ADMINISTRATIVE ACnVITmS 1802-1812 79British ships - flying the flag of Teneriffe to preserve appearances and
avoid seizure by the French - entered the harbor' of St. Petersburg.
Russian trade picked up, and the economic revival was soon felt by all
classes. Quite correctly the tariff was interpreted as Russia's "first act
of independence" from France.^1 Naturally, Napoleon was furious, and
the measure contributed to exacerbating feelings, sharpening the
disagreements between the two empires and bringing war nearer.
Speransky's role in the, "first act of independence from France" wasnot known, or conveniently forgotten, by his enemies. It did not spare
him the insults and humiliations which accompanied his fall from
power and exile in 1812. His views and contributions to Russia's
foreign policy in 1810-1812 belie the frequently held conviction that
he was an uncritical advocate of a pro-French orientation. 2 Today,
reading the record carefully and dispassionately, we come out with the
impression that Speransky advised the pursuance of a policy of "contain-
ment" to secure the most advantageous position in preparation for the
inevitable struggle for the survival of Russia. As so often happens in
times of great crisis, when the faith of a country has been seriously
shaken by defeats, when public opinion is in a state of near-panic,
level-headed counsels of caution are interpreted as capitulations to the
enemy or even treason.
This brief account shows that Speransky's administrative activities in
the years 1808 to 1812 were not only numerous but also varied. They
all, however, exemplified a fundamental concern of his: to prepare and
train a good bureaucracy and to guide its actions by clear, well defined
laws, and an orderly administration. Speransky also displayed awareness
of the relationship between domestic needs and imperial problems, as
was manifested in his dealings with Finland and advice on foreign
policy. He left the imprint of these considerations and approach on all
the major aspects of Russian administration. But this was only a part
- and perhaps the less significant part - of his work in those years.
Most of his attention and energies were devoted to a fundamental
reorganization of Russian political life, starting with its central adminis-
trative institutions. It is to this facet of his career that we must turn
now.
1 Vandal, Napoleon et Alexandre I, II, pp. 529-531.
2 Referring to a dispatch of the Austrian ambassador, Schwartzenberg, from St.
Petersburg, Vandal states that Speransky had also been influential in determining
Russia's passive attitude during the Austro-French War (1809), contrary to the
terms of the Franco-Russian Alliance. Ibid.