The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-27
THE NIIIILISTS.
A Sketch of the Great Russian
Social Conspiracy.
WIDESPREAD AND DEEP-ROOTED.
Jewellers or Privilege and Sharers
OF Property.
La COMMUNE A LA MUSC0vITE.


London Daily Telegraph from Cracow stating that the
Russian railroads were encumbered by the ransporta
tion OF troops north check threatened disturbances
in various centres Of education These disturb
ances said 10 DO The creation 81 the
Nihilist party, which ID largely made up OF
the better educated portion OF the Russian nation
and II giving infinite trouble and anxiety to the Car
The word "Nihl" means "nothins," and the idea
OF the Nhist brethren is to reduce things to state
or chaos-to commence de and fashion out the
methods OF life such way as to avoid ali RESPONSE
bilty paying contributing to tho support
OF government. Tho principles OF tho society are
abolition in its most radical senscaboiition Of all
the barriers that Tho experience Of over thousand
years have been found necessary to keep society
+ togsth~r, and they offer nothing In the place OF
what exists, however much there may be OF wrong
in 1t. The word Nhist might be most htly trans
lated as ann,hilating a feeling disposed to wreck
all the constituted formulas OF Christian society.
lis secret society and lar more formidable than
any secret society OF modern times During the last
few years II has spread It's ramilcalions over the
greater part Of Russia The west sido OF the ural
range and like the religious societies commonly do
nominated Quakers, Moravians, Shakers and Nor.
mons, not known TO the outer world by the
which distinguishes 1t In the lodges OF the mi
liated. Tho designation applied 10 It's members by
N. Turguencf in the novel OF "Fathers ana sons"
the declaration OF its principles which was produced
on the trial ofCherkesof and others 1871 has
generally adopted, however. in the absence OF
better authenticated Information, and the name 10
nov that OF the Nihilists IL was known
nearly thirty years ago 10 those who
the way OF learning the direction OF the under
currents Of opinion that the general principles OF
socialism, without the distinctive formulas OF any OF
The schools VI science had begun to be dis
~
tlon not yet emancpaed from seridom but just be-
ginnipg think dream Of something lar beyond
their condition.
THE SOCIETY.
The societv known the Nhilists has been In
istencc several years. II originated in the spring Of
1869 with u gentleman named Netchaef who nad
adopted the views social organization which have
found expression in the works OF Proudhon and the
Able Constant, and found ablc aud earnest fellow
workers their dissemin ration IN Dolgon, Oron and
l. KatscheT. all young mon and members Of tho most
educated section of Muscovite society. The right
Of association and she freedom Of the press
boing non existent Russia, secret organization
Affords in that country the only means by which
novel principles, whether pohlca, religious or
SOCIAL be promul gated, and Nctchaef proceeded,
therefore, 10 devise secret system Of propagandism,
and attract TO II many OF the students of the
Petroisky University The society obtained numer-
Gus afniatons among all Glasses OIL the people, ana
spresd It's ramiAcations from Moscow all
thc towns Of the southern Provinces addresses from
1.-The United" to 'the Isolated" were widely circu-
suiaed and groups OF the initiated formed among
students OF life colleges, the soldiers OF the garrsons
The artisans OF the towns and the peasants OF the rural
districts. Wherever Ave members were intated
. circle was formed AMI certain number
or such groups formed section Tho
direction OF the society was vested in commit
tee, to which judicIM functions were assigued
extending, It is SAID, even to tho infection OF the
capital penalty. The whole oil the socieys proceed
ings were conducted with the most profound secrecy
All communications IN writing were made In
peculiar CIPHER. Eacn circle isolated, SO that
each member knew only tho Nihiiists composing the
circle which no belonged In all the cor
r.spondencs numbers were substituted tor names,
ana The members OF the committee were
known only 10 each otner. There came to be
div,sIoI Of opinion among the leaders when the
organization had taken root AZ 70 the means w which
The end they had IN view should be brought about
Orlon anu lkslschca being disposed 70 re-
suIs vi Inc kraauai propagation Of their IDEAS among
the people, whis Nelchaei preferred the shorter cut
oil revoiution ny physical force. Inc later
the adoption OF his vews but before
Inc plot was ripe ior execution some OF the
pscuIlsrtics oil personal appearance affected By
initiated. such snort bar aud short rough Goals,
attracted mo attention Of the autnoes and me police
found II necessary 10 make discoveries concsrning
them. Doigon, Who held a position In the society
second only 10 that oil Neschaci, Was arrested with
Prince Cnerkeson, VINO had supplied the funds Tor the
agitation, and Inc son of military man named
Kippono. o.ner among the stuoenis
OF anu Petroisky University, and special comms-
SION was opened Mvsc0w Tor the ir,al Of The
cussd. Ali prisoners we're convicted, but as no
fences we're passed that were considered Ienicnt,
Prince being deprived OF mis- civil rights and
bis privileges a member of Inc noOility, anu BAN
ishsd siberia Tor i've years. while thu rest were
conaemned various periods Of inprisonmens
ranging IRON three weeks 10 eighteen months.
WHAT cniLLKD MovEMKSr.
This Investigation aud us rcsuits CAUSED tempo
rary ian an she Ninst agitation, put y was soon re
sumed, anu the movement spread Ny degrees 10 the
shores Of tue Batic. Whe aiIilatng 10 the society
those whom they found prepared TO accept its prin-
she working classes small publications oi =
hisd specially adapted TO their understand.
log and literary requirements. AID thus prepared
the ground Tor further progress These publications
were not political and mstapnysica, dsqaisitions,
would DO addressed 10 the same classics IN
Engaod, France or Germany, but stories of social
ara political wrong and injustice, winch we're im-
porea In large numbers anu bearing the announce
menL allowed by the censorship were Tor a loug
nme sold openly without attracting the attention OF
now rHK SOCIETY MADE rrsKLy KNOWN.
The most popular Of these produotions, winch wore
srs VINO have nvsd from infancy III the midst OF y
forest IN ignorance OF the world beyond It's borders
One day they climb a hill aud villages aud cuItL
be happier IN the society OF Their fellow men tnan
20 explore the u1saown world peyona Every
peasant whom thcy meet warns them that they win
And oaiy poverty sna trouble, Out they 10 on ana pur
the quest Of social happiness until they are mr..
rsssed troublesome fellows anu sent OF 10 Siberia.
Throughout the story there are constant attacks
she existing order OF things IN Russia, the OBJECT
beng 10 show that The poor are opprcss ed
BY the rcn, deceived by the priests ana
plundered by The Tax gathcrers Another IN
sdspsstioa Of the "h,stoIre u'uu PArpsn,u OF
NM Erckmann and Chairman repete with euiogla or
Msras BoDcspiorrc, denuncations OF the ana
gIowipg pictures OF The moral ana material ancora-
sloos winch woala result from sweeping revolution,
social political. For readers moro educated The
Eihnist propsganda proviasd well writlen MARIA
S,v.s OF The rebellion OF fouga,cnen aud the con-
sp,rHcy oi the United slav0nians. For those OF
Al classes VINO are vocaily inclined there rs n
soiIection OF songs OF Revolutionary aud conmunis
tic tendency. On the 4th Of April 1900 Vladimir
pistol at the Gar he strVlling IN the summer
garden, and II was soon proved that this man was NO
Pole aud arlstocrHt but socialist Russian demo-
crat NibiIist In sentiment Since tue year 1868
tnere IN Russia many vi the adnerents
Of the pure socslist prnoipss imported from France
uha hxd boon led ~ herzeni tue buIk OF lne