Ukase 24.134. of 1810 concerning the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Source: Polnoe Sobranie Zakonov Volume 31 page 74 - The British Library Ref: SN142 (1810)
Translation © British Association of the Russian Grand Priory of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Translated by : Tatiana Azzopardi - Russian Translator - Malta.

Ukase (The Order) 24.134 - February 26th, 1810:-
The Imperial order given to General Field Marshal Count Saltikov - About the way of financing the Order of St John of Jerusalem.

"...Count Nicholaj Ivanovich! We hope you are informed about the intentions of the Finance Committee concerning the Order of St John of Jerusalem. Under the authority given to Us, We will do our best to let the Order continue its activities and, having recognised the necessity, we would like to settle the questions connected with its funds in accordance with the following rules:
1. The members of the Order who used to be paid according to the list, should be paid from the profits of the State Treasury. No new appointments are to be added.
2. No other obligations (Responcia) are to be paid and the funds should be placed at the disposal of the State Treasury.
3. The officials who are now receiving a salary from the Order, should be paid from the State Treasury and should be found a place to serve at the first opportunity.
4. The Family Commanders should remain for the time being until a decision is taken about their future.
5. All the expenses connected with the maintenance and running of the Order should be paid from the State Treasury, as mentioned above, and the funds which had been allocated to both Priories of the Order should be held under the responsibility of the Treasury.
6. The Funds of the Order held in the Bank and Education House as stated in the Manifest of February 2nd should be placed under the responsibility of the State Treasury.
7. The House of the Order, like the rest of the property belonging to the Order should be taken by the State Treasury. To comply with these regulations, the Minister of Finance has been ordered together with you (Count Saltikov) and Count Litta to put in order everything concerning the maintenance of the Order and the relevant bills, close all pending items and deposit all the possessions of the Order in the State Treasury."

NOTES:
This Ukase secularises the property of the Order. It did not suppress the Order as some writers seek to claim. The text understands, and states, that the Order was to continue ("We will do our best to let the Order continue its activities") - its members who were paid by the Order would now be paid from the State Treasury (Section 1.). Its Officials hitherto drawing their salary from the Order, would be paid by the Treasury until such times as they could be given Jobs by the State, to justify their income. The issue of Hereditary Commanders and the property they enjoyed was left for later deliberation - see .

Certainly the Ukases of 1810 and 1811, are not Acts of Suppression, the former being a sequestration of property by the State, the latter a severance of the Commanderies in Russia (within the Russian Grand Priory) from the Order, allowing the Commanders to own the Commanderies. Both Ukases make it clear that the Order continued.

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