Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-17


lated by them every hour Of the day or
night; where it is impossible for half a
dozen people to enter or leave house
together without the interference of the
police? Under this condition Of things
it has been impossible for the people to
rise, for il has been impossible for them
TO meet and plan rising. They are
bound hand and foot. In Russia no
man knows what day or an hour may
bring forth for him. At any moment
be may be arrested for completely in
political plot and sent to the gallows or
Siberia without a trial. An anony-
nous letter to the police, the denuucia-
ton Of an enemy, the possession Of a
forbidden book-say one Of Huxley's
or Herbert Spencer's--is sufficient to
deprive a man Of life or such liberty as
a Russian may be said to possess.
when the late Gar Alexander
emancipated the serfs he received the
applause OF civilized Europe. 1t was
thought to be gracious act, worthy Of
an enlightened age. Russia hailed it as
the dawn Of new era. But what has
been the result? Millions Of people
have been emancipated from slavery to
a so-called freedom which has burdened
them with responsibilities they are not
able to bear. and for the non-fultilment
Of which they are afflicted with punish
ments unknown to slavery itself. Rus
STA is peasant state. The inhabitants
Of all the cities and towns make only 10
per cent. of the population, aud one
half Of the towns are agricultural. And
our peasants are our taxpayers. They,
and not the wealthy folk, supply the
revenue Of the State, and they are taxed
far beyond reason and justice. The
taxes are so imposed that they fall due
Just before harvest time. when the peo-
pie have not yet turned their crops to
cash. At the best of times they have
barely enough to live on after they have
paid the Governments demand, how
much worse, then, must il be when
they are asked to pay their taxes at just
that season Of the year when they
have no money? You would think
that it would only be ra-
tional on the part of the Cow
eminent to postpone its day of collec-
ton until the harvests have been gath
cred and sold. But the Russian Gov.
eminent does nothing that is rational.
Year after year efforts have been made
to so postpone the date when the taxes
fall due. But to no avail. For then
the officials would be bereft of an eX-
cuse for plundering the peasants and
appropriating their crops in the name
of the law. And understand that in
Russia everything is done by the OFF,
Gals as they think best, or rather, as
they find the best chances for plumber.
At one time banks were started TO
assist the peasants, so that they could
lay UP money through the year to meet
the taxes as they became due but, just
as these institutions met with favor
from the men they were deeigned to
benefit and their Golfers began to fill
with savings, a decree was issued
which is only another way Of saying II
was carried out-appointiDg a Govern
ment official at the head Of each bank,
and the officials at once appropriated
the funds,
In Russia there is no public Opin.
| ion because there are no means Of for
mulating one. The peasants, who form
nine tenths of the population. are dense
" ignorant, and the educated classe;
suffer ceaseless persecution unless they
enroll, themselves prominently on tbs
Government side. What are called the
Nihilsts are chiefly the educated PEG.
pie, for there can be no harmony be-
tween despotism ard enlightenment
The educated classes have taken up
on behalf Of the peasant the battle
which the peasant IS unable to fight
for himself, and for this they are
prosecuted beyond the power Of ar
alien people to believe. The authorities
recognize the might Of education and
the fact that its spread is dangerous to
the existing order Of things. For this
reason ban is placed upon learning,
and nothing is taught but what is ap-
proved by the Ministers of the Gar
Everything is done that can be done to
ruin the peasants materially and the
educated classes morally. To thinking
Russians and to our ambitious youth
life is but dreay span OF years, with
out hope, without any Of those incen-
tives for the future which men in other
countries enjoy. Already one generation
of noble youth has been swept away by
the gallows or by exile. The seyeresi
tortures are brought to bear upon politi-
cal prisoners. tOrtures that would have
been disgrace even to the dark ages
The innocent suffer with the guilty. i
a man can be called guilty whose deed
is calculated to effect the rescue of hi:
country and the freedom Of his race
But the authorities know no such thing
as innocence. If they suspect man
even without cause, he is doomed, and
no earthly power can save him. The
Government is as blind as it is per.
verse and cruel. Its continued op,
preston, which grows worse year by
year, is gOading the people to despera-
ton. The flower Of Russian man.
hood, the flower Of Russian intellect, is
being wiped out by hand We are pow
erless TO stay. Against this barbarisu
our only resource is secret warfare.
They call us Nihilists,' and seek to
impress the world that we are the
friends and brothers Of those despicable
fanstics-of whom you have some in
America-who preach the absurd doc.
trines Of a so-called socialism and
seek to oyerturn the fundamental prin-
ciples Of civilized life. 1t is false
We have no connection and no SYM
pathy. with these dsmagogues. Our
strike is for freedom, constitu-
tional government, and a representative
Parliament. Give us these. and the
Gar may retain his throne. Our or
ganization embraces the best elements
Of the Russian people, and so much OF
her intellectual strength, so much Of all
that is most noble, generous, and intel
ligent so much Of her vital force as is
not buried among the thousands of ST.
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