The New York herald., 1879-07-30

authorties-ail in this emergency. 1t cannot strike
us here and restricts itsels to mere snarling and
THE GOVERNMENTS FEAR
Here the gentleman left me a moment, and, going
to desk brought me u copy OF proclamation bear
inp the undoubted evidence OF its having been
issued by the highest authority in St Petersburg.
.eThis proclamation said he bears the seal OF no
less person than the Minister of the Interior and
he added with bitter smile lit is addressed to the
peasants in concilatory, tone totally
variance with the stern terse wording of uksses and
ordinances in which the Russian is accustomed to
read the will and pleasure of his imperial master.
Tho very tone is confession of weakness, which
the commands confirm. 1t is practically, comics
sion that our government Observes in the
growing dsafecton OF the peasant a surface
indication of undercurrent whose strength
it is feared to test lest It should be publicly discov
cred that 1t Is beyond the power of government to
check. This circular which show You in my hand
has been sent to every commune Russia and pub
lisned in every official journal and YOU will find it
probably in every newspaper in tho country
Having spoken thus the gentleman handed me tho
imperial circular OF which the following is exact
CIRCULAR OF HIS ExcELLEscY THE MINISTER THE
INTERIOR.
population that additional distribution Of land to tho
press order Of Ills Majssy
oy or paes
Or at any future time That landed hold lawfully
and nerred others would be such injustice and
their land purely and simply by virtue imperial ukase
aa While ve ws the ehs s o
Ing land from other proprieors such acquisitions
'a "uy laws thus ali the tn Enjoyment Of their
as{ Sa Of o at s IF
that of other classes. and insure the Empire at arg
The referred of distribution of land
by Who a Ssns pp
a"a disturbing sye s pa1
realizing that By 80 doing they are becoming dapes of
thereby bring upon themselves aud others
EXeeuting the snpe%e command Of His Majesty aa
aud crafty whispers and enjcin upon s rural,
ssny ovs All s to all pSsss
further dissemination OF noxious falsehoods.
A CONFESSION.
'Thls circular" said my informant, folding the
paper, "is q virtual confession by the government
that we beeu successful i'll efforts induce
the peasants to believe and accept promises.
Let point out that which is the most amusing to
me and discreditabe to the government this paper
as being foreigner it would not to you. You
have noticed that Ills xcellency the Minister or the
Interior calls upon the lower
prevent the spread Of our agitation These authori
ties placed in at the time Of the emanci
patton OF sers, to rule the villages which
organized on communistic principles, all Russian
villagers owning and farming the lands i'll common.
These officials studiously impressed the people
the doctrine that property is held only
| the pleasure OF the Gar. reward of
| LOYALTY and obedience to the government; that
land owned by the doorianins nobility may be
scated If the gentry indulge in rebeilious demand
for civil reforms and representative government and
may be divided among peasants remaining loyal and
obeuIent to the Car. In fact these officials became
instructors socialism, ana created by their teach
|
| peasant, and their policy generated the prevalent
feeling OF insecurity in the right of property.
the same officials to promugate oppo-
site doctrine-the sacredness the right of prop
erty. Even our somewhat obtuse peasants have dis
covered the ridiculous contradiction in this latest
tdur pas of His Exceency. and you may be sure We
| are not slow to seIze the opportunity afforded.
| The Car has told You he can do with your prop
| erty he pleases.' whisper in the peasants
ear:-'But that he has joined hands again with
the aristocracy. he tells you when you beg q
|
the power to touch 1t as it is held under o sacred
bond of right and Justice Bah! The arstocrats are
your enemies II the Car sacrifices your good viii
to theirs. include him among your common enemies
and wrest from him by riot and rebellion the just
dues refused you after your long fidelity to the
autocrat +"
| WHAT DIsLofALrY MEANS
..You lay stress, significant, the fact that the
circular admits that credence is unfortunately given
to these false rumorsf'
..Yes. The government ALWAYS pooh poohed the
| idea that the movement was OF Importance. All is
coue,T i'll official statements. But here is
about the first candid acknowledgment that the COM
mon people accepting and swaycu by these
new influences Unfortunately they are crcditol.
says the Minister. Heretofore the government has
professed to rely ON the fidelity OF the peasant
against u revolutionary upper class. and
ised that they admit that the loyalty OF the peasant
class is shaken. Disloyalty in the peasant means
disloyalty in the army. and should we succeed in
disatecting majority of the rural population the
fate of Czardom is sealed our weakness lies in the
difficulty of organizing mass of peasants against
disciplined forces but these latter forces can be
verted to our opinions and uses through the
their brothers, and the hope helu to them OF
sharing the benefits offered to all the mushiks
| peasans)."
the fields and city beyond, and l looked in his
face could plainly written the earnest hope and
conf dence he possessed in his representations.
EVERYTHING TO BE RsKED.
''You are OF sanauinc disposition" said "and
expect too much. am afraid from men who may be
sturdy fighters but 40 not possess the Keen intel
ligence necessary to plan as well execute i'll
emergency. Their bravery and determination can
only be useful when coupled with intelligence. You
| incite revolt, but prepare for results should
tie unruy forces conquer Will not your rebeliious
peasants be merely duplicates OF the Parisian Com
munst. fighting obstinately behind barricsdes. but
with aptitude. in OF success to evolve order
out of the chaos which follows his victoryg
II believed that every one aware" retorted
the gentleman, ''that while do not desire chaos
pretend to higher task than razing to the ground
the imperial structure which has been built upon
The future be
for the people than the present. earnestly
the government endeavors to conceal its horrors
from the world. Chance may give us something bet
ter We sincerely hope so. and shall strive to realize
it. We have leaders, all Young Russia anu it is
not all transported nor imprisoned yet will officer
brave fighters. when out into the open from
our concealment. and challenge the Czar to battle
But must first enlist these fighters. and that Is
what doing with some success IL the circular
OF the Minister Is to be beeved!
.'Your means OF enli,ting them must be, ncces
sariy limited The peasants cannot read"
Excuse me. Every village contains several indi-
yiduals who can read to others and who are well
supplied with our literature. Reports to the con-
trary Notwithstanding, our presses are busy. Even
were all those on RUSSIAN soil seized. Leipzig and
Switzerland supply us la large quantities"
DANGERS ACcEPIED.
81 should think you would fear trcachery among
the peasants to whom you to intrust the dis
tribution of pamphlets and the repetition of oral
teachings? Arc you not moths dangerously the
light, showing yourself in kiefi?"
'..Your questions are natural. You, q foreigner,
do not readily understand the characteristics OF
peasants. They are close above all things; long
serfdom and misfortune have made them the most
distrustful and uncommunicative people in Eu-
rope Tney slow to accept our promises but
once converted, treachery IL exceptional. They
peculiar i'll this-they carry tales either way.
A Russian peasant will not bctray you to the Car,
but he will be more likely to tell you that he
knows that the Cars officials after you in tho
neghborhood. However, we do not show ourselves
among the peasants. 1t Is unnecessary and
dangerous. mushk would not enter into
conversation such topics with "a we'll
dressed gentleman. Our sisters speak to them
and our agents in their confidence the latter
being generally local villagers. 1t ~ almost prime
tenet OF Russian peasants faith, to betrav
fellow villagtr woman. SO you see we are
comparatively safe. Here. in Kien. am not sus-
pccted, and will be duly warned If am wanted