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. even such radicals as M. Petron-
keyitch, president of the Moscow Agrfcul-
ture Society, who has spent many years
in exile as the result of his liberal views;
M. Rodischeff and Prince Shakoffsky,
known as the Anarchist Prince" being
greeted without the slightest evidence of
imperial displeasure
ceived the bold, plain-spoken address with
out so much as an indication OF disappro-
baton but expressed full sympathy with
the efforts to ameliorate the deplorabie
state of affairs depicted therein, and in the
most direct and explicit fashion renewed
his promise to summon the representatives
Of the people, made the deepest impression
on the delegation. Princes Troubatskoy,
I,yoff and Dolgorkof not only showed by
their manner their delight at the result OF
the audience, but expressed themselves as
fully satisfied with the Imperial dSSui dHSSS.
So far as they are concerned they indicated
that they are now ready to await the full
fiIlment of the emperor's promise, which, 1t
is believed, will not be long delayed
Striking Features of Address.
The address adopted by the Russian
zemstvo and municipal congress assembled
at Moscow was taken to st. Petersburg for
presentation to the emperor by deputa-
ton headed by Count Hayden and NJ
Shipoff, former president of the Moscow
zemstvo. The document in its original form
bids fair to become historic. The custom
ary phrases of respect at the opening and
the closing were omitted and 1t was other
wise unceremonious in employing the direct
personal pronoun. .-
The address arraigned the bureaucracy
and reminded the emperor that his pledge
to convoke a national assembly was slow
of fulfllment 1t said the country was on
the verge of civil war, and even ventured
to criticise a royal measure, contrasting the
increase of the police power by the ukase
issued June 4, with the weakening of the
administrative process. which the country
had been led to expect.
The address urged the summoning Of
national assembly that the war might be
come national or cease, and concluded with
a solemn reminder of the sovereignS duty
to God and the fatherland, and prayer
for action before 1t was too late.