17 1910 October, the
A 60-year-old man died in Moscow. Sergey Muromtsev — legal scholar, attorney. One of the founders of constitutional law in Russia. First Chairman of the State Duma.
Who is not a pessimist at 40 years old,
And at 50 - not a misanthrope,
He may be pure in heart,
But he will lie in the coffin as an idiot
Was born in Petersburg in 1850, into a noble family. He had a younger brother and two sisters.
At 8, he moved with his family to Oryol province. Once a week, in the evenings, the Moskovskiye Vedomosti newspaper was read aloud in the dining room.
He loved to play at "government"—the chambers of parliament "held" their sessions in two pavilions in the village garden, and the seven hectares of his estate were divided into provinces and districts. He "published" his own daily newspaper with family news.
He graduated from the Law School of Moscow University. At 25, after attending a course of lectures in Europe, he defended his master's thesis. At 28, he completed his doctorate and became a professor.
He taught, headed the journal “Legal Bulletin”, and published scientific works on Roman law.
He entered politics at 30. He was one of the authors of "Notes on the Internal State of Russia," which proposed new liberal reforms (this work was banned and published in Berlin). Her ideas formed the basis of the "Loris-Melikov Constitution" project, a project of moderate liberal reforms, drawn up shortly before his death. Alexander II.
He received the news of the Tsar's assassination as vice-rector of Moscow University, where he was criticized for his overly "conciliatory" stance toward student unrest.
At 34, he entered the legal profession. He had a reputation as a principled defender: if he doubted the credibility of a case, he would refuse to defend it, even for a large fee.
He served six terms as a member of the Moscow City Duma. In 1904, he delivered a speech calling for support for the idea of convening a people's representative body.
One of the founders of the Cadet Party. He worked on the draft of the "Basic Law of the Russian Empire."
We are approaching an age of freedom and democracy. In this state of society, each individual is called upon to guard both freedom and equality, for there is no force that can create them for a person when their awareness is alien to him.
— Watchman, is dawn near?
It's still dark, but morning is near.
(Muromtsev's favorite saying)
In 1906, he was elected Chairman of the First State Duma. After his election, he delivered his first and last speech in the Duma.
A great undertaking is being accomplished; the will of the people is being expressed in the form of a well-functioning, permanent legislative institution. This great undertaking imposes upon us a great feat, calling us to great labor. Let us wish for each other and ourselves that we all have the strength to bear this burden for the good of the people who elected us, for the good of the Motherland.
After the Duma's dissolution—it lasted only 72 days—he signed the "Vyborg Appeal" along with other Kadet deputies. He proposed passive resistance to the authorities (not paying taxes or joining the military).
Those elected by the population, instead of working on legislative development, have deviated into an area that does not belong to them and have turned to investigating the actions of local authorities appointed by Us, and to pointing out to Us the imperfections of the Fundamental Laws
(Manifesto of Nicholas II on the dissolution of the Duma, July 9, 1906)
Citizens! Stand firm for the trampled rights of popular representation, stand for the State Duma.
(Vyborg Appeal)
In 1908, he was sentenced to three months in prison. He was expelled from the nobility and stripped of his right to practice law. On the day of his release, his colleagues presented him with a silver bell engraved with the words, "Let the executive power be subordinate to the legislative power."
He died suddenly of a heart attack at the National Hotel—he'd rented a room to make room for his visiting daughter. Thousands attended his funeral.
Russian constitutional history begins with his name.
(newspaper "Russkie Vedomosti")
