An Imperial Decree dissolving the Duma was published in the early hours of yesterday morning at St. Petersburg. Earlier in the night seven of the deputies charged with conspiracy were arrested. The Duma Committee, which sat on Saturday, hearing the evidence against the 55 accused deputies, felt that a large amount of that evidence required verification, and postponed its decision over the week-end. Thus the Government took the final step without waiting for the Committee╒s decision.
With the Ukase was published an Imperial Manifesto, in which the Tsar justified the dissolution of the Duma on the twofold ground that it was unable to co-operate with the Government in appeasing the country and that a section of its members were plotting against the Throne.
