While the public opinion campaign was gathering momentum, the first issue of Osvobozhdeniye appeared in Stuttgart (on 18 June/1 July 1902). This issue reflected the belief of the founders of the Liberation Movement that the main strength of the hoped-for liberal party would come from the zemstvo milieu, as well as their decision to tone down their programme accordingly. Besides the announcement ‘From the Russian Constitutionalists’, the first issue of Osvobozhdeniye carried two additional programmatic statements: one in the form of an ‘Open Letter from a Group of Zemstvo Activists’ and the other an article by Struve in which he outlined his intended editorial policy.

The ‘Open Letter’ was a more or less straightforward statement of moderate constitutionalism. After dwelling at length on the current political crisis, the authors pledged their full support to Osvobozhdeniye and its programme as reflected in ‘From the Russian Constitutionalists’. They made it plain that the programme as they understood it was aimed at bringing pressure to bear on the government to grant a constitution from above and thus prevent a revolution from below. They ended the ‘Letter’ with a declaration which was bound to arouse the wrath of the radical members of the ‘Friends of Liberation’ circles. ‘We…will do all in our power and ability to help to eliminate the anarchy caused by the government and by the people…which threatens to engulf Russia in prolonged and completely unnecessary suffering, violence and bloodshed.’