The History of a Town by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin

Author:M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin [Saltykov-Shchedrin, M. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781784975418
Publisher: Head of Zeus

The Period of Release from Wars

In 1802 Negodyaev fell. He fell, according to the chronicler, because of his disagreement with Novosiltsev and Stroganov54 on the question of a constitution. But this would seem to be only a plausible pretext, for it can scarcely be supposed that Negodyaev would have refused to introduce a constitution if his superiors had seriously demanded it of him. Negodyaev was one of the so-called ‘fledgling’ school of administrators, who did not care a button what they introduced. In view of this, the real reason for his dismissal most likely lay in the fact that he had at one time been a stoker in Gatchina, and so to some extent represented the democratic principles of that place.55 Besides this, the authorities evidently realized that the wars of enlightenment, which had then become wars against enlightenment, had left Glupov so exhausted that there was a palpable need for the town to have some respite from wars altogether for a time. That the suggestion relating Negodyaev’s fall to the constitutional question was no more than a baseless rumour is proved, first, by the most recent researches on the subject, and secondly, by the fact that Negodyaev was replaced as town-governor by the Circassian Mikaladze, who scarcely had any clearer notion of constitutions than Negodyaev.

Of course, it must be admitted that efforts to embody the constitutional principle were made, but this apparently meant nothing more than that the police inspectors improved their manners to the extent that some people at least were allowed to pass without being grabbed by the collar. This was the only constitutional measure considered possible in the then immature state of society. The prime object was to accustom people to courteous treatment, and only then, when their characters had been softened, would they be given what are supposed to be ‘real’ rights. In theory, of course, this view is perfectly correct. On the other hand, there is the no less acceptable view which says that, however attractive the theory of courteous treatment might be, by itself it gives absolutely no guarantee against the sudden intrusion of the theory of discourteous treatment (as was later shown by the appearance of such a person as Ugryum-Burcheev on the historical scene), and that, therefore, if we really wish to establish courteous treatment on a lasting basis, we must still first provide people with what are supposed to be ‘real’ rights. And this, in turn, proves how unreliable theories are in general, and how sensible are those military commanders who put no trust in them.

The new town-governor saw this, and consequently set out to win the Glupovites’ hearts by the single means of elegant manners. Though he was an officer, he paid no attention to matters of uniform, and even spoke with bitterness on the subject of discipline. He always went about with his coat unbuttoned, presenting an alluring view of his snowy-white piqué waistcoat and turned-back collars. He liked to offer his left hand to his subordinates, he

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