, 1879-08-14
HUgHfAN N1HILIShf,

RUSSIAN N1H1L1sSl
For BONO tiino II has beon supposed that |
military govcrnm' mt in Russin had Bur-
pressed Nihiliat agitation. As no murder Of
any prominent individual Inns racently boon
Attempted, it wna snid TINT the Nihilist lead. |
ers had been intin,idated by tho sevcre
measures adopted agninat them; that they
dared not continue tho course which they
Ind pursued with so much impunily under
civil rule. It WINS also assertcd that tho
wholesale arrest Of tho Nihlists, their
prompt trial nhd punishment by death OF
baniallmont 10 Siberia and saghndin, had go
terrified those who haye nH yet escaped mr.
rest as to prevent their committing further
disturbance. Cartninly The measures adopt
cd by GuounKo. ToDLEnEs. LAS1s, MEL1KoEr,.
IaNAT1Err, md other Generals who hive
boon mado military Gictntora over tho DIFF
fcrcnt portions Of Russin, navo beon Bufl-
ciontly severe. This severity was IMPLY
groat, if severity nlone lind been nblo to
accomplish tho desired result. It appears,
however, TINT, beyond tho arrest aud puniHt.-
ment Of those Nihilats who hayo been de-
tectcG, acvero measures have not been suc-
cesaful; that tho Nihilist Society is M nctivo
aa ever; that tho number Of its converts 1s
rapidly increasing; md TINT, far from being
forced to discontinue ita eirorts, tho Society,
having accomplished In tho cities mud towns
all it dosires for the present, llas transferred
liz notion to tho rural districts, whore it is
meeting with tho greatost success among tho
ponsantry. II racont accounts nro 10 10 be-
lieyotl, tho Nihilista have noyor boon moro
activo Than now. Nihilat leaders clnim TINT
III every class Of Russian life, whether of1lc;al
or private, their principles arc sproadng
| with raridi!y. Thoy allego that in very
short time they will DO ready to commence
m open, organized resistance to tho Russian
Government, md tint this resistance. in
viow of thoir organization and numbers,
cannot full to be successful.
Tho principles which tho Nihi1ists ayow
arc auch M would terrify good citizcn in
any other country than Russia. It is strange,
howevor, that the ranks of tho Nihilists hayo
heretofore beon principally filed by tho bet
Ter classes of Russian aociaty, -olIlcors Of tho
army Of nil grndos, members Of tho civil ad-
ministrations high in rank, loading literary
mon, professors md students OF colleges,
!
ladsaa OF h'Bh athtloh anu nobio blFtn, haVe
eagerly followed Nlllilist toachings, mud have
become tho most devoted nonoeFs OF tho
Nihillst Society. No ono Knows no one oau
toll, exceptn very few OF tho most pFomt'
nout Nihilists, TO what e1tont Hussan
society, oiylo md military, llas been per-
meatod by N'hi''at teachtng. Iheso toHoh-
ings lead to nothing else than tho
absolute destruction OF everything pertaining
to tho lsussian Government. What form Of
government Is to 10 substituted for the pres
ont, WHOM It Is destroyed. no ono OF them
seems to have thought. In explaining theEr
motives aud planB, tho lcadera propose no
substitute. They rather seem disposed to
loavo tho solution OF this very Important
q1stion for future consideration aud to 10
content with tho idoa that tho obstruction of
tho existing order Of things is oil that Ia noc-
csaary. OF course tho communistlo doctrine
OF tho division OF property il advocated.
Without this 1t would be impossible for thom
to overcome the Affection felt by tho lowos
orders for tho Ozar, by whom aorfaom was
abolished. With this exception, however.
they propose nothing Tor tho f,1sure other
than tho entire destruction Of tho existing