The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-05-26
THE RUSSIAN POLICE.
Flow It Ia Organised and Administered at
the Present Time.


the Present Time.
The police in Russia, rs In all absolute
monarchics, has had to combine the
duty of preventing crime and watching
over the people with that of supervis-
ing officials and protecting the govern
ment. Alexander l., in imitation Of
Napoleon, made 1t q department Of the
State. Nicholas, refining thereon, di-
vided 1t into two sections--the ordinary
police, under the Minister of the Int.
rior, and the secret police, undcr the
Emperor in person. The latter was q
privileged body, above all law, re-
sponsible only to the Gar, and with
almost unlimited authority. Its head
was member of the Committee Of Min
listers, and by his intimate relations
with the sovereign and freedom from
other control became the most power
ful parsonage in the empire. This in
stitution was preserved by Alexander IL.
with its attributions intact. Although
by law subjects of the Gar could no
longer be arrested and condemned
without legal process, the Third Sec
ton could seize, incarcerate or deport
Mt will, and even secretly. BY jesuit
ical distinction it did not pretend to
punish or to interfere with the course
of justice against crime; it merely sup
pressed indefinitely individuals who
were deemed danger to public order.
Its existence after the Inauguration of
the reign of law presents an anomaly
similar to that of lcttres de cdchet in
Franco, of which the King could avail
at pleasure, despite tribunals and stat
utes.
During the early years of Alexander
I1.'s reign, when Russia seemed pro-
crossing toward new and glorious
future. it was seldom resorted to. An
attempt upon his life in 1866 restored
it to favor and activity. Notwith-
standing it's irresponsible character
and its almost unlimited powers. it was
worsted in the duel with nihilism from
1870 to 1878. OF its last chiefs, General
Mezentsof was assassinated, and Cen
eral Drenteln, severely wounded, re-
signed. lis inetficiency caused change
in its organization; double police led
at times to absurd results, and the pub
lie agents of one department often
wasted their efforts in pursuing the
emissaries of the other. acting in secret.
After the explosion of the Winter
Palace. in 1880. the Thrill Section was
abolished, but in name only; it was re-
moved from the imperial chancellery
and united to the ordinary police,
in order, by giving the whole
service single head, to increase
it's efficiency. Bot5. departments
were placed under General Loris
Melikof, upon whom, as Minister of
the Interior, almost dictatorial powers
were conferred for the preservation of
public order. While this change made
no alteration in the attributions of the
secret police, it was slight gain in
principle. The Third Section was no
longer under the personal direction of
the Gar, but became one of the depart
ments of government, and as such was
subject to administrative control.
The unreasoning violence and mon
strous atrocities of the radical party
not only led to the revival of this tre-
mendous engine of despotism with in
creased powers, they have also turned
the wheel of progress backward, de-
prived the nation of liberties accorded,
and destroyed the hope of further con-
cessions for years to 'come.-Atbert 4.
Heard, in Harper's Magazine.