The Arizona sentinel., 1884-11-15
NrHILTSM.
sts Birth. Rise aud Progress.


 NiEiism Il. A.u7, Id w.s fi.a. ,,tUmul- gated a few years previous to the ac- cession i ' pei;E E;;'nu.as in 131 ]. Tue revolution of that year was caused by It, although the association was pop ularly known aS the Decemberiats,' , from the month in which the riot of St Petersburg occurred. The followers of this Organization established paper in London called the Bett, with the famous reyolutionist, Hertzen, as editor. Hlo chief object was to bring about regen- eration of the people and to sweep from the face of the earth every member of the Czar's familE the titled aristocracy and the priests, and to make an equal division of all lands. He was remarka- ply able, and his productions, called "Letters from This Side," produced profound impression upon the youth of Russia. He unveiled the secrets of the tzar's household, and painted him in the most frightful colors. His agents penetrated the seclusion of the highest -ircles of Russian society and made con- serts everywhere, but chiefly in the uni versities His influence continued un- til 1S48 He died in Switzerland a few years since an exile on whose head price had been set for half century.
 Societies under various names sprung up, all having hertzen's views as theil fundamental doctrine. The chief of these was the "Society of Young Russia They went further than Hertzen, and Ill their journals, published secretly in Rus sia, they even denounced the Bell as "old fogy." Among the advocates oi the new doctrine were MikhailOf, the great poet, and Tzernyshevski, of Naples In 1870 the publications were sup pressed and the writers exiled. But thi. mattered little, because their views ha, gained so strong a hold upon the Rus sian mind that leaders were unnecessary In June, 1872, the Czar issued ukase, giving power to the Minister of the In terior to punish any undue freedom oi the press, and since that time there Ina, been an unceasing round of persecution In the midst of 1t all, however, the doc trines of the revolutionists have been gaining steadily, until they have honey combed the Russian empire from end to end The name Nihilists was first given to them in 1864, in 8 series of letters by Antovitch, and was immediately adopt ed, and is now universally recognized by revolutionists of every grade.
 In 1870 the NAlilIsts began to take decided and important action. Young men and young ladies, even in the high est ranks of society, dressed themselve> as peasants and sought menial employ ment, going everywhere and submitting to any sacrifice, that they might propa- gate their doctrine. The ladies have been especially efficient. They cut of their long hair. and entered the pro- fessions. Some of them became physi- cians, and followed recklessly the exam pies of the men, and they became equally dangerous to the permanence of tL1e empire as the most fragrant among the revolutionists. Out of their extrem, notions of liberty they adopted a form of free-loye, abrogating the rite of mar riage, and dressing in peculiar form somewhat similar to the Bloomer cos tune of this country.
 The strength of the secret Nihilisf Government, known as the Society fof General Freedom, can hardly be overes- timated. It has its followers in every circle of society and in every household. Its organization is marvelously perfect and compact, while its mysteries art surrounded by the most awful oaths, with immediate death as the penalty for their violation. Beside these, there are some 14, 900, 900 of the Starovier (old faith men). These declare the Czal end his family to be agents of the devil. They endure every form of persecution, and can always be relied upon as the firm friends of the Nihiists. They em- ploy agents who go from village to vii iage spreading their doctrine. They are Nl able to read and write, and among them are multitudes of Poles and ex- exiles. By the Nihilists and S5aroviers IS regarded as justifiablu l means of ridding the country of tyrants