The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-02-15
The Strength of the Nihilists.

1 have received a letter from St. Petersburg,
dated q few days ago, to which the attempt on
the Cars life imparts considerable interest. |
cannot vOuch for the entire accuracy of the OPT
Mons it contains, but the writer has both good
opportunity and Il good faculty of observation,
and, &C any rate, it embodies one phase of the i'm
preston created in Russia by recent OutFages.
The heads Of the secret police are, II IS said,
about 10 resign, having discovered tlrce-fOurths
Ofthcir men are ia league with the Nihilists. You
have already learnt, doubtless, that a lady belong
ing 10 the most confidential court circles had been
arrested on her estate and that she fred Il revolt
yur ON her captOrs aud aY0wed herself n friend Of
the sect. The head OF the Odessa police will uu-
dcrtukc tHc direction Of the secret police, but this
viii change nothing. Notwithstanding all this,
the strength Of the Nibilists must nOtbs cxag-
gerated. They are not really numerous, but
they are very active, procure recruits, Of whom
they make fanatics spread terror by their audO-
Citv. and are assisted. NJ not by the completely, ut
least by the apathy of the middle classes. In this,
indeed. lies their chiei strength. While they are
aiming at the so-callCd regeneration Of the Empire
BY the most abOminable means, the middle clas-
SEES, the savants, dictionaries, merchants and many
officers are at heart profoundly hostile 10 the au-
r1cratic system. All these people are liberal,
wish for u more or less comprehensive Constitu-
zion. and claim at least for the nation the right
and means Of control. This section Of the pOpu-
htiou which, especially in the towns, is the most
numerous. influential, and enlightened, feel =
&AHa ~ ~ 80 $500 80 @@@@
tcnc-rJ and Bulgaria with Legislatures and Con-
situations OF some kind, while Russia, the great
nation, is the only European State without them.
Hence q latent irritation which induces perfect
luc0uccru for the Nihilist enterprises. In three
cases out Of four they do nothing when a dis
graceful outrage Is committed, and il reprOached
with their apathy they reply, " itdOes not con-
cCru Us, The Emperor will not lean upon the
nation. and the enemies Of society profit by our
indifference 70 carry on 4 war Of determination
against every obstacle TO their schemes" Mean
while tic Court clique, who put their hands in
the EmperJr's cash-b0x, that is to say in the peO-
PIES treasury those who live on the imperial
grandeur, who are above laws, and dispose OF
Russia as they choose, urge the Emperor to make
no concession, alleging that sOvereigns, by giving
TO liberalism and the inevitable excuses in
train, have everywhere paved the way for the
falI OF the ruin Of their dynasty and their coun-
try The Emperor listens to them rather than
give up his autOcratic character. All the evil lies
here Nainly has it been sought to distract our
attention by wars and diplomatic skirmishes,
As long as our dignity Is not considered, as long
as VIC are strangers to the management of our
own Affairs and driven like a flock Of sheep, the
evil will increasSJIl Ole day. rather than 90 on
thus, instead Of remaining apathetic, we, too,
shall take part in the coGaict, and it will not be
on the side OF autccratic power that we shall
muster. Be assured, however, that whenever
the Emperor gives us q mere semblance Of liberty
the weakness Of Nihilism Will be seen, and it is
now only a small fraction Of the nation. The
Emperor can do what he will. With a stroke OF
the pen he can give US the dignity to which we
aspire, and reduce the sect to nothingness, but
there is no sign OF his doing so.-Pdris Dispatch
10 the London Times.