You will see that the opinion which I ventured to express in my No. 226, and
previously in my No. 221, that the Russian Government was sincerely desirous
of putting a stop to all violence towards the Jews, is borne out by this
circular.
[Inclosure in No. 241.—Translation from the
Journal de St. Petersbourg, June 12–24, 1882.]
Circular of the minister of the interior to the
government, June 9–21, 1882, relative to
measures to be taken to prevent disorders which might break out
against the Israelites.
The regulations of the committee of ministers approved by His Majesty the
Emperor the 3d May last set forth:
That it must be brought to the public knowledge that the government has
resolved to pursue with inflexibility all violence exercised against the
person and the property
[Page 455]
of the
Israelites, who are under the protection of the laws, common in this
respect to all the population, by the same right as to those of the
other subjects of His Majesty the Emperor. That the competent provincial
authorities must be informed that the charge belongs to their
responsibility of the measures now to be taken with a view to avoid
occasions of similar disorders and to put a stop to them as soon as they
may break out; and for all negligence in this respect on the part of the
administrative authorities and of the police, when they might have, but
have not, taken the trouble to prevent acts of violence, those who have
been guilty will be relieved of their functions.
The publication of this expression of the imperial will has unfortunately
been provoked on several occasions by disorders which have been renewed
in different localities of the empire, accompanied by violence against
the Israelite population.
Such disorders, which, as a result, cause individuals to lose, without
distinction of race and religion, the certainty of the security of their
persons and of their property, prove the insufficiency of the guaranty
of the regular and peaceable course of public life, and deprive the
government of the possibility of devoting itself solely to a capital
question, and just now of special importance, viz, to harmonize the
activity of all governmental and social institutions and direct it
towards the determined and clearly defined object of the
re-establishment of tranquillity and order, which are the only sure
guarantees of the ulterior development of public security and
tranquillity. With this aim, the regulations of the committee of
ministers not only invite the competent authorities to take peremptory
measures to prevent the manifestation of all acts of violence, but
points out in addition the necessity of relieving from their functions
persons who may be guilty of any negligence in this respect.
In calling the most serious attention of the governors of the provinces
to the punctual and inflexible execution of the imperial will expressed
by the committee of ministers, I think proper on my side to explain, in
development of the fundamental idea, that violence and arbitrariness
cannot be justified by any inciting causes; that for this reason the
adoption of effective measures to be taken to prevent and arrest
disorders rests upon the personal responsibility of the governors; and
that every manifestation of local disorder will, as its inevitable
consequence, render also legally responsible all the functionaries whose
duty was the immediate charge of preventing disorders.
Not judging it possible to give here anymore direct instructions relative
to the means of attaining the above-mentioned end, considering that, on
one side, these means are indicated by the law itself, and that on the
other the choice to make among them when it is a question of applying
them. depends upon accidental circumstances, temporary and local, I have
the conviction that the governors of the provinces will carry out all
the requirements clearly established by the imperial will, and will
fully justify my hopes on this subject by pursuing on their side,
without the least hesitation, all negligence of the
authorities.—[Official Messenger.]
