The Russian Duma has conducted itself throughout the week. with
remarkable discretion. On Friday week the Address was agreed to, with certain amendments. On the land question the Deputies were unanimous in favour of expropriation, as against the Socialist proposal of confiscation. Nor were the Socialists able to get their proposal for an eight hours day inserted. The Address also declared for Ministerial responsibility, and for a general amnesty in favour of. political offenders. The House cheered the denunciation of political crimes by M. Stakhovitch, but refused to accept Count Heyden's amendment condemning assassination, on the ground that it was not a cause but a result, and would die with the removal of the cause. The Address was to be pre- sented by the President to the Czar in person; but the Czar, urged by some of the more pedantic members of his entourage, refused to grant the audience, and insisted that the Address should be sent in the usual. way with an explanatory Memorandum. The Duma took the affront with admirable temper. Although some of the peasant Members at the sitting on Monday were inclined to make it a grievance, a dignified Resolution was ultimately passed that " the Imperial Duma, considering .that the importance of the Address lies in its substance, and .not in its method of transmission, passes on to the Order of the Day."
