Municipal self-governing management in Volyn gubernia in the first half of the 19th century

Abstract

During the first of the 19^th century rather different system of municipal governing in Volyn gubernia had been formed. It was caused by the political and economic peculiarities of the region.

Magistrates and municipal self-governing bodies existed and operated only in the uyezd towns and were maintained from the town income according to the regulations and privileges. They consisted of the President and five-eleven municipal aldermen, which were elected by the town dwellers for three years term.

All the town dwellers, including merchants, petty bourgeois, “citizens” and “free men” (both Christians and Jews), subordinated to uyezd magistrate in legal and economic affairs. The appeal institution for magistrate was the Volyn Chamber of the Civil Court.

Novograd-Volynsky was the only town, where both Duma and magistrate worked since 18^th century. Their jurisdiction, concerned only those, who belonged to town strata of population, living in such towns as Zaslav, Staroconstantynov, Rovno, Ostrog, which had no self-governing bodies. Those towns had no town incomes and could not support and maintain their own magistrates.

Social-political situation in Volyn gubernia had changed after November revolt in 1830. The central government undertook important measures to delete the distinguishing features in gubernia, uyezd and town governing in the south-western regions. Functioning of the Lithuanian Status and Sejm constitutions was abolished.

The problem of liquidation of magistrates as judicial bodies and assigning their powers to uyezd courts was hotly debated in 30–40-ies of the 19^th century. It was suggested to elect Dumas only, as the main bodies for governing the town economy. But in Volyn gubernia uyezd magistrates continued to execute their judicial and economy-management function till 1860-ies (except Zhytomyr).