Most Gracious Sovereign!

Encouraged by My experience of Your Imperial Majesty’s boundless benevolence toward Me, I venture once again to avail Myself of it and to lay at Your feet, Most Gracious Sovereign, My most humble request.

Feeling that I do not possess the talents, the strength, and the spirit that would enable Me at any time to be raised to the dignity to which, by My birth, I might have the right, I venture to ask Your Imperial Majesty to hand over that right to the person to whom it belongs after Me and thereby assure for all time the stability of Our State. By doing this I can add yet another pledge and new strength to the obligation which I voluntarily and solemnly undertook on the occasion of My divorce from My first wife. All the circumstances of My present situation convince Me of this more and more and will provide further proof before Our State and before the entire world of My sincere motivations.

Most Gracious Sovereign! Accept this, My request, favorably, and ask our Most August Mother for her agreement with it and confirm it by Your Imperial Word. I shall endeavor always, on retiring to private life, to serve as an example to Your subjects and to the faithful sons of Our beloved State. I am, with profoundest respect, Most Gracious Sovereign, Your Imperial Majesty’s most faithful subject and Brother.

(On the original copy of the letter, written by his own hand, is signed:)

Constantine Tsesarevich.

St. Petersburg

14 January 1822

(The copy bears the following inscription in His Imperial Majesty's own hand:)

Identical to the original. Alexander.