New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-03

and eschewed that protection, development
and diversihcation Of home labor to which
they have devoted themselves.
In free country where, as in the United
States. institutions are plastic to the advan-
cling spirit and intelligence of the people,
the growth and development of industry is
an invaluable blessing and tends only to
confirm order and enlarge liberty but in a
despotic State it is revolutionary, destruc-
tive. and certain TO overthrow the powers
that strive to suppress, but dare not extin-
ouish it. For this reason it is that we hail
with satisfaction the industrial progress of
Russia it shows that the European revo-
luton has struck its roots immovably into
that soil. In time il must bring forth its
fruits.
Nor is this the sole revolutionary element
in the empire. They are numerous and
active in spite of the knout, Siberia and
the secret police.
First it should be understood that Russia
has no aristocracy, properly 50 called
There are mobiles. indeed, but their privi-
leges are altogether dependent on the plea
sure of the monarch. The policy of the
government has been to destroy their iniu
ence in the State and to substitute for the
aristocracv which in other monarchies sur
rounds and supports the throne, military
hierarchy This has been perfectly accom-
plished, and the consequence is that there
is in fact no intervening, conservative class
between the mass of free Russians and the
throne.
The nobility are thus at bottom opposed
to the government To great extent
they are radicals. Some of the most ultra
thinkers we have known have been Rus
slams. For long time before the Volr de
People, the journal of PRoUDHoN at Paris,
was suppressed, it was supported by
wealthy Russian The great conspiracy
which came to a head on the advent of Nj
cholas to the throne. and which was essen
italy republican in its ideas, was formed
among the mobiles The merciless punish
ment of the conspirators achieved the hui
initiation of that class, and made them slay-
ish in their fear of the government, but 1t
did not change the tendency of their specu-
lations. They are radicals and republicans
more than ever. What power they have is
revolutionary.
The influence of foreign literature is po-
tent in Russia The police attempt to ex-
clude the more dangerous kinds, but their
prohibition is laughed at. French novels
are read there extensively. particularly
those of Eugene Sue aud George Sand.
German philosophy Is much studied. Hegel
especially, suits the keen, passlonless intel
lectuality which is trait in the Russian
character. Since 1890, Socialism has been
in vogue, and Proudhon, Fourier, and the
socialist authors generally are well known
to the reading classes. All this is eminent
" revolutionary literature.
Of late years a considerable body of ma
tive writers have sprung up, and exercise
wide influence. They are journalists. poets,
dramatists, romancers 1t is the fashion
with some German critics To decry their
works, and possibly, measuring them by the
seyerest standards, this condemnation may
be lust. But from Russians of intelligence
there is different report. They tell us
that these writers act powerfully upon the
people, and have reused new mental life
in the Empire. This, too, is revolutionary
power. The government watch it with the
EXTREMIST jealousy, and have often suppress
ed writer's whose boldness and influence had
become intolerable.
1t is often the case where false political
power has no other support, that 1t finds one
in system of religion. The Russian throne
has no such aid from the Greek Church, of
which it is the nominal head. The religion
of that body is mere formality it has far
less life and spirit than any other organlza-
ton in Christendom. Indeed, we should not
say it had anything beside rites and cere-
monies. Accordingly the Russian people
have less religion than almost any other in
Europe, though they have large stock of
superstitions and ritual gestlculatlons. Bat
in this desert of orthodoxy schism fiourishes
green and vigorous There are many of
these dissenting sects among the chief are
the disciples of the stcra rer, or ancient
faith, people of rigid lives and unconquera-
bic enthusiasm, against which imperial per-
secution has accomplished nothing; and the