Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-04-26

picious persons, of transporting to Siberia
without trial rs many as they choose and of
executing in conformity with sentence
passed those they may happen TO regard as
especially guilty. Nor are these powers
confined to political criminals. Regular
criminal procedure appears 10 have alto
gether suspended. Ordinary offenders, not
even suspected of plotting against the state,
are to be made subject TO martial law
Moreover the ukase is retrospective. The
GOveTnorS-General are expressly eInpoW-
cred to try prisoners arrested before the issue
of the decree. \ provision designed appa-
rently to authorize the holding of a sort of
bloody assize upon the persons-variously
estimated, according TO the WelI-lnfOrmed
correspondent OF the Standard, at between
5000 and 10000 who have been recently inn
prlSoned IN the mut1nOuS districts. Mess
the Car and his Ministers are guilty OF the
most sweeping and reckless cruelty they
cannot believe themselves confronted with
a small but determined band of eVu-doeTs,
nor even with large and determined band
of eVil-dOers. If their account of the enc
mics of the State We're in any degree like the
truth this suspension of all law, TINS super
cession of the law by the cut-throat agents
of a lawleSs terrOriSn-wOuld be simply in
famous. OF course their account OF the mat
ter is not a true one. The measures they
have resolved upon make us aware OF what,
in their view, really is the enemy they have
to combat. They subject great part OF the
country to o dragOnnad9 which at the same
time threatens all the rest, for they are con-
WINGED that revolutionary dangers confront
them over the whole area OF their INTENDED
operations. The tremendous agencies OF
suppression already in their hands have
long since been known to have failed and to
have become in the persons of large num-
bers of the police themselves, agents or we'll
wisheTs or terrorized Onlookers Of the reyO-
luton. Nothing is left for the Russian
Government but resort TO the methods OF
the ASiatic despot If they are to face the
revolution and trample it down, and that
they know this we see when we look to that
terrible order under which the jails are to be
visited by the EmperOTS own military ter
rOristS and thousands of people swept into
.s.N4rs TafuTa fNr.
dealt with off-hand at the drumhead. The
WickedngSs of this is not less than the wick
Cdness of the tSs9sslns VINO nave 50 THOR
oughty terrOrtzed the imperial family and
their officers. If this uKaSe is carried out we
shall see political assassination on the one
side answered by political assassination on
the other: for one such crime on the one
side hundred on the other, and these last
inflicted on men and women innocent of all
otfense whatever. 1t IS truly an awful state
of things, nor is it possible to foresee how it
may end.
The News (pro-Russian) says;
We cannot attempt to forecast the result
of the duel between nihiliSm and militarism
TO which this proclamation seems to be the
challenge. It is an attempt to meet the dis
turbers with something like their own
weapons and to put down lawlesSneSS by
suspension of law. The mere confession
that such an attempt is necessary must
seem very serious step for a Government
which for some years has aimed at being
considered a civilized Government. For the
time during which this ulSase lasts, and IN
the wide and important districts TO which
it applies, Russia ceases to be what she mas
recently been and relapseS INTO condltl2h
of practical bGrbarism. Az once anu NItLi-
out even tile form of anything that can De
called trial any mans life or his fortune
NAV be taken from him In these SIX great
cities and their dependencies. All the in
conveniences of such-a state of things must
be borne by millions in order that a sIn{tlI
but determined band of evil-doerS may o.
suppressed. Perhaps this evil state OF Things
would not be too much to bear Il II were were
nanf D0litfcaI disease from which it appears |
t. be suffering But If such relief were 10 |
result from such measures il would De Tor /
the first time in history. The military trlD- /
unals of the six Governments may punish l
swiftly and savagely, but they will neither
prevent nor cure.