The Arizona sentinel., 1885-06-20
NInILISM.
lis Birth, Rise aud Progress.

lis Birth, Rise aud Progress.
 Nihilism in Russia was first promul-
 gated 6 few years previous to the &C.,
 cession of Emperor Nicholas in 1925.
 The revolution of that year was caused
 by it, although the association was pop-
 ularly known ss the Decemberists, !"
 from the month in which the riot of St.
 Petersburg occurred. The followers of
 this organization established paper in
 London called the Bell, with the famous
 revolutionist, Hertzen, as editor. His
 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 family, 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 8 profound impression upon the youth of Russia. He unveiled the secrets of the Czar's household, and painted him in she most frightful colors. His agents penetrated the seclusion of the highest
 :ircles of Russian society and made con- verts everywhere, but chiefly in the uni versailles. His influence continued un- til 184a. He died in Switzerland few years since an exile on whose head 8 price had been set for half century.
 Societies under various names sprung up, all having hertzen's views as their fundamental doctrine The chief of these was the "Society of Young Russia. They went further than Hertzen, and in their journals, published secretly in Rus- sia, they even denounced the Bell as "od fogy." Among the advocates of the new doctrine were Mikhailoff, the great poet, and Tzernyshevski, of Naples. In 1870 the publications were SUD- pressed and the writers exiled. But this mattered little, because their views had gained so strong hold upon the Rus sian mind that leaders were unnecessary. In June, 1872, the Czar issued a ukase, giving power to the Minister of the In terior to punish any undue freedom of the press, and since that time there has been an unceasing round of persecution. In the midst of it 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 series of letters by | Antovitch, and was immediately adopt | ed, and is now universally recognized by | revolutionists of every grade.
 In 1870 the Nihilists 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 k1 hot o1.rh4 gate their doctrine. The ladies hay, 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 ples of the men, and they became equally dangerous to the permanence of tLe empire as the most fragrant among the revolutionists. Out of their extrem, notions of liberty they adopted form of free-love, abrogating the rite of mar riage, and dressing in peculiar forms somewhat similar to the Bloomer cos tune of this country.
 The strength of the secret Nihilist Government, known as the Society for General Freedom, can hardly be overes- timated. It has its followers in every CnCAc OA cOC1OIJ ssAd LII ONOAJ AOucS1IOlu Its organization is marvelously perfect and compact, while its mysteries are surrounded by the most awful oaths, with immediate death as the penalty for their violation. Beside these, there are some IA, ,O00,OO0 of the Starovier (old faith men). These declare the Czar and 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 Nihilists. They em- ploy agents who go from village to viii lage spreading their doctrine. They are ,l able to read and write, and among them are multitudes of Poles and ex- exiles. By the Nihilists and Staroviers assassination is regarded as iustifable means of ridding the country of tyrants.