Great October Series: Remembering the Romanov's...Reactions are equal to Actions

On January 22, 1905...Tsar Nicholas II uncle Russian Grand Duke Vladimir held the post of military commandant in the St. Petersburg district.  It was he who commanded the troops on what would become infamously known as "Red Sunday"...
Thousands of unarmed Russian Citizens; men, women, children...led by Father Gapon marched to the Winter Palace to present the Tsar with a petition...all held an idea of the glorious and glowing phrase:
                                               "Russia must and shall be free"

Thought to be protected by the all the Priests robes...Prince Vladimir gave the order to fire! to shoot them all down!  And the troops did just that...indiscriminately massacring those who peacefully called upon the Tsar and his Government to grant the population the following...civic freedom of conscience, speech, union, and association.   An ode to the event was published...
                                                                  "Vladimir's Day"
                                                                (January 22, 1905)

 

                                            They asked but for the right to live, and he,
                                            The recent weakling whose Imperial sway
                                            Spreads from the Baltic pines to far Cathay-
                                            From Ind unto the uttermost frozen sea-
                                            This Lord of serfs unnumbered, whose decree
                                            Throughout his realm none questioned, fled away
                                            Leaving his barbarous, serried hosts to slay
                                            Those who besought him but to make them free!

                                            Thou craven Father of the thy People, go!
                                            Hide thou fear within thy palace walls,
                                            Disowned, dishonored, scorned of friend and foe,
                                            And there shut out the dying children's groans
                                            For some brief space, where your righteous vengeance falls
                                            On thee and thine, and blood for blood atones.
                                            Red is thy day, but redder will be ours,
                                            O Vladimir, when tyranny goes down!
                                            When thou shalt hear from Hamlet and from town
                                            The joyous bells clash from out a hundred towers;
                                            When wild with promised Freedom, that empowers
                                            The veriest serf to brave the tyrant's frown
                                            They snatch forever the ancestral crown
                                            From the pale despot that behind thee cowers.

                                            Then, then take heed, lest vengeful men, distraught
                                            Remembering all, lay ruthless hands on thee
                                            And rend thee for the ruin thou has wrought
                                            Thou hadst thy day, and night has now begun;
                                            But soon, full soon, glad longing eyes shall see
                                            The blood red dawn of Freedom and its sun.