Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-07-02
THE HORRORS OF NIHILISM,
Lord Augustus LOTUS ON the State Of
Affairs in Russia.

Lord Augustus LOTUS, late minister
of England to the court Of the car, but
now governor Of New South Wales, ar
rived in New York last week from St.
Petersburg on his way to Australia.
Lord LOTUS differs essentially from
Minister Stoughton with regard to the
state Of affairs in Russia, although
agreeing with him that the nihilists
are inconsiderable as to numbers. He
said:
"They are but an infinitesimal part
of the population. The peasants are
not among them. These latter are in
tensely loyal to the emperor. The nj
hlllsts are what you may call the kteroti.
They are the writers. students and other
classes possessed of fair degree of ed
ucation. These people are opposed to
the present system of government.
There ale also great many persons of
all the other classes who are dissatisfied
with the present system of bribery and
corruption which exists in the govern
ment. While these persons are not nj.
hilists they would not be sorry if nihil-
ism would bring about change Of sys-
tenn. The Importance attached to the
nlhlllsts AS party is very much exag-
gerated. What gives rise to the party
at all is the system of corruption and
speculation that exists in all the branch
es of the government, including the
army. The nihilists are audacious.
They are vlndictive. There is double
second, that of retribution.
Some people talk of instruction.
But that is impossible as long as the
army remains loyal. The nihilists ex-
ercise system of terrorism, and in
that very TACT they show their weak
ness. They hold to Russian affairs
about the same attitude that the COM
munists held to the French empire. IF
| they were greater in numbers they
| would doubtless act and make a dem
onstration Of strength. Not doing so,
but exercising system of terrorism in
stead, is palpable exhibition of weak
ness. Their purpose. on opportunity,
is secret assassination"
"When 1 was at ODESSA" interposed
Lord LOTUS eldest son at this point,
"the troops were fairly compelled to
barricade themselves to save the en-
peror from the rage OF the excited pop
ulace. was. looking out of a window
at the emperor as he passed. He was
as pale as a sheet and trembled per-
ceptibly."
"And l." calculated the young son,
''saw pretty much the same condition
of affairs in Moscow"
"And this is the same emperor" said
Lord Augustus, resuming the thread Of
his interrupted conversation, in a
musing manner, "whom I have often
seen pass my house in st. Petersburg
unattended and followed only by his
carriage. Now it is as much as his life
is worth to 60 abroad. He acts, how
ever, under warm impulses and
frequently under bad advisement. If
the emperor was to give the people a
limited representation in the govern
ment, so far as the disbursement of its
finances is concerned, for instance, it
would keep social disturbances in
allegiance, as it were. [ understand
that the emperor approves Of such
policy, but the court fear to bring itfor-
ward at present, for fear of it's being &C.
copied as confession of weakness"
"Can you foresee an early end of the
trouble?"
''No. For every execution takes
place there is an assertion of the spirit
of vengeance and retribution. There
fore it is impossible for anyone to fore
see the end of the trouble. Russia is
now n state of siege. There is an ab
sence of ,emporized justice. Trials by
court-martial are the rule. Hundreds
of persons are sent to Siberia by what
is called police adminisratif, a sort Of
irresponsible tribunal. 1t is a name
that is used for a shield. Banishing
these people in this way is much like
suspending the operations of the writ of
habeas corpus. 1t is such things as
these which increase the feeling Of dis
content with the government"
atlanta Consultation: We think our
people hardly appreciate the amount
of money that has been made in the