Middletown transcript., 1881-04-15


sia, this side the Ural range. is,
like the religious societies commonly
called Quakers, MOravians, Shakers and
Mormons, not known to the outer
world by the name which distinguishes
it in the lodges of the initiated. The
term 9 Nihilist y was first used in 1862
by Tourganieff, in his novel Fathers
, and Sons, !" and in the absence of more
definite information, it seems to be very
appropriate, as was shown by the
declaration of principles which was
produced at the trial of ClerkeSOff and
others in 1871. About 80 years ago it
was known to those who were familiar
with the undercurrents of opinion, that
the general principles of socialism, with
out the distinctive formulas of any of
the schools Of science, had begun to be
disseminated among the masses of the
Russian population not yet emancipat-
ed from serfdom, but Just beginning to
think and dream of something far be-
yOnd that condition. The society known
as the Nihilists has been in existence
about twelve years. 1t originated in
spring Of 1869 with gentleman named
Netchaief. This man had adopted the
views of social organization which have
found expression in the works of
Prondhon and the Able Constant, and
4 he found able and earnest fellowworkers
in the dissemination of his views, in
Dolgoff, Orloff and Ikatscheff, all
young men, and members of the most
1 educated sections of Muscovite society.
The right of association and the free
dom of the press are forbidden in
| Russia, hence secret organization
affords i'll that country the only means
| by which novel views, whether political,
religious or social, can be promulgated,
and Netchaief proceeded, therefore, to
devise secret system Of propagandism
and to attract to it many of the students
of the PetrOfsky University. The prin-
ciples of the society have been some
what hazily set forth by the writers in
the Nihilist journal Tpered (Onward),
but they evidently tend to the reccl.-
struction of government and society oil
the bFoadest basis. Some things pur-
porting to be their principles, and read
from time to time in Russia, we must
say bear a very decided impress of con-
coction by the agents of the secret
police. | myself am skeptical as to the
following, said to have been delivered
in Geneva, as early as 1868, by one
Baklmin, stating the tenets of Nihilism.
He said
''The beginning of all those lies which have
ground down this poor world in slavery is
God. Tear out of your hearts the belief in
the existence of God for as long as an atom
of that silly superstition remains in Your
minds you will never know what freedom is.
The first lie is God. The second lie is Right.
And when you have freed your minds from
the fear of a God. and the childish respect for |
the fiction of Right, then all the remaining |
chains which bind you, and which are called |
morality and justice. will snap asunder like |
Threads. Our first work must be destruction |
and annihilation of everything as it now |
exists. You must aceustom yourselves to |
destroy everything, the good with the bad =:
for if but an atom of this old world remains /
the new will never be created When you
once begin your work of destruction, and /
when the floods of enslaved masses of the i
people rise and engulf temples and palaces,
then take heed that no ark be allowed to
rescue any atom of this old world which We
eonsecrate to destruction" That is nihilism
blind, extravagant, insensate. As Cunliffe-
exists at present finds favor in their eyes
that they have been called nihilists.'
Whatever the precise object of the
NihiliStS were announced to be, the
society obtained a large following
among all classes of the people, and
spread it's ramifications from Moscow to
all the towns of the southern provinces.
Addresses were widely circulated from
the United to the Isolated, !" and groups
of the initiated were formed among the
students of the colleges, the soldiers of
the garrison, the artisans of the towns,
and the peasants of the rural districts.
Wherever five members were initiated
circle was formed, and certain num-
Der of such groups formed a section.
The direction of the society was vested
in a committee to which judicial
functions were assigned, extended, it is
said, even to the infliction of capital
punishment. The entire proceedings of
the society were conducted with the
profoundest secrecy. All cOmmunica-
tiOns in writing were made in a pecu-
liar cipher Each circle was isolated,
so each Nihilist knew only those of the
circle to which he belonged. In all cor
numbers were substituted
for names and the members of the COM
mittee were known only to each other.
? After the organization had taken
root a division of sentiment arose
among the leaders as to how they
OAlOlllu DCoI ICCtCu lIlClI CIIls OIIOlL anu
Ikatscheff being disposed to convey the
gradual propagation of their opinions
among the people, while Netchaief was
for revolution by physical force. The
latter gradually won over his followers
to his way of thinking, but before the
plot was ripe for execution, some of the
pecularities affected by the initiated
such as short hair and short rough
coats arrested the attention of the au-
thorities and the matter was given into
the hands of the police. DOlgoff (whO
held place second only to Netchaief)
was arrested, together with Prince
Chersekoff who had supplied funds for
the agitation, and the son of military
officer named Rippona. Other arrests
were made among the students of the
Petrofsky University, and a special
was opened at Moscow for
the trial of the accused. The prisoners
were all convicted but as no act of
treason could be proved against them
they were but lightly sentenced.
Prince Chersekoff was deprived of his
rights and degraded from the rank of
the nobility and banished into Siberia |
for five years, while the others were
llhplloOuou 1O1 l6IuIS IduSIHS HUM
three to eighteen months. These ar
rests and trials caused temporary lull
in the agitation, but it was soon re-
sumed and spread to the shores of the &
Baltic. While affiliating with the
society all who were prepared to accept |
its doctrines, its leaders soWed broad
cast among the working classes small [
publications, especially adapted for
their understanding and literary re- Y
These publications were q
not philosophical treatises on political {
subjects, but simple stories of social and t
political wrongs and injustice, which i
were imported in great numbers and
bearing the mark Allowed by the Z
Censorship were for long time sold G
openly without arresting the attention i
Of the authorities. These publications 4
emenated from Geneva. The most pop t
1lar one relates the troubles of four
brothers who have been living from in j
fancy in the midst of forest, in ignor- 5
ance of the world beyond its borders. t
0ne day they climb a hill and see f