PLANS OF REFORM 147The main purpose of Speransky is to provide some means by which
responsible public opinion can obtain some hearing and by which it
may assist the judiciary. Every three years, each township (volosf)
conducts elections to a Township Duma (i.e. Assembly). Active and
passive voting rights depend on property qualifications, property
meaning here ownership of real estate. The Township Duma elects a
Township Administration (pravlenie), audits the accounts of taxes
collected and spent by the administration for Township needs, writes
petitions and reports to the higher authorities, elects deputies to the
District (uezd) Duma. The uezd deputies elected by the Township
Dumas meet every three years in a District Duma, in the district
capital. The functions of the District Duma are similar to those of
the Township Dumas, only on a higher level; but in addition, the
District Dumas elect the members of the District Court. Deputies chosen
by District Dumas meet every three years in a Provincial (gubernskaia)
Duma which elects the members of the Provincial Council (sovet),
audits the accounts of taxes collected and spent, drafts petitions to the
central government on the needs of the province. We cannot stress
enough that meeting only once every three years, none of the various
Dumas has the right (or possibility) to legislate or issue regulations
for the local administration. The Dumas act primarily as advisory
bodies which keep informed of the administration's designs and present
opinions and petitions to the executive heads - appointed by the
central authorities - of the Township, District, or Province. The
petitions and desiderata of the Dumas can be forwarded to the higher
authorities only through these appointed executive officials.^1
The pyramid of Dumas is crowned by a State Duma (Duma of the
Empire - gosudarstvennaia duma). The State Duma meets once every
year in September, without special convocation, and stays in session
as long as its agenda requires it. It has equal status with the Senate
and the Ministries. The session of the State Duma can be terminated
by adjournment upon completion of all its business, or by order of the
Sovereign power, or by the Emperor's dismissal of all members and
their replacement by candidates selected from lists prepared by the
Provincial Dumas. Barring a general dismissal of all members, Duma
membership is for life. Deceased members (or those disqualified by
court decision for some criminal act) are replaced by appointment of
candidates from among those nominated by the Provincial Dumas. 2
1 Plan 1809, pp. 73-77.
2 Oddly enough, Speransky did not specify by what method the members of the
first Duma would be selected and called together, nor is he very clear on how a
Duma will be selected if the previous one is dismissed by the Emperor.