Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-04
MICHAEL BAKUNIN.

Soon after the death of Michael Bakunin, which occurred recently at Geneva, it became known that he was the leader of the Nihilist party, and that, though himself poor and ob- scure, it was he who had directed and inspired the operations that have shaken the throne of the Czar. In most of the European revolu- tionary movements the leaders have been known, but from the very nature of the Mi hilist conspiracy none of it's chief commanders and organizers have been revealed to the pub lie. That it has had 8 very powerful and well-disciplined organization is evident from what it has done, and the success with which it has defed tha~etforts of the Government to crush it. The construction of such an or- ganization could not have been without 8 head of genius and personal force, and such, it seems, was Bakunin, who is supposed to have had not only the direct knowledge and man agsment of the various schemes of the con- spiretors, but was also head center and direct or the assassination and incendiary branches of the work. The life of this important fac- tor in the history of modern Europe was a very singular and typical one, and an inter esting account of his career is given in the ~sn's AoAAOoA O4 eA0 4N4u6t0CAGA S0AbuIy. The widest romance does not contain a stran- ger story.
 Bakunin was born in St. Petersburg of 8 noble Bayard family in 1914, and after attain ing suitable age served term in the army. He was a revolutionist from the beginning, and was discharged from the army for neglect of duty and insubordination. He settled in Moscow, where he became convert to the Hegelian system of philosophy, and afterward went to Berlin to complete his studies at the fountain head. There he became friend of the novelist Tourgenief, but became aliena- ted from him, because he would not conform to radical notions of life. He took part in the insurrection of 1s4s in Paris, and the next year endeavored to excite an in- surrection in Prague, from whence he escaped to Dresden, taking part in the re- volt of 1849, and advocating the burning of the city, when it could no longer be defend ed- He was captured and condemned to death by Saxon tribunal, but was demand ed for execution by the Austrian government for his actions in Prague. Sentenced to death by the Austrian courts, he again had his life prolonged by the vengeance of his
 
 the Czar Nicholas, who wished to be his ex- ecutioner. Family influence obtained res- pite, and after five years imprisonment in a fortress, he was banished for life to Eastern Siberia. He escaped on board an American vessel in the Amoor river, and landed in Japan, from whence he crossed to San Fran cisco and London, where he established the famous revolutionary journal, the KolokoI, or Bell, in which he preached the doctrines of universal anarchy. He took part in the Po- fish insurrection of 1863, and in 1867, at Geneva, founded the Nihilist organization and became it's recognized leader. He was {; in Paris during the reign of the Commune, and was one of the leaders of the troops that stormed the Hotel de Vile. The remainder of his life was spent in Switzerland in organ jzing and directing the Nihilist conspiracy, and it's chief energy and severity came from him. His propaganda, which he entitled a new gospel, denied the existence of God, and demanded the absolute destruction of both religion and society.
 This dark and bloody man, who from his corner in Switzerland sent out orders to over turn and kill and burn, has a successor, who is not definitely known (a1though the name of one of his Geutenants has been mentioned) and probably will not be until his death al lows the secret to be revealed or the revolu- ton takes an open form. Yesterdays news, however, indicates that the conspiracy has not lost force or directness by the death of Michael Bakunin.