New-York tribune., 1905-06-09

st Petersburg June e-Ths voice OF the aeie-
rates of the zemstvos and the Hiuhicipt'' -.
demanding IN no uncertain Tone tne iiN
convocation of national assembly 10 pass va
the question of peace or war. to heai lii'"i
.,,i,. and to unite the people for the re1uVena-
tor, of Russia will be heard In the ADDRESS
sdopted by the All-Russian ZemstVo cong ie's
.t Nroscorr which deputation. headed by Count
FJavden and NJ Shipor. is bringing TO present
TO the Emperor The document BIDS ialF 20 pe
come historic. The customary phrases VI re-
spect at the opening and closing are oiii'teo'
and 1T is otherwise unceremonious employing
the direct personal pronoun.
The address arraigns the bureaucracy and re-
minds the Emperor that his pledge to conVoKe
q national assembly is slow OF fulllmenI II
saws the country is on the verge of civil war,
and even ventures to criticise royal measure
contrasting the increase Of the police power py
the ukase issued last Sunday with a weakening
of ,he administrative process which the country
had been led to expect.
The address urges the sunnoning of ma
,ional assembly TO decide whether the war shall
become national or cease, and closes with SOL
euan reminder of the sovereigns. duty TO Goa
and the fatherland, and prayer for action be-
fore il is too late
Extracts from the address. which is long
document, follow:
Sire, Russia has been drawn into disastrous
war by criminal abuses and the negligence OF
,,our rounsellors Our army is powerless ana
our feet has been annihiated, but more menac-
ing than this exterior peril is the prospect OF a
civil war waged by your people against all the
vices OF dangerous and ignorant bureaucracy.
II is declared that the Emperor's intentions OF
reform have been distorted and have miscar-
ried while the police have had unrestricted
power. It adds:
Martial law has been declared. and the path to
enable the truth to reach you is barred TO your
subjects Sire. before it is too late for
the welfare Of Russia command conVocation OF
representatives OF the nation. elected by equai
franchise and let these elected representatives
decide with you the vital question OF war OF
peace thus Transforming the war into naliorlai
one Let them establish in agreement
with you a renovated national organization
Sire do not delay. Great is your respon-
sibiiity before God and before Russia IN this
terrible hour Of national trial
The address will not be published in the news
papers, but its contents will be spread with the
mysterious rapidity characteristic Of Russia
Throughout the address the word majesty is
not used and there is not single conventional
expression of loyalty.
There is intense interest TO learn whether the
Emperor will receive the bearers Of so bold
message couched in terms such as have never
before been used between the Emperor and his
subjects The address is buttressed with
stream of petitions from individual zemstvos
and municipalities.
The douuaa. of nearly all the principal cities
have addressed the throne, praying that the
representatives. of the people be summoned at
once
St Petersburg, June SIT was learned to-day
that Ambassador Meyers audience with En-
peror Nicholas yesterday was preceded by a
family council at Tsarskoe-Selo at which, it is
understood, the decision reached that peace
possible If Japans conditions were not too
onerous
This cannot be officially confirmed however,
snd doubt is cast upon ii by a prominent Of
fetal, who declares that the council was mainly
composed Of high army and naval officers and
the discussion was devoted to ways and means
Of prosecuting instead of ending the war.
Evidence exists that President Roosevelt has
secured the support OF several Continental
powers. and that at the proper time they will
appear at his back The interest with which
the moves in Washington being followed is
shown by the manner in which the Ambassadors
and Ministers who learned Of Mr. Meyers audi
ence with Emperor Nicholas yesterday f1ocked
TO the American Embassy to-day in search of
information The situation seems to be so deli