The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-04-28
N1H1I1sM AND RUSSIA.

We well remember tue nerCe attempt
at revolution by the Poles in 1880. They
did wonders until overwhelmed by the
Russian armies thrown into Poland. The
sympathy Of all liberty loving people
went out for Poland then as when she
was seized in the last cen ury by the
combined armies Of Russia, Prussia and
Austria, and partitioned. Poor Poland
is gone, wiped out as nationality, swal.
lowed up by those despotic powers. We
have no sympathy with despot rulers.
Before 1880 we read that charming
tale, "Thaddeus of Warsaw" in which
is we'll told the fierce resistance If the
Poles, when fighting for national inde.
pendence against the combined surroun
ding powers under KosCiuszko. We are
therefore no admirer of Russian rule
Reading such tales, too, as "The Exiles
Of Siberia" are not calculated to raise
admiration for the Russian despotism.
1t is, too, an aggressive power in every
direction. 1t is only surrounding DOW.
ers that have prevented Russia from ex.
tending her Conquests further than she
has. While it is true the late murdered
Emperor set free the serfs, we are not
aware that he did or attempted anything
to relieve the burdens of the people,
His immense standing army and his
costly lazy; his established church and
the spendthrift aristocracy, make, in fact,
slave drudges of the toiling millions,
who have no voice in government af
fairs. ....
An immense gulf separates the official
political opinions of Russia from those
Of free country. For instance, the
press of Russia demand that Nihilism
be stamped out. They say that it is in
London, Paris, and Geneva that these
diabolical plots for the assassination of
emperors are hatChed, and they demand
that international law be amended in
reference to the crime of political con.
spiracy. 1t seems when the remains of
the late Emperor were lying in state in
the Fortress church, the houses along
the principal leading to the church
were locked, and the keys handed over
to the police. This is far from being
healthful condition of things. If the
Nihilists are so few in number as thew
are represented to be, this is surely pre-
caution carried to excess. But we great.
ly doubt the accuracy of the representa-.
tions put forward by the Russian press
The government of Russia has beer
defined "a despotism tempered by assas.
sination." Indeed, the policy of Russia
in Finland and Poland, if not elsewhere
has been eminently favorable to the pro.
duction of conspirators. How many
thousands OF the rest men of Poland
have been dragged from their homes
upon mere suspicion, to spend the re.
mainder of their lives in the mines of
SiberiaI No one will say that if all the
Nihilists of Russia were let loose to work
their will in Russia, they would do one.
hundredth part the wrong that has been
done by order of the Russian Govern.
ment' The country has been sown for
century with dragons teeth, and the
crop is now beginning to mature. What
the Emperors have long been sowing,
they are now beginning to harvest. The
blood of thousands of Polish martyrs,
like the blood Of Abel. is crying to heav-
en- for vengeance, All the Russian press
admit the conspiracy to be of Russian
origin. The Conspirators spoken of
abroad, at London, Paris, and Geneva,
are Russian conspirators. The life Of
Alexander H., has been frequently
threatened. His power was absolute: he
was chief of more than a million armed
soldiers and numerous and we'll ap.
pointed police; but Russia is eminently
country of assassination. A small body
of desperate men have set army and DO.
lice at defiance.
Nihilism, then, the legitimate off.
spring OF the Russian system, has been |
cruel, heartless, without one ray of mer.
cy mingling with its administration. No |
distinction was often made between sus.
piCion and guilt. No men were ever &C.
tuated by loftier sense of public duty
than some of those whom Russia regar.
ded as among the basest of mankind.
The world has outgrown Russian despot-
ism. 1t is system of government for
which, at this day, there is no room.
This is an age of self-government. That
Of Russia is an enemy to mankind. 1t
has known no law, and the instincts of
hose who have been it's victims will JUS
ify them in employing any means that
will lead to its overthrow. The ore
hing that will destroy Nihilism is con.
liberty. Nihilism is terri
Die remedy for the political diseases of
Russia. 1t is the spy system against tie
Ipy system. 1t may be that it will prove
sufficient to put an end to government
~ spies. Ifit accomplished this, it will
De an instance in which one crime was
generated by another in order to destroy
t.
ONE of the notices during the Ameli.