File No. 861.00/287
The Russian Ambassador to
the Secretary of State
[Translation]
Russian Embassy,
Washington
,
March 18, 1917
.
Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor to
transmit herewith a copy of a communication which I have just received
from the Minister of Foreign Affairs at Petrograd.
I take this occasion to renew [etc.]
[Inclosure—Translation]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to the Russian
Ambassador
The news sent forth by the telegraphic agency of Petrograd has
already apprized you of the late events and fall of the former
political régime in Russia which lamentably collapsed before the
popular indignation aroused by its shiftlessness, abuses and
criminal improvidence. The unanimity of resentment created among all
the sound elements of the Nation by the order of things now removed
perceptibly lightened and shortened the crisis. All these elements
having with admirable enthusiasm rallied under the flag of the
revolution and the army having given it speedy and effective
support, the national movement has in not more than eight days
gained a decisive victory. This quick achievement happily made it
possible to reduce the number of victims to proportions unknown in
the, annals of so far reaching and momentous upheavals. By an act
dated in Tskow March 2/15, 1917, Emperor Nicholas II renounced the
throne for himself and the heir Grand Duke Alexis Nicolaevitch in
favor of Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch. Upon being notified of
that act, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch by an Act dated in
Petrograd March 3/16, 1917, in turn declined to exercise the Supreme
Power until a Constituent Assembly created on the basis of universal
suffrage shall have established” the form of Government and the new
fundamental law of Russia. By the same Act Grand Duke Michael
Alexandrovitch bade the Russian citizens, pending the final
manifestation of the will of the Nation, to bow to the authority of
the Provisional Government constituted on the initiative of the Duma
of the State and wielding full power. The composition of the
Provisional Government and its political program have been published
and forwarded to foreign lands. That Government which assumes power
during the gravest foreign and domestic crisis experienced by Russia
in her history is fully conscious of the immense responsibility that
rests upon it. It will give its very first attention to remedying
the grievous shortcomings it inherited from the past, to insuring
order and tranquility in the country, to preparing in fine the
requisite conditions for a free expression of the sovereign will of
the Nation as to its future fate. In the field of foreign policies,
the Cabinet in which I have taken the portfolio of Minister for
Foreign Affairs will continue to respect the international
undertakings made by the [Page 1207]
fallen régime and will redeem Russia’s word. We shall carefully
cultivate the relations which bind us to the other friendly and
allied nations and we are confident that those relations will grow
more intimate and stronger under the new regime established in
Russia, which has determined to be guided by the democratic
principles of respect due to people, whether small or great, the
freedom of their development and the good understanding among
nations.
Petrograd
,
March 5/18, 1917
.
