The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-05-06
ICopyr,gnt. 1851

Hartman. the most famous of the mis-cslled
Nihilists who are known in Russia as the
Terrorists stated that ne read and cor
rectsd, with great care, the report that had
made of a series of conversations with Rus
sian Hebrew Nihilist who had been ons of
The sociAlistic propaganda. After he had
made me ne cessaly corrections, he pro
nOuuced the interview ala accurate and
Trustworthy account, az far as it goes, OF the
history, theories and purposes of the dreaded
secret rsvolutlOnist of Russia.
Thus sanctioned, this statement possesses
great interest st the present crisis.
THE INTERVIEW.
Ny Russiun Hebrew friend escaped from
the pursuit of the Russian police only
short time ago. He had served the propa-
ganda as 3 schoolmaster. He is q man of
liberal education and thoroughly familiar
with every phase OF the Russian revolution
airy movement. AS he enjoyed for many
months also, the daily conpanionship OF
Mr.. Hartn an, he has had the rarest oppor-
tunities for knowing the truth about the de-
ings ana policy Of the socialistic conspIra-
tors against the Czsr.
81 am Russian Socialist" he said The
Nihilists are the advanced or radical Social
ists But il is not the Nihilists wh9 war
against the Russian Government today.
The Nihilists never shed a drop OF blood.
They were apostles not reVolutionists. They
are now extinct in Russia. The men of to.
day VINO ara called Nihilis,s outside of Rus
STA are the Terrorists Of Russia
What is thus known IS NIhilism has had
two distincT eras. The first is the era of
TchycovskY. 1t ended in 1872, shortly after
the uprising Of the Commune. Up to tnaS
time there had been no attempts TO inaugu-
rate policy Of bloodshsd or terror, except
ing in 1865 when a small circle was formed
and scheme to kill the Emperor adopted.
1t failed, end KarakOsoH, its leader, was
hanged The scheme was the hrst indica-
ten OF q Ces Dair that was destined 20 spread
rapidly. The young Liberals OF Russia had
hoped that the Car Alexander, who had
liberated the seTfs- although he did 1t re.
luctantly give TO Russia a liberal
constitution. But ne soon showed that he
was rs oespotie as bis father, and his sup
preston y. POLISH aspirations, proved that
he was cruel, also.
THE founder of Nihilism was Nicholas
TscheTny snersky, editor OF the greatest Rus.
sian magazine, the Contemporary. lie
translated Mills Political &c JnCmY fztO
Russian ARD sdit-d it Vith notes in which he
exIOund, d his sociaittic ideas, He was 8
great viiteT on Political Economy and
Sociology, and author Of fsuOns novel en-
titled, ~ bat IS 10 be Dous?n He was to
Russia west Carl Marx and LA Sale nave
been 20 Germany. Twenty one years sgo re
was bsuIshed 10 Siberia. For eight years he
was kapt At bard labor and then his sentence
was CON muted 10 confinement to a small
town IN cue OF the IemoteEt reeions OF SHE.
Tis. De IS now at Astrachan at the mouth
OF the NOga. bat he IS nos permitted 10
leave Il all lis books sre strictly prohibited
by the RUss'sn Censor, ard everything he
mas wriiisn since AIS condemnation has bsen
destroy eC-esen grssamsr that he conn.,
piled 10 relieve the tedium OF his imprison-
ment. be rs still the Idol OF the Nihilists,
and you may conceive how his fac affects
them. For, however a Government might be
justified Ia severely Furnishing tbs terrorists,
Itcherny ssersky never advocated the policy
OF rebellion ard never invoked bloodshed.
Nothing is known OF his views of the policy
of the modern Nihilists. but all classes OF
Russian reformeTs admit that they owe their
political and social ideas 10 him. This Inhu.
ence has caused Carl Marx and La Sale to
be studied everywhere in Russia. You cal-
not find an educated Russian who is not con-
veIsant with Marks KaDital," and La Sal
les works, and Mills Political Economy as
annotated by TschernysheTsky.
The NIhIlist Warred seaiRst the corrupt
religion or the Empire and spread their rati-
Onaiistic IDEAS everywhere. They destroyed
the idea Of God as taught by the priests. We
Russian Socialists believe IN no worship as
taught By the present religions. The ideas
of Bucbner and DOrwin have supplanted the
ancient faith. Our Gre3k priests had lost
ali influence through their ignorance and
worldly mind edness; therefore, the material
istic philosophy found no antagonists ade-
quRte 10 combat il. Rstionalism became the
religion OF the educated classes, and the re-
suit WAS seen in the application OF its doc
trines OF individual sovereignty to every
tatlOn OF human life. Women were recog
nlzed ss the equals of men, with the equal
right of Independent action. For ten years
this propaganda was prosecuted by books
and papers secretly printed and secretly dis
tribute5, by the tIensatioDs of socialistic
writings Of Germany and France and by oral
discussions IN the societies of the colleges as
well rs in the salons Of the educated olsss.
The Commune of 1871 had great inhu-
ance on the movement OF Russts. The repres-
sive measures Of the Russian Government
had begun to throw distrus. on the possibil-
itJ Of the success of tns programme purely
peaceful. They were looking for some other
method The whole element of the intelli-
gent class found vent for its feeling
for its thirst, il l may so express my
self. in the French Commune. With the
coming IN az this French inf aence, the old
NihiliEm OF Russia vanished or it ceased to
rely on ideas intellectually advocated, and
1t BEGAN 70 have faith in coDqusring a posi-
ton for ideas by policy Of 0lGodsheG. Nj
hilism entered on liza revolutionary era.
SIN yonr American hlstory our Nihilism
ceTreSpoDcgd TO yoRT anti-slavery agitation
under Garrison ald Phillips; while the new
era Il the Russian Terrorisfs is represen ted
by the II en- OF Kansas and OF Harper's Ferry.
Necessarily. the craving for policy of act
ion implied fierce struggle and demanded
men OF farce temper; the class OF
men OF whom faDadcs Aud martyrs
ere made. And ID Was go. Nihiiism Gas a
beautiful dream; Terrorism has been hid
eous holccs1st On our side we have exc
.euted, in 1876 g spy, detective; IN 1877,
two spies; in 1878. Herkin. Captain of gems
-d'arnss. and Aesentzof chief of the Russian
gems armes; II 1879. Craposine, Governor
Of Cbarccf. one detective at Kieff and al
other ar Moscow. in 1850 an ioformer at 81,
Peterss1rg, in 1881. the Car, Alexander
IL, and detective At Warsaw, second 81
st. Petersburg; in 1882 the Prccureur-Gen.
ersl SIreinicofi in 1888 and 1884 detectives
at Odessa sGd 5adeykin. Besides these exc
cutiont we msde attempts that were unsac.
cessfnl- in 1879 on the life of the informer,
CORN ov IL. At HOdessa, and on the lives OF
General Trepof and of the assistant procura-
teur Cotliavevsky at Kieff; and had meds
preparations (by Wittenberg Nicolalff) to as
sassfnate Alexander IL, and 10 kin the chief
of gems d armes, Drewleln and to shoot AL
exsncer II. by Solovieff1; TO blow up the
railroad train ia which Alexander III. was
travelling on the Mosco -Kursk railroad
November Isl and We did blow up the cars,
for the tame purpose. near MOSCOW, by Hart
man ION the 10Th OF Novembsr.) At the
same time two other mines which wers dug