The daily critic., 1890-10-23
Patient Hate and Vigil Long Of Those
Who Treasure Up "a Wrong"
BIHIST clrHS AND OBLIGATIONS
Meaning Of the Term Personnel and
Object Of the Movement---Its Mis-
sion--What ills to Belong
to the Order

lSbl, ne calls his hero, BaZarOH. q
Nihilist When. in 1867, the Polish
revolution broke out, the word was
brought into universal use, and since
thattime 1t has been persistently ap-
piled to reformers and all liberal minded
persons. Nihilism Is derived from the
Latin word Mill (nothing), giving the
impression that persons so called held
no beliefs Of any kind; that law and re
ligion were to them unknown quanu-
ties-things Of the past The supposed
mission of the Nihilist Is TO break all
laws, scatter orthodox creeds to the
winds, and, II necessary, unseat royalty
itself in the plishment Of its pur
pose. Nihilism, at Its first inception
was but a speck on the horizon Of the
Russian Empire, but as time passed on
IL assumed such gigantic proportions as
TO cause the Car and his supporters
the greatest uneasiness.
-
In many cases, the term Nihilist Is n
misnomer, the persons to whom Il Is
applied not belonging to any secret
society. In America, as a rule, Russian
Nihilism Is totally misunderstood, ani
Is elassed with Anarchism and Social
ism. This is a grave error, for the ends
and aims of these are totally different
While AnarChism advocates bloodshed
and Socialism aims at the reconsiruc.
tion of our social laws, at the expense
Of liberal governments, Nihilism Is the
outcome Of years Of oppression, under
cruel, dospotlc rule. II Is the wailing
and throbbing Of millions of crushed
souls; Il Is the breaking forth of the
lorg pent.up cry for freedom, for a
recognition of the peoples rights. Its
not the peasant class, which constitutes
the major portion Of the Cars subjects.
which Is responsible for the present
condition Of affairs throughout the
Empire. We must look 10 the nobility
and tho educated classes, foi 20 them
must be attributed the enormous growth
Of liberalism at present sweeping over
the Russian land Only great minds.
capable Of thinking and reasoning ouf
the social and political problems OF tue
day. could aspire 10 be leaders In such
gigantic movement
While Nihlism received It's baptism
in 1862, II was by no means the first Sc
cTet society organized 10 secure to the
people some recognition OF their rights
as subjects. Nicholas ascended the
throne through blOodshed, when the
principal streets Of the capital city ran
red with the blood Of the victims Oi the
fnghtful carnage. This occurred De
cembeT 10. 1925, and In commemoratlon
Of the month those remaining Of the
heroic band were called Decembrists.
-.
The object Of the revolution was to
prevent Nicholas. ascending the throne,
and, instead, the formation OF a con
slitulional government. with Constan-
tine Pavoyiteh at its head. The
leaders Of the DecembrIsts were such
men as Pes:el, Rylleff. Besluzuh and
Morayieff Apotol, all Of whom expIated
their crime on the gallows. While
Nicholas condemned many Decembrists
10 death and exlled many more TO the
Siberian mines, there yet remained a
sufficient number unsuspected 10 con
iinue the work their fallen leaders had
begun. IskandeT HertZen escaped %
London, and established the hOlOk0L
(BelD, q revolutionary journal. which
lived but a short time. Hertzen died
In Switzerland, an exile under sentence
OF death by his native land. He was a
brilliant, meteOric character. who daZ.
Zled the world of Europe for a short
space, but was soon forgotten.
The chief aim Of such men as Herlzen
was 10 annihilate the Car, nobility and
entire priesthood. That accomplished,
they were 10 form a representative gov
eminent. with an equal division Of land
The bTilliaDcy Of the scheme fascinated
many prominent persons, and as the re
suit numerous secret societies spTang up
IN all parts Of the land, the chief among
them being hal0daya ROssia young
Russial Zemlia VOLTA (Land aud
FIeedom) was organized in 1874 and in
ISIS was sub divided into Narodnia
VOLTA Peoples wild aud Chorni
feredel lBlack Diyision).
-
The ilrstnamed division was com
posed Of extreme TerFoFisis, who be-
lieyed 10 no halfway measures 10 secure
their rights. The leaders were Mix
baileh. Tikhomeroff, Kwidtkoyski
Leo Hartman and SheTiyeff, together
with Sophie PeFoyskai lsince hauged).
aud many others The ChUrui Pareue.
BLACK DiyisoH) held more m1iegate
views and believed their mission could
be accom- rasheu peacefully FcEtu
nately this party Is ia the majority
The leaders were Plekhan0H and Law
roh. There is yeta third party who
are striving for q constitutional govern
ment, with the house Of RnmanoH a
its head. DragomanOn, lately of Gen
eva and Paris, now In London. was the
leader Liberal ideas first found eX
preston through the press, in the Jour
nails e0lrsWltak Contemporary aud
Rusk0ga Sl01J Russian Word). Cherni-
sheyski Qately deceased) was one OF the
most noted contributors. and was eXiled
10 Siberia for bis connection with these
journals which were suppressed IN 1866.
OtLer contributors were Mikhaileh. the
poet; Schadrin. the hum0rist, Nekrls-
soil, the poet D0brolubOh Pussare1 aud
Nieichairn, an prominent men Of the
time Aietchaien, who sought refuge
IN switzerland was In 1870 given up
on demand of the Russian Government
for completely in tie assassination of
lvauohi a AihiiisL who betrayed the
secrets Of the Society
From lsjs 10 1872 comparative
freedom 81 the press existed. which the
liberal party eagerly embraced for the
dissemination % their ideas GA Juue
9.Isl2. Ihe Car issued orders % the .
Minister of Tie Interior % use whatever
mode Uf punishment he deemed most
exusdieut for tie suppression Of any
uudue freedom of the press. Since |
thai time The press has experienced one
long course Of persecution, suppression
ana suspension.
II ufgieueHs book previously men |
| tioled. Intended Is q satire On the rising