The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-29
Greeting from the Prisons.

Inc deputies Lnen embark Oh small
steamboats, and start up the Neva to the
their assembly. Every one is thinking
of the one word which was expected in
the throne speech and which was not
there-amnesty. The steamboats, are
passing the prisons when suddenly from
all the prison windows appear hands
waving white handkerchiefs. They
are the unfortunate comrades who are
suffering the penalty for their struggle
for freedom, but who are able to greet
the friendns who are going to come to
the friends who are going to come to
answer. The peasants burst out cry
ing, and many find it hard to keep back
the tears The word which is in every
man s mind is heard from the prison
windows-amnesty.
"The deputies drive from the quay to
the Tauride palace. Thousands are
crowded in the streets. and again the
word on ever!ybody,s lips is amnesty:
without having demanded amnesty. We
cannot understand what this word
means to the Russian-.70,000 arrests in
the last three months, over 100000
friends sitting in prison because they
were not afraid to fight for liberty.
Crowds in the Streets.
"The crowd becomes So dense that
the deputies canont pass. The mount
conflict is imminent But the officer
does an unheard of thing. He appeals
to the crowd and asks them to make a
passage themselves. 1t Is done imme-
diately, and as the deputies file thru,
| the same cry of amnesty is thrown at
each one.
"After the religious service in the
douma and the taking Of the oath, they
proceeded to elect the president. By
is elected. Then Petrunkevite asks for
the floor and in short, :forcible speech
says that he wants the first word
spoken in the free parliament to be a
word for freedom-for amnesty. He
had expressed formally. the thought of
every member Of the douma, of every
person crowded outside, the palace, of
all those whose thoughts were then
centered on that gathering.
'""The president s speech INDICATED the
road the douma wishes to follow, and
will follow respect for the prerega
tives of the constitutional monarch =
the complete realization of the rights
Of the imperial douma, ri gifts result
ing from the very nature of representa-
tion Of the people.
Clerks Ordered Out.
EThere was significant incident
lust before the adjourning Of the as
sembly. In the body Of the doums
scattered among the deputies and stand
ing at the back against the wall were
some fifty uniformed functionaries
members of the chanceries who had as
sisted in the seating Of the douma, the
administering of the oath, and othe1
functions. They were still Staying >
loath to give way before this new power
which had Just come into the field" Blu
the president announced that as Ions
; as there were on the floor people wht
did not belong there, he could not pro
coed with the order of the meeting
"Most of the 3outsiders' left imme
diately, but a few did not stir. Again
they were invited to leave, and tn,
president added that his orders as presii
dent must be obeyed. When the .unwel
come element had finally been disposed
Of, the hour for the next meeting wa
set and the first meeting Of Russia
first representative legislative assembl,
was adjourned.
"The cheers for the deputies as the,
: came out with the word amnesty t.
, announce are wild. Many deputies ar
carried down the street on the shout
ders of the crowd. The people STAN
/ around until the last deputy has com
:. out. In the evening they gather aroun
the club Of the constitutional democrat
, and are addressed from the balcony. b.
Radichev and other leaders. The polio
} look on, but no not Interfere