There were persistent rumors to the effect that Alexander III., being decidedly in favor of continuing the policy of oppression towards the Jews, had "attached himself to the opinion of the minority" of the Pahlen Commission.
According to another version, the question was actually brought up before the Council of State, and there, too, the anti-Semites proved to be in the minority, but the Tzar threw the weight of his opinion on their side.

The project of the Commission, being out of harmony with the current Government policies, was disposed of at some secret session of leading dignitaries.

The labor of five years was buried in the official archives.
As for the Jews themselves, they were at no time deceived about the effects that were likely to attend the work of the High Commission.

They clearly understood that, if the Government had been genuinely desirous of "revising" the system of Jewish disabilities, it would have stopped, for a time at least, to manufacture new legislative whips and scorpions.
The dark polar night of Russian reaction reigned supreme.

There seemed to be no end to these orgies of the Russian night owls, the Pobyedonostzevs and Tolstois, who were anxious to resuscitate the savagery of ancient Muscovy, and who kept the people in the grip of ignorance, drunkenness, and political barbarism.