# Speech at a Meeting in the Presnya District  
July 26, 1918{195}

(Comrade Lenin’s appearance evokes a prolonged ovation. The “Internationale” is performed. Everyone rises.) Comrade Lenin takes the floor and, in a very clear and accessible form, acquaints the audience with the essence of the Soviet Constitution, explaining its fundamental provisions. The Soviets are the highest form of popular rule. The Soviets are not an invention of the mind; they are a product of real actuality. They appeared and grew for the first time in human history in our backward country, but they must objectively become the form of power of the working people throughout the entire world.

All constitutions that have existed until now have stood guard over the interests of the ruling classes. And only the Soviet Constitution serves and will constantly serve the working people and is a mighty instrument in the struggle for the realization of socialism. Comrade Lenin very aptly noted the differences between the demands for “freedom of the press and assembly” in bourgeois constitutions and in the Soviet Constitution. There, freedom of the press and assembly is the exclusive monopoly of the bourgeoisie; there, the bourgeoisie gathers in its salons, puts out its large newspapers, published with the funds of banks, for the purpose of sowing lies and slander and poisoning the consciousness of the popular masses; there, the workers’ press is stifled and is not allowed to speak its word and opinion about the predatory war; opponents of the war are persecuted, their assemblies are banned. Here, in Soviet Russia, the workers’ press exists and serves the working people. In Russia, we take away the luxurious houses and palaces from the bourgeoisie and hand them over to the disposal of the workers, so that they may turn them into their clubs, and this is freedom of assembly in practice. Religion is a private matter. Let each believe in what he wants or in nothing at all. The Soviet Republic unites the working people of all nations and defends the interests of the working people without distinction of nations. The Soviet Republic knows no religious distinctions. It stands outside all religion and strives to separate religion from the Soviet state. Further, Comrade Lenin outlined the grave situation in which Soviet power finds itself, surrounded on all sides by a ring of imperialist predators. Comrade Lenin expresses confidence that the Red Army men will defend our Soviet Republic with all their forces against the encroachments of international imperialism and will preserve it until our ally—the international proletariat—comes to our aid. (With stormy and long-unceasing applause, the meeting unanimously sees off Comrade Lenin’s speech. The “Internationale” is performed.)

First published in 1957 in the journal Kommunist No. 5

Printed from the typewritten copy of the protocol record