Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-26
The Nihtlssts and the Coronation.

Inc folowlng communication, which the Lon
don Times says is from Trustworthy source. IA
interesting as embodying the nihilist explana-
ton OF the tranquility characterizlng the Mos
cow ceremonies:
"Ihe surprise expressed In many quarters at
the peaceful nature Of the coronation of the
Car Is In nowise shared by the nihllsts them
selves To them 1t was well known that no at
tempt would be made on that occasion. although.
TO divert the attention Of the police from their
rear movements, they circulated rumors which
greatly alarmed, not merely the Russian court
out many OF It's distinguished guests As a
matter OF fact the Nihilst party came to the con-
ciusion that an attempt against the person of the
Car during the coronation would damage their
interests in any case. They have many good arCu-
ments to justify their unexpected neutrality They
urge that the revolutionary movement In Russia
embraces persons OF moderate views whose opin-
ions must be taken into consideration, for al
Inough rarely producing men OF action they
often supply large sums OF money for the pur-
pose OF agitation. These moderate paftisans
looked forward to the coronation as a fitting
occasion Tor the granting OF constitution
whue the extreme faction hoped for some meas
ure of mercy toward the nihilists i'm Siberia ard
In prison. To have hindered such occasions by
an untmely blow would have alienatel many
sympathes; whereas matters row stand,
whatever reaction OF feeling may take rlace viii
be In favor OF rather than against the nihilists
1t was also calculated iiat the Deoule " no came
to the coronation wonid not lie in the rirht
frame or mind or belong TO a class likely to
nihilists, who are always seeking
to win the people over to Their
cause, would not have increased their popular
ity by disturbing popular fete. The multitude.
intoxicated by the free distribution OF beer and
spirits, might. on the contrary have been led TO
massacre every one Of known or suspected lib
eral tendencies; and although the power OF the
| autocracy would have lost much of its prestige.
the revolutionary party would have been blamed
by many of its best friends. on the other hand
the coronation offered an excellent opportunity
Tor the nihilist party to develop its strength
The whole force OF the government and its most
Intelligent spies were concentrated at Moscow.
and the nihilists proflted by this auspcious oc-
caslon TO spread their doctrines and enrol sup
porters at st. Petersburg and other large GEN.
ters In this work they were amply sue
cessful. The strength of the party at st.
petersburg especially greatly increased dur
ing the preparations for the coronation.
The nihllist agents, free from the presence
OF the spies who knew them best. propagated
their doctrines unchecked, and the late riots at
81 petersburg may In part be attributed to
thelr recent action. Nor are matters likely to
rest here. Further efforts NAV be anticipated
and although the most sanguine nihilIsts recog-
nlZe That Russia Is not yet ripe for O general
rising, 1t Is thought that partial and local dis
turbances will teach the people how to act in
similar emergencies, and give them some conf
u
feeling OF animosity and revenge against the
police and the government. The fact that no
concessions whatsoever have been made to
satisfy liberal opinion In Russia will 90 far to
justify such outbreaks, and the stubbornness
OF the car Is hailed with great delight by
all thorough-going revolutionists. Nor do
the nihilists think that their abstention
during the coronation will be taken
as proof Of their weakness. Their past is there
| to speak for them, and the most recent as well
as previous arrests show how they count parti.
who are the nearest as well as among those
who are the farthest removed from the person
| OF the car. There were at the coronation
officials and others, secretly at the orders of the
nlhlllsts party, near enough to the emperor to
have struck fatal blow IL the dreaded word Of
command had been given. Indeed it was to be
feared that some over-Zealous partisan would,
on his own responsibility, and In defiance
OF orders to the contrary, throw O small
dynamite hand grenade, or otherwise seek
to take the life OF the car. Fortunately,
however the discipline Of the party was not
broken. although to some persons the temptation
must have been keen. Apart from these hidden
friends of nihilism, few well-known conspira-
tors contrfyed TO be present at the coronation
In spite OF all the efforts of the police to discover
and capture them. There was no special reason
to induce them TO be at Moscow at such a time but
the Russian nihilist is particularly foolhardy,
and never seems so happy as when defying fate
and the police Hence the nihilists at least are
convinced that If the Car is still alive 1t is not
because his police succeeded i'm battling their
efforts, but simply because their leaders wisely
determined to hold back forthe moment. Their
object is not to kill one man, but to revolu.
tlonize whole state, and IL is therefore neces-
Sary to be polite as well as violent