810 SPERANSKY AND THE DECEMBRISTSits would-be "dictator". Prince Trubetskoi. declared: "One would have
had to force the Senate to appoint a Provisional Governing Duma and
see that among its members be included persons respected in Russia,
for example Mordvinov or Speransky." But, as the Prince hastened to
add. "I did not say that Mordvinov or Speransky belonged secretly to
any society. I truthfully do not know anything about it and do not
think that such was the case." 1 The very fact that Speransky was
considered a candidate for a provisional revolutionary government was
sufficient evidence to lead the Emperor to suspect much closer and active
ties between Privy Councillor Speransky and the Decembrists. This
point Nicholas had to clarify fully before he would call Speransky to
active government work, 2It was natural for Speransky to have known many members of the
Northern Society, in some cases even quite intimately. After all, most
of the leading conspirators had been prominent in St. Petersburg
·society as members of the military and civil services. Nicholas A.
Bestuzhev was acquainted with Speransky socially, visited his house, and
took part in the soirees organized by Speransky's daughter.^3 The fiery
revolutionary poet, K. Ryleev, was employed by the Russian-American
Trading Company. Speransky made his acquaintance while participating
in the discussions of the new statute for the company.4 Other casual
meetings with Decembrists could be mentioned, and many probably
took place without leaving a record.
But the most important direct link between the Decembrists and
Speransky was Lieutenant Colonel Batenkov, who had been Speransky's
chief assistant in Siberia. Speransky took Batenkov back with him to
St. Petersburg to make use of his talents and knowledge in drafting
the Siberian statutes. After completion of this task, Batenkov was
transferred to the Military Colonies Administration under Arakcheev
to whom Speransky had strongly recommended him. But even after
joining Arakcheev's staff, Batenkov continued to live in Speransky's
house. Batenkov played a prominent role in the Northern Society.
Through Batenkov the Decembrists hoped to reach Speransky and to
enroll his support and even collaboration. The importance the Decem-
brists attached to Batenkov's connection with Speransky can be inferred
from the statement Kakhovskii sent from prison to General Benkendorf
(dated May 14, 1826). Kakhovskii - himself a leading member and one
1 Yosstanie dekabristo'V, I, p. 159.
2 S. Trubetskoi, Zapiski (St. Pbg. 1906), pp. 57 ff.
a "Zapiski M. A. Bestuzheva," Russkaia Starina, vol. 112 (1881), p. 610.
4 Murav'ev, "Ideia vremennogo pravitel'stva," loe. cit. p. 77.