Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-27
THE CARS TERROR
Nihilism in Russia-What II Is-The
Eyer-Present Skeleton in the
Imperial Closet.
The Shadow Of Death that is Haunting
Alexander by Day and by Night
The Price DespOtism Pays.

! George NJ Towle delivered his lecture on
I "Czar and Nihilist" to the customary large
audience that fills the Grand on Sunday
| afternoons. He opened his subject with a
] description OF the assassination of Alexan-
| der II. That sovereign had been warned by
! his minister Of plot foot for his assas-
ination, but had resolved not to disappoint
his relative in his promised attendance upon
J.te at the Michael palace. He had be-
come Injured to plots and menaces; he had
been attacked by wOrkmen; shot at by stu
dents on the streets of St. Petersburg; q
train on which he had been expected had
| been blown into the air; the dinlDg-room OF
his winter palace had been shattered by an
explosion; and for years he had lived in
dread of sudden death, until at sixty-fve
his face was creased with lines of care, and
he had the air of a man desperately weary
of being tracked and shot at. Once he
had thought he possessed the love OF his
people. He had given freedom to forty
thousand OF serfs. He was reputed
a man OF tender sympathies, and not by
nature a tyrant; yet, later, he was forever
haunted by an impending shadowy death,
that lurked he knew not where, perchsnce in
the dishes he fed from, behind the curtains
of his bed that closed him in, or in the very
midst of the soldiery that guarded him, and
whose argus eyes scanned every rod of terri
tory over which he swiftly passed. Who
was the victim of a vast revolutionary or
ganization, made up of every rank and con-
dition of life, resolved to rid Russia Of It's
ancient and tyranuous autocratic rule. 1t
was not the peaceful Alexander at whom it
aimed, but at the representative of tyranny
the personi6ed power that abased the peo-
pie, and as such the supreme obstacle be-
tween irresponsible power and the peoples
right to rule. The organization dates back TO
vi her IN Of
Ruric through a river of blood, suppressed
the great revolt with an iron hand, and con-
served the ancient tyranny until II rested
with fearful strain upon the necks Of the
people. Since then the organization has
been steadily growing among the Russian
masses. The term "Nihilistn is significant
and misleading. 1t was like some of our
own terms, as "Locofoco," etc, first protested
against and then accepted. Primarily it has
reference to disbelief in the future, etc,
and doubtless there is deep down in the heart
OF the organization a dreary atheism. An
other definition is to pull down all existing
forms OF government, society and religion, in
order to build up anew. But Nihilists are
not all devotees of fanaticism, since it in
cludes these protesting all forms of govern
ment and religion, united TO abolish the ex-
listing autocracy, whatever may follow. Bis
marek estimates their numbers at sixty
thousand in Berlin alone, and they are num-
bered, doubtless, by millions in Russia, COM
prised OF all ranks AID professions. The
Gar Alexander III planned a yachting
party secretly, in which only these of most !
approved faithfulness were selected to par
t;cipate; yet TIE plan was scarce perfected |
before plot to assassinate the car on the |
offered opportunity was discovered. Inse- |
cure in his winter palace, the rural retreat |
of Gltschina was secretly fitted up by sworn |
workmen bound to secresy under penalty Of |
death or Siberia,with a subterranean passage |
from the cars rooms to the stables, where |
feet horses stand, ever ready saddled. He is |
there protected by Notifications, and every
foot of ground Is under the eyes of watch |
men day and night, and battalion of cav
airy is always on guard. The chief of his |
guard, by touching a button, can ring up |
every guard at once. The fastening OF his
door is in his own charge, the windows of
his room are closed with iron shutters, and !
his quarters are reached by three chambers,
each guarded by thirty armed Cossaczs. |
Even prince of royal blood is not permit
ted to enter unsearched. Yet, in the midst
Of this apparent security, he awoke one
to find upon the table of his room,
which none could enter unless opened by |
himself, an outspread, threatening letter. So
secret is the organization that it defies the
utmost effort of the autocracy to discover
itolT hidden sprins=-- I. he's beeI hold enough
70 proclaim its object to be the overthrow OF
xisting Institutions and to that end the
Heath of cars, heads of government, and all
who oppose it. It's central committee is in
St. Petersburg, unknown in its personnel to
others. By its agents all other committees
are organized, the members of which are
unknown to the members of other commit
ees. Death is the penalty for the recall
;itrant member which is pitilessly executed.
The Nihilist does not ask why he is required
o Kill. Nihilists are known to have held
meetings in the house of a carpenter. the
country schoolhouse, and in the palace of the
lobles. The daughters of counselors OF the
empire, mobiles, students and common people
rave been discovered and convicted of being
members. They are divided into three orders
tine novitate, of whom it is required that
lie shall be able to read and write; second, |
men of some Judgment and culture; third
he tried Nihilists, who perform the most
dangerous work, and devote themselves
o the conversion of prominent peo-
lie. On the trial of Vera Sassulitch before
carefully packed jury OF mobiles, the wo-
nan who coolly shot the chief OF police, Ire
'hof, was acquitted, both the judge and pros
cutting attorney having expressed themselves
n a manner to insure such a verdict, al
hough the evidence of her crime was beyond
question. The lecturer gave instances of the
ull information possessed by the organiza-
iOh VI diI lnal Is transporting, even IN the
ecret bureaus of the government, and then
the causes of grievance, which
re briefly the desire tor representative gov
freedom from standing armies and
he armies of government spies; freedom
rom the extortion of government peculators,
eralds of poverty and desolation; freedom
rom burdensome taxes, which, with the
Their impositions, blast the hope of the mil
ions to acquire what may make old age
comfortable; freedom from wholesale con-
,ription, freedom from the expenses
vast military organization,
nd of the Imperial household,
hich exceeds in amount the
hole sum devoted to internal improve
tents, education and the national defense
ut together, and finally freedom for the
ress and public assemblage and debate. He
id moi regard the Nihilists with unmixed
ensure, since the excuses of the Nihilists
eigh lightly in the scale against the terri
lie oppression of the autocracy. The organ (
alton forecasts forthcoming freedom. 1t !
ay be the car will grant the demands emu I
erated-it may be Russia will pass through !
lie long night of revolutionary horrors like
rance, to emerge, at last, into the sunlight :
national freedom.
ALABAMA ABSTRACTS. 6
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