The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-09-11
The IsusslAa Ukase,

49,. =
The Etu~sIAa Ukase.
c-afch a Russian aud you ind
Tarlar. . This ftiaiiiar saying OF the
FIRST Napoleon is YivIdly illustrated IN
what are mildly called the 'repreeslve
nie.surcs' ordered by the Imperial
Vkase. It Is entirely safe to say that
no other government claiming to be
a,rilized would think of employing
ouch measures except in the face, not
Of insnrrecfion merely, but OF actual
RESOLUTION. They are not only martial
la1-whieh is simply no lsw-but or
qanized military tyranny of the very
worst sort. The Car hands over mis-
aniocratic powers to military govern
ore. and virtually authorizes them to
push that power further than he las
ever dared. He makes them Judge,
iufv and executioner; urges them for
ward Ia fhe bloody work, but proposes,
so it would appear, to throw the re.
sponsibiIity upon his tools, in case it
becomes too heavy for his own should
ers. For the first time in this genera
ton, at least, Russian sutOcracy shows
itself in ITS true colors, as an unmixed
aespotism of the Oriental type; temper
ed solely by the character of the reign
ing sovereign. No other throne in Eu-
rope would stand a week if its occu-
pant ventured to inaugurate such ter
rorlsm. Alexander takes the desperate
step with cool confidence which indi-
estes his utter contempt for what we
call liberty and popular rights, and the
small estimation in which he holds the
masses OF the people. II he believed
in their courage and intelligence, and
their ability to recognize and insist
upon even the fundamental principles
OF freedom, he would have fought Nj
hllism with weapons less liable to cut
the hands OF the fighter. 1t Is barely
possible he has moderated the capacity
OF his subjects. II so, he will ascertain
his error when too late to escape its
consequence.
The Pal lHaH Gazette says:
THAT the foes of authority are q
sman but determined band of evil
doors. as described in the ukase, ia in
credible. The Russian government
only condemns their own sweepingly
oppressive measures by putting forward
such pretense. Were this true the
ordinary powers of the State would
have availed to root out the evil
While this is true to certain extent,
there is no reason TO believe that the
disease is sufficiently severe to justify sc
violent remedy. Undoubtedly the
Nihilists are more numerous than has
commonly been supposed, but were
thew numerous enough to authorize the
,,t-,,o 49,, x,-o,,f1 curalv haua ehOWr
themselves in instruction. Their ut.
most efforts thus far have only produc
ed mobs which a single charge OF cav
airy has scattered. Assassination II
rarely, or never, adopted by strong
party. The pistol and dagger are to.
kens Of weakness; always abandoned
where there is strength enough to en-
pioy muskets and cannon. The Move
ment which has called forth an edict,
such as we might expect If the empire
wero threatened by an invading army
is nothing more than q conspiracy
whose importance IS mainly derived
from the fact that it works and strike!
in She dark, aud that its objects as vel
as its proceeding are enveloped in tina
atmosphere of mystery which always
breeds exaggeratiOn. If there is any
military organization among the con
spirators, it has never gwen the slight
est Sign, nor has it been so much al
hinted at in the various printed appeals
put forth by the unknown leaders
We do not think there Is any such or
ganization at present in existence, o.
contemplated. The pen and the re-
volver constitute the whole offensive
and defensive machinery of the party
against which Alexander hurls the
combined forces of his government
Either he is frightened out of hi
senses, follows the instincts of revenge
rather shan the dictates of reason, o.
else Nihilism is vastly more powerful
than he is willing to confess, or thar
the outside world has imagined
Whatever the cause of the ukase, il
will do more harm than good. 1t MAY
drive the eonsplrators into their holes
but cannot destroy them; cannot pre-
vent them from doing mischief under.
ground by preparing mines for future
explosions. And it will convince the
most ardent friends of Russia that, &
iSF as law and order are concerned, the
empire of which so much is said snd
30 little really known is just about
what it was under Peter the Great an6
Catharine H., colossal Tartar, cover
ed by thin varnish of nineteenth cen
tury civilization.
a