"A special meeting of the Duma!" he cried. "Immediately!"
In the big hall proceedings were halted. "All members of the Duma
for a special meeting!"
"What's the matter?"
"I don't know-going to arrest us-going to dissolve the
Duma-arresting members at the door-" so ran the excited comments.
In the Nicolai Hall there was barely room to stand. The Mayor
announced that troops were stationed at all the doors, prohibiting
all exit and entrance, and that a Commissar had threatened arrest
and the dispersal of the Municipal Duma. A flood of impassioned
speeches from members, and even from the galleries, responded. The
freely-elected City Government could not be dissolved by _any_
power; the Mayor's person and that of all the members were
inviolable; the tyrants, the provocators, the German agents should
never be recognised; as for these threats to dissolve us, let them
try-only over our dead bodies shall they seize this chamber, where
like the Roman senators of old we await with dignity the coming of
the Goths....
Resolution, to inform the Dumas and Zemstvos of all Russia by
telegraph. Resolution, that it was impossible for the Mayor or the
Chairman of the Duma to enter into any relations whatever with
representatives of the Military Revolutionary Committee or with the
so-called Council of People's Commissars. Resolution, to address
another appeal to the population of Petrograd to stand up for the
defence of their elected town government.
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