ging that they had not
of themselves any original right to try such a question, the Czar
himself, according to the ancient constitution of the empire, having
sole and exclusive jurisdiction in all such affairs, without being
beholden to his subjects in regard to them in any manner whatever; but,
nevertheless, as the Czar had deemed it expedient to refer it to them,
they accepted the responsibility, and, after having fully investigated
the case, were now ready to pronounce judgment.

They then proceeded to declare that, after a full hearing and careful
consideration of all the evidence, both oral and written, which had
been laid before them, including the confessions of Alexis himself,
they found that he had been guilty of treason and rebellion against his
father and sovereign, and deserved to suffer death.

"And although," said the council, in continuation, "although, both
before and since his return to Russia, the Czar his father had promised
him pardon on certain conditions, yet those conditions were
particularly and expressly specified, especially the one which provided
that he should make a full and complete confession of all his designs,
and of the names of all the persons who had been privy to them or
concerned in the execution of them. With these conditions, and
particularly the last, Alexis had not complied, but had returned
insincere and evasive answers to the questions which had been put to
him, and had concealed not only the names of a great many of the
principal persons that were involved in the conspiracy, but also the
most important designs and intentions of the conspirators, thus making
it appear that he had determined to reserve to himself an opportunity
hereafter, when a favorable occasion should present itself, of resuming
his designs and putting his wicked enterprise into execution against
his sovereign and father. He thus had rendered himself unworthy of the
pardon which his father had promised him, and had forfeited all claim
to it."

The sentence of the council concluded in the following words:

"It is with hearts full of affliction and eyes streaming down with
tears that we, as subjects and servants, pronounce this sentence,
considering that, being such, it does not belong to us to enter into a
judgment of so great importance, and particularly to pronounce sentence
against the son of the most mighty and merciful Czar our lord.
However, since it has been his will that we should enter into jud