The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-05-12
Something Said In Its Favor.

press which does not dare to print any
thing against the Royalists and which
naturally hears only the worst side o
the question. 1t - fair therefore t.
give our readers come idea of what the
Nihliists say for themselves.
We observe that at a meeting in
New York rendered to Herr Frcitzschc.
a member Of the German Parliament,
or felchstag, the following speeches
were made DIR. L ouai said
The orga:.s OF the capitalists cal
the death OF the Gar Alexander all
essas~lnation, though it contains, prop
erly considered, one of the element,
OF assassination. We call it by i yer,
different name. We call it all execu-
ton Of popular justice, Tremendous
applause. 1t Is always SO when a great
social, political, or religious revolution
Is at the door. Should, we, who arc
IN no wise responsible Tor the circum
stances productive of revolution, he
held responsible FOR any of its Incidents
An assassination is the work of one
who, Tor the MIST part, conceais him
self III an ambush, or steals up behind
an un~suspecting victim to deal the ia =
tai blow. Alexander WAS not unsus-
pecting or surprised. He had been
warned many times by distinct words
and by acts indicative of the stern JUS
tlce OF his popular Judges. He was
gwen ample time TO r~etract, change,
reform, bat he stubbornly refused to
abate in any degree his irresponsible,
~tyraunlcal, terrible rule.
An assassin is also one who ordi-
narlly kills for the qualification Of pri-
Vate hate, and always fnr u base mo
tive. Let Us consider, as : fair-min-
ded jury, the motives OF the young men
who executed Alexander. They knew
what they were about to do, and knew
still better what awaited them; but
they went forward unfinchinsly to do
the bidding of the representatives of
the people. Their love of liberty and
native land alone fired their hearts
and nerved their hands. Even our add
verserles have granted to these young
men the possession of herGlsm. APP
plause. They saw their own state and
the condition of their country, of their
kInsmen, OF their countrymen, growing
worse every day. Was it not time for
them to begin to exercise the right of
seli-defencef Do not those who con-
denim the execution Of Alexander, and
call assassination, deny the inalienable
right of self-defencel Applause.
Considering all, will you not then give
your verdict, as the jury impanelIed
hele to-night, that these young men
are heroes, and that they have deserv-
eel well of the worldf" Yes, yes and
great applause
f.. 5. Shevilch, a Russian and edi-
tor of the IoLss Zeituag then address
ed the meeting in German. I'VE have
just received word that Nicholas
Cherneshewski, whose death in Siberia
WAS reported a year ago, is still among
the living. His prosecutor is dead but
he still lives"
The speaker said he was not a be-
lever III tyrsnnicide, but he believed
tae killing Of the Gar to have been
juStitiable. Il can remember the book
from which whena child, | was taught
Russian history" he said. '.It was
written by a court lady. She consid-
cred the greatest act of hereism of
Peter the Great the killing of his own
son, and compared him to Brutus and
Abraham. A little further on we come
to Cathanne II. She had ali idiot for
i husband who hampered her desire
to govern; so she had him assassina-
ted. Yet she is called great ruler.
Then we come to Paul L. He was sim
ply crazy. At last his son, afterward
Alexander the L., tired of his fathers
lunacy, and gave his physicians a wink
TO cure him. And he Vas thoroughly
cured with a pillow. Yet this same
Alexander is called the Benign
There is an old German proverb which
reads: What is just for one is right
for another. If it was heroism for
rulers to kill their enemies, why is it
not htroism for the people to kill their
enemieS!'
The speaker said that the Gar lib
Grated the serfs because he was told
that freeing the serfs would be an act
through which the unruly spirit of the
county would escape. The result was
the peasants found 3 large amount Of
land on their hands on which taxes
were levied "a an enormous rate.
Year after year, said the speaker,
As the peasants grew poorer the levy
ing of taxes was attended with more
cruelty. | saw how it wss done in a
little Russian village ten years ago.
twenty Cossacks rode into the place.
The Project stood in the public square,
and read from list the amount OF
taxes owed by the village, and who
were the delinquents. These were
then requested to pay, and when they
would not they were tied to a board
and cruelty logged.
Il have only lifted a corner of the
curtain" concluded the speaker. 1.-The
Gar may have personally been kind
hearted, but We have only to deal with
him as a ruler. If possible we would
hsvs avoided his assassination; we
only resorted to it because we saw no
other method of relief. When told
that it was necessary to throw a bait |
to the liberals he said lie would not
have even the semblance OF freedom in
Russia. He vas logical, and we were
logical when We killed him. His kill
ing was as important a. 8 revolution.
1t was d revolution; such a one that
even the tyrants in this country who
are still in their swadding Clothes are
trembling"
The following resolutions were adop-
ted:
Whereas. Every people has a holy
right to defend is liberty 10y all means,
ever the most violent, in its power
against the attacks of a despotism:
Whereas. In the strife now raging
between the representatives of the no.
blest and most intelligent elements of