An extraordinary scene was witnessed at the sitting of the
Dump. on Monday, when the abolition of capital punishment was discussed. The statutory month of reference having expired, the Bill came back from the Ministry to the House, and several members of the Government attended to oppose it. After a long and able speech from General Kuzmin- Karavaieff, the Reporter of the Bill, the Minister of Justice and the Chief Naval Procurator opposed it on behalf of the Ministry. They were received with laughter and cries of " Resign !" but when General Pavloff rose to follow them the interruption became a tumult. His association with extreme reactionary measures brought a large part of the audience to their feet with loud cries of "Hangman!" and " Murderer ! " General Pavloff endeavoured for some minutes to gain a hearing, but even his courage failed before the storm of hatred, and, after M. Mouromtseff had endeavoured in vain to secure order, he left the House. When the sitting was resumed, M. Aladin and other members of the Labour group announced that, much as they cherished the right of free speech, they would always refuse to hear General Pavloff. "The rostrum was not a scaffold : it was no place for a hangman." With the principle involved in the abolition of capital penalties we have dealt elsewhere.
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