Page:Statesman's handbook for Russia (IA statesmanshandbo00russrich).pdf/15



Unity has always constituted the basis of the power and stability of the Russian Empire. The kingdom of Poland, an inseparable part of that Empire, consists of territories, which, prior to their annexation, did not form a special state. Even the boundaries of Poland were till then undefined. The Vienna Congress called the inhabitants of the Polish territories, annexed to Russia—Russian subjects, and left it to the Russian Emperor to establish the organization of these territories. The Polish territories were annexed to Russia on June 20, and the Constitution of the kingdom of Poland was granted by the Emperor Alexander I only on December 25, 1815. After the insurrection of 1830, namely in 1831, this constitution was repealed and, after the revolt of 1863, the complete incorporation of the Polish Governments with the other provinces of the Empire was effected.

The unity of the Empire is in no way impaired by the independence of the institutions, granted to the Finns by the Russian Emperors. Before being annexed to Russia, Finland did not exist as an independent State. Its present territory was divided between Sweden and