The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-01
The Nihilists.
TEXT OF THE TWO ADDRESSES
Terrible Tale of Oppression and Wrong.


terrible part of the rapidly passing history of
these terrible days, in which all thought is GEN.
tered on one topic. All the places of amuse-
ment in the city are closed-the museums as
well as the theatres.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE To EURO
PEAN SOCIETY.
OFFICE OF THE "PEOPLE's WILL"
March 10, (22) 1881.
On the first of March the executive commit
mittee of the Russian social revolutionary par
~ ordered the execution of the Russian Em-
peror Alexander ii.
Long years of tyranny have just been ter
minated by deserved punishment. The ex-
ecutive committee which IS defending the
rights of personal individuality, as well as the
rights of the Russian people, addresses the
public opinion of western Europe in order to
explain the motives of this event. Filled with
love for humanity and truth the Russian revo-
lutlonary party for number of years tried to
spread its convictions by means of a peaceful
propaganda. Its activity was not intended to
go beyond the limits allowed TO private and
public activity in all the states of Europe with
out exception. Having made it the prime du-
ty to work with the Russian laborer and peas
ant, to develop the understanding and improve
the economical welfare of the Russian people,
the revolutionary party shut its eyes to the po-
litical persecution and lawlessness which
reigned supreme in its native land and reso-
lutelY ignored all political questions. The
Russian government met this activity by
dreadful prosecutions Not isolated individ1-
ais, not dozens or hundreds, but thousands
have suffered slow death by confinement in
prisons, exile and forced labor, while thous-
ands of families have been ruined and cast
into deepest sorrow At the same time the
Russian government multiplied bureaucracy
to an incredible degree and by number Of
measures aimed against the people gave a
great impetus to dishonesty. Universal
beggary, famine, the Generalization of
the people by examples of easily got
ten wealth undermined the peoples notions
as to the value of labor and made them adopt
the narrow and ego.istical ideas Of spectators.
All this joined to the terrible prosecutions of
the people were the result of the governments
policy. Everywhere, in all countries, certain
individuals suffer, but nowhere for such tri-
fling causes as in Russia everywhere the in
terests of the people are sacrificed for the bene-
fit OF the regning class but no where are they
trodden under foot so inhumanly and cynically
as in our country. Prosecuted, hunted down
deprived by existing circumstances of the DOS
siblity of carrying out its ideas, the revolution
ary party slowly faced about for an active
struggle with the government, confining itself
in the beginning to an armed resistance to
its emissaries. The government answered by
executions. Life became uncertain. The on
ly choice was between moral and a physical
death. Rejecting the dishonorable existence
Of slaves, the Russian socialistic revolutionary
party decided to die or to break down the des-
potism of a hundred years which was sitting
Russian existence. Fully aware of the right
eousness and the grandeur of our cause, as we'll
as OF the pernicious effects of the Russian auto
cratic government not only to the Bussan peo-
pie but to humanity at large which it continu-
ally threatens with the destruction of the
rights and liberties acquired from civilization,
the Russian socialstic revolutionary party has
determined to organize systematic struggle
III %t,aks I1--~
happened to Alexander III. is one Of the conse-
quences of that struggle. The executive COM
mittee is convinced that the thinking and hon.
est element of western Europe understands all
the Importance Of the struggle and will not
condemn the means adopted which were only
called out by the cruelty of the Russian gov
erhment as there was no escape for a good and
honest Russian, but bloody fight.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO THE \
EMPEROR ALEXANDER Ill.
March 10, (22,) 1881.
Your Majesty: Although the executive
committee fully appreciates the feelings which
weigh you down at the present moment, it
finds nevertheless, that it has no right to yield
to sentiment OF common and very proper del
icacy which requires that some time should be
allowed to elapse before your presence is in
truded upon with explanations like the follow
ing. But there are higher aims than persons
lawful feelings-they are the duty to ones ma
tive land, duty which compels every citizen
to sacrifice himself, his own feelings and the
feelings of his fellow citizens. Obeying this
powerful motive we have determined to waive
all considerations at present and to address
you Immediately, as that march of events
which threatens our future with rivers of blood
and with the most terrible convusions, will
not stop to await our pleasure.
The bloody tragedy just enacted on the
Catherine canal was not casual, nor was it un-
expected. After the occurrences of the last
ten years it was unavoidable and the man
whom Providence has put at the head Of the
Government cannot but understand its mean
ing. To explain it away as the deed of isolated
individuals, or perhaps of band at most, eau
only be done by people utterly incapable of an
alyZing the inner life of nations We see how
in the course of the last ten years the revolu-
tionary movement has grown obStinately in
spite OF the severest prosecutions. The Gov
ernment Of the late Emperor has sacrificed
everything; liberty, the interests of individuals
as well as OF commerce, its own dignity, in fact
everything, capable of crushing movement
which attracts the best elements of the coun-
try, the most energetic and self-sacriicing peo-
pie of Russia, and which for the last three
years, has declared a most desperate and parti-
san war to the Government. You know your
self, your majesty, that the Government Of the
late Emperor cannot be accused of lack of
energy. The guilty and the innocent were
hung side by side, the prisons of the distant
SO called "leaders" have been caught and
hung. They have met their fate with the for
titude and manliness Of martyrs, but the move
ment was not eradicated; on the contrary it
grew and became stronger. You know it did,
your majesty, for revolutionary movement is
not thing dependent upon individuals, it is a
popular organization, and the gibbets erect
ed for its leaders are as powerleSs to save
obsolete institutions, as was Christ's death on
the cross to save the immortal ancient world
from the triumphs of a reforming Christianity.
Undoubtedly the government will yet sue
ceed in catching good many individuals. 1t
will probably destroy great number of revo-
lutionary circles. We even grant that it will
be successful in destroying the most important
OF revolutionary organizations. But what Of
that? All this will in no manner change the
revolutionary spirit which is born from cir
cumstances, from the discomfort of the people,
from the longing Russia has toward new social
1t is impossible to kill off the
whole nation; equally impossible is it to de-
stroy its dissatisfaction by means of reprisals;
it is these latter on the contrary which make
it grow. That is the reason why, in the places
of those who arc killed off, there appear from
the ranks of the people, i'll ever increasing
new recruits, more energetic and
more determined than their predecessors In
the interest OF the fight they have undertaken,
and prohting by the experience of those who
have gone before them, they join their forces,
and that IS why the revolutionary organizations
in the course Of time, must not only increase in
quantity, but in quality also. This is exactly
what has happened during the last ten years.
What good has the government derived from
the death of the people who were active in IA.
They were followed by men of much greater
and the terrible measures
which exterminated them, created the terror
lists of '78, 70. In vain has the government
dozens of revolutionary circles Out
of these incomplete organizations, by perfectly
natural means, have grown better and CON-
pleter ones, aud finally there appeared the ex-
ecutive committee, with which the govern
ment has not been able to. cope so far.
Looking back calmly upon the ten hard
years it has been our lot to live through, we
deem ourselves able to foretell with certainty
the future progress Of the revolutionary move
ment, should the politics of the government
not change. 1t will grow and increase, the
terroristic deeds will be repeated with greater
intensity, the societies will replace the de-
stroyed groups by completer and firmer organ
izations The quantity of the disatfected will