93 which might at some future date bring upon them the tsar’s ill will. Pick’s letter also demonstrates that Peter himself was the prime motive force behind the reform, and it is also interesting that Pick described the implementation of the Swedish collegial system as a “kopfbrechende Arbeit,” which may indicate uneasiness about the project’s prospects for success. Pinally noticing the inactivity of the college presidents, Peter instructed Major General laguzhinskii at the beginning of June 1718 to supervise the work of the colleges and to demand monthly reports as to “how far each college has advanced during the month, so that he shall see who is industrious and who does not care about his assignment.” We do not know how laguzhinskii executed his charge, but in November, when work began on the reform of the local administration, the tsar found reason to make the following note: “see how much has been done in the colleges.” This comment seems to indicate that Peter was not kept abreast of the situation in the central administration on a regular basis. All the college staffs had to show for nearly six months’ work in June 1718 were preliminary personnel and salary budgets for seven colleges (that is, all except the admiralty and the college of foreign affairs), which were presented to Peter on June 11.-^^ Nor does it appear that any noticeable progress was made during the second half of 1718; nothing came of Pick’s optimistic plan for drawing up the regulations for the colleges before the end of the year.--*^ Obviously irritated over the slow pace of work, the tsar directed an ukaz to the presidents of the colleges on October 2, 1718, in which they were reproached for having demonstrated laziness in the organization of their colleges. Peter decreed that two days of each week were to be devoted entirely to this task, but the final words of the ukaz indicate that it was difficult to establish the collegial forms for conducting meetings, since Peter emphasized that “he who begins to speak shall not be interrupted by anyone, but rather let him finish, and thereafter the other may speak as suits honorable people, and not as is the manner among market women.” It was impossible, however, to achieve any strict adminlstrative discipline in the colleges at first, for proceedings were often interrupted by arguments and disputes among the members of the individual colleges.222 ZA (no. 271), 225. ZA (no. 64), 68. TsGADA, f. 248 delo 634 1. 178v. ZA (no. 381), 377. ZA (no. 272), 226. Solov’f.v, VIII, 456—459. An ukaz issued to the iustits-kollegiia on June 4, 220
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=