The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-05-15
FIRST PARLIAMENT
OPENED BY THE CAR
New Era For Russia Begun In
Perfect Order.
ST. PETERSBURG's GALA DAY

Nicholas ". Promises That RE vii
Uphold the institutions and Tells
the Representatives That They
Must Assist Him.
st. Petersburg, Russia.-For the first
time in her history Russia saw her
Gar address, )even welcome, a convoca-
ton of representatives elected by her
people to legislate for them.
Nothing occurred to mar the day
which must become historic as the one
on which Nicholas IL. opened the
Duma.
1t was half-hoIiday, the weather
was perfect, the city was gayly deco
rated, flags few everywhere, church
bells rang.
The array Of troops was tremendous.
Outside the Winter Palace the people
could not see the Gear through walls of
uniforms.
The Car came from Peterhof and
with his wife and mother went to the
cathedral Of st. Peter and Paul, where
the dust of the Romanoffs lies. Be-
fore his ancestors tombs the family
knelt and prayed.
No more brilliant, Theatre scene was
ever presented probably than that in
st. Georges Hall, when the Gear
mounted the throne to read his speech
to the Duma. The hall was crowded
with an assemblage gIittering with
gold lace and sparkling with orders.
The workingmen and peasant members
of the House of Representatives
formed the only sombre group.
The Gar in a firm steady voice,
read a speech.
He said: The Supreme Providence
moved me to call to my assistance in
legislative work elected representatives
of the people. In the expectation of a
brilliant future for Russia, greet in
your persons the best men from the
Empire, whom my beloved subjects
chose from among themselves. A diff
ticult work lies before you. l trust that
love for your Fatherland and your
earnest desire to serve it will inspire
and unite you. l shall keep inviolate
the institutions which / have granted.
After the speech the silence was
broken by a loud cheer, which was
drowned in the strains of the national
anthem, "God Save the Gar"
Many of the peoples chosen repre-
sentatives were sullen and silent. For
the Gar had uttered no word of am
nesty for political prisoners.
The Car and his family at once re-
turned to Peterhof.
Members Of the House of Represen-
tatives boarded steamer and went to
their own chamber in the Tauride Pal
ace, where they reaffirmed, with
enthusiastic cheers, their determina-
ton, as expressed by Professor Mou
romtzeff, in returning thanks for his
election to the Presidency of the House,
ssto support their work for the well be
ing of the people on two bases, name
ly, respect for the prerogative of the
constitution, and the necessity for COM
plotting the rights of the Duma."
In this assemblage there were noble
men and other men of high station in
evening dress sitting beside simple
peasants or workingmen in the cos
tunes of shops or villages, turbaned
Mussulmans and Buddhists from Box
hara, idolators from the Kirghiz
steppes. orthodox priests III black cas-
socks, Catholic bishops in purple cas-
socks, Circassians, Armenians and Tar
tars from the Caucasus, Jews from the
Pale, Buriants from Central Asia,
Lithuanians and Esthonians from the
Baltic Provinces; most of them in their
national dress.
To this motley assemblage Baron
Friseh read an imperial ukase convok-
ing the Duma and asking the Represen-
tatives to step forward and sign the
oath.
Professor Mouromtzeff, candidate of
the Constitutional Democrats. was
elected President of the House, by 426
votes to Z, amid tremendous cheering.
Ivan Petrunkevitch, whom the Gar
told twelve years ago that national
assembly was an impossibility,
aroused the House to frenzy by deciar-
ing that the first words pronounced in
an assembly Of representatives Of the
Russian people should be freedom and
a demand for amnesty for those who
have fought for the cause,
The enthusiasm was renewed when
the President practically told the minor
Government officials who lined the
walls that they had no business there,
and ordered them to leave. The cheer
ing continued while the crest-fallen in
truders walked out of the hall.
After a session of an hour and half
the House adjourned.
The Dumas opening was celebrated
all over Russia. But in Warsaw, the
men in many factories quit work as a
protest against the limited powers of
the Duma.