Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-15
THE RUSSIAN NIHILISTs.
How the Party Started, Has FIOurIshed
and is at Present Acting.
Cologne Gazette.

Cologne Gazette.l
1t is Just about a year since the
Russian Socialists first surprised their
fellow countrymen with a display of
their plans of action. How long the
dismal c%onfederacy has been in exist
ence-a confederacy whose members
are abroad known as Nihilists and in
Russia as Socialists, but who call
themselves the revolutionary party-it
is impossible to ascertain with exact.
ness. To find the real commencement
of the present revolution we would
have to 90 back as far as the accession
o. the Emperor Nicholas. 1t was in
1928 that for the first time loud de-
mand was made in Russia for a consti-
tuition, which it was also endeavored
to secure by violent means. This
movement the energetic car quickly
crushed. Under his iron rule there
may have been occasional ferment, but
nothing to speak of came to the sur
face. 1t was only under the milde1
scepter Of Alexander that the agita-
tion first began to show itself again.
Since the year 1863, when serfdCm
was actually abolished, it increased
from day to day, and for fifteen years
it has been increasing almost imper-
ceptibly, and without assuming fixed
and definite shape. But at length last
year it came forth firm, audacious and
in a terrible form. At that time there
appeared in all the European cities of
the empire publications of an insurree-
tionary character, accusing the highest
officials and dignitaries of dishonora-
BILE conduct, avarice and barbarous
brutality. Their removal from the
entouroge of the emperor was demand
ed, failing which a sanguinary revenge
was threatened.
From the outset the Russian social
lists declared that they did not intend
any injury to the ear. 1t was the
court camarilla they were aiming at
that wall which separates. the ruler
from his people, and through which
lay the only way to the monarch this
they declared must be broken down,
if not in a peaceable way, then by
force. The persons whose dismissal
from the ranks of the government
service was demanded were mentioned
by name. They were not few there
were about 200 names on the list.
Underneath these names were words
to the following effect "Since we
are unable to obtain any redress in a
legal way, and that because in Russia,
not the car, but those about the czar,
really govern the country, we shall,
unless attention is paid to our wishes,
enter upon the illegal way, and we
shall shoot, stab and murder until our
demands are satisfied and the CANA
rilla is swept from the face of the
earth" According to the programme
of the Socialists, the Third division
was first to be done away with. The
private chancellery of his majesty, it
was declared, was an institution ut
terly irreconcilahle with the spirit of
the present age-an institution which,
standing above and outside all law,
could not be reached by any legal way.
The chief Of the third division was
therefore threatened with murder and
assassination if he continued to tor
ture the prisoners into confession by
%subiecting them to the pangs of hun
ger, thirst and the knOut. A certain
time was granted him within which to
mend his ways. The authorities, upon
resolving these intimations, employed
every exertiol to get q cleY to the
audaeiops authors and distributors of
these publications. but all without
success. Hapdbills and placards
seemed oyer night to grow ont of tho
earth. The army was deluged with
them tho lahorer found them in his
packet in the morning. Nobody knew
whence they came, but there they