THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

yourself 1 How can the Area Administrative Office deny them passes? Even the Ministry cannot prevent the Mennonites if they want to move from one province to another.’ When we had finished our discussion, Privy Councillor von Hahn went into his office and wrote a letter to Mr. von Heinrichson in the Ministry of Crown Lands. I delivered this letter on the 26th of April and at the request of the Ministry, I submitted a petition, a copy of which I enclose. On the same day, when I returned to my room, I found a letter from the Ministry of Crown Lands, which I also enclose. On the 28th of April I was again in the First Department of the Ministry of Crown Lands. Mr. von Heinrichson told me that he had looked through my petition and found that I had neglected to say from where the Area Administrative Office was to get the fee for the pass; I would have to change that and add the information. Then I would have to take the pass which had been cut in two, together with my written submission to the Area Administrative Office to the post office, secure a receipt for it from them, and then come with this receipt to the Ministry of Crown Lands. He indicated though that it might also be well to wait awhile; perhaps the Area A dminis trative Office would send me my annual pass in response to my request. However, if the pass was not here by May 23, the Ministry of Crown Lands would order the Area Administrative Office to grant me an annual pass. Mr. Heinrichson added: ‘You have nothing to fear; we have decided to get involved in this issue.’ The men here in this Department simply cannot understand how it is possible for the Area Administrative Office, at a time when all across Russia efforts are made, especially by the Tsar, to give subjected peoples freedom— how in such a time our Area Administrative Office can begin to exercise despotic control and to tyrannize free people. I often do not know what to answer. I am herewith sending my authorization which my officials [givers of authority] will sign. I ask and demand, on the basis of law, that the Area Administrative Office ratify these signatures. His Excellency has assured me that I will then be fully authorized to function. I have told his Excellency many things, but I have not shared the fact that we cannot trust our letters (I have written about twenty and in turn received about that number and exchanged about ten telegrams) to go the direct way via Halbstadt. The reason for this is that with some misgivings I wrote one letter and mailed it by this route, and it did not ever reach my family. For this reason we send our letters about 100 versts south via Berdiansk, through W. Bartel, from where they are privately redirected. I am sending the enclosed documents— the petition addressed to the Ministry of Crown Lands and the directive received Documentary Supplements 367 from them, etc.— so that the Area Administrative Office may see that it is not without reas