Journals of the Perm province zemstvo assemblies: on the origin of the historical source

The paper analyzes the process of creating and publishing of the Zemstvo assemblies journals as one of the main clerical sources of Zemstvo institutions. The author analyzes the Perm Zemstvo journals and describes legal foundation for their publishing and the process of recording, censoring and publishing of the journals. The author raises the issues of reliability, completeness and representativeness of the information provided in Zemstvo assembly journals and concludes that it was determined by several facts, such as signatures of vowels, secretaries, chairmen of meetings and commission members on the drafts of the journals in order to control the process of their creation. Zemstvo vowels were aware of their responsibility upon the published material and therefore verified all speeches and opposed the reduction of journals' volumes. The publication of journals for public access was another reason for reliability, because everyone could learn how Zemstvo institutions dis their job and what views had been expressed at the meetings, what vowels had offered to do and what problems they had raised. In addition, journals were created as Zemstvo official documentation, and therefore the preparation of their publication followed a procedure established by law and partly by Zemstvo clerical practice. Although journals could miss some information on the activities of Zemstvos, they appeared to be the most complete and accurate source based on the recording of all statements and speeches.