Page "Mikhail Speransky" Paragraph 8

On the eve of the struggle with Napoleon, Alexander, conscious of his unpopularity, conceived the idea of making Speransky his scape-goat, and so conciliating that Old Russian sentiment which would be the strongest support of the autocratic tsar against revolutionary France.

Speransky's own indiscretions gave the final impulse.

He was surrounded with spies who reported, none too accurately, the ministers somewhat sharp criticisms of the emperor's acts ; he had even had the supreme presumption to advise Alexander not to take the chief command in the coming campaign.