236 GOVERNING RUSSIA'S PROVINCES
officials, important or responsible tasks. They could only copy papers
and file reports. As a result, the governor had to do almost everything
himself, while at the same time he himself was weighted down with a
welter of useless paper work.
There was very little a well-intentioned governor could hope to ac-
complish in improving these conditions appreciably. At most, he could
try to get things to run smoothly, to clear up the backlog of matters
submitted for his decision or pending in lower courts. He could see to
it that his subordinates committed no flagrant abuses. Lastly, if allow-
ed to stay in the province long enough, he might inspire confidence
and sympathy to the local nobility and thereby obtain their willing
cooperation. Speransky decided to devote himself to this limited pro-
gram of "small deeds" after he had taken stock of the situation.
Sending his daughter to St. Petersburg to complete her education
under the supervision of his old friend, Mrs. Weickardt (Mrs. Stephens,
his mother-in-law, having died not long before), Speransky set out
alone to his new post. Though most of them proved superfluous,
friendly suggestions were not slow in reaching the new governor from
former colleagues and acquaintances. Remembering that his disgrace in
1812 had - at least in part - been due to the nobility'S opposition to
some of his measures, his friends impressed upon him the necessity of
gaining the favorable disposition of the local nobility. But Speransky
himself was well aware of this; he intended to do everything in his
power to make his administration a complete success. Not only did he
wish to confer the benefits of good government on the province en.-
trusted to his care, he also wanted to create a good impression in St.
Petersburg. After all, his major goal was still to obtain permission to
return to the capital.
Once again his tact and ability to get along with people stood him
in good stead. At first, the local authorities and nobility received him
rather coldly and without hiding their distrust. The nobles in par-
ticular were afraid that he might favor the peasantry at their expense.
But Speransky was tactful, cautious, patient, and took great pains to
avoid head-on clashes with any group or individual. Fortunately, he
found valuable help and alliance in the influential Stolypin family, the
father and brothers of his old-time friend, Senator A. A. Stolypin. Very
soon after his arrival Speransky had the opportunity to prove that he
was not unmindful of the interests of the nobles and that he would
not suffer violence or lawlessness, whatever their reasons or source. In
imitation of serfs in a neighboring province, peasants of an outlying