THE UNIVERSITY RIOTS IN RUSSIA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 67, 19 March 1879, Page 4

THE UNIVERSITY RIOTS IN RUSSIA.

Every day we hear more of Ibe "revolutionary altitude "of the students in nearly all the university towns in Bussia. The last news is that there has been a collision between the students •nd military at Kieff, resulting in the death or tbe wounding of eighty persons. It is further reported that several towns will be p^ced in a state of eiepe. Under theee cireumpt*>ncfß the following letter from a private source will be read with interest : — " St. Petereburg, December 1, 1878. " I hasten to send you news which must already to some extent be known to ynu from the journal. I speak of the Kharkcff incident and its results ; of the demonstration by the students of the Medico-Chirorgical Academy (at St. Peterebnrah), with the address to Hi6 Iropei ill Highness. The address ran thus :— "Yonr Imperial Highness, — The Government declares that tbe disturbances among the students are occasioned by the bad influence of a mere handful of individuals. But if your Highness will redact that these disturbances have extended over many years, and that they have token place in all the educational establishments oi the Empire, your Highness will hardly admit the truth of this statement. Tbe very regularity, the constant repetition of thepe incidents show that they have tbeir origin in the conditions under which the students are placed, and not in the influence exercised by a few individuals. And, in truth, (he Russian •tndents are placed in a position which they can no longer endure. Outside tbe walls of the schools they find themselves subjected to redoubled vigilance on tbe part of tbe police. Within the walls they are gradually being deprived of rights which no disinterested person can belp regarding as the natural rights of a man. We are deprived of tbe right of assembling to consider our general interests. We have no longer aoy right to maintain a fund, even for our own mutual assistance. When we do bold meetings we are menaced almoßt with bloodshed. Everything is done to keep us disunited ; and yet, when there ia a question of prosecuting us, we are treated as if all were responeible for tbe action of one. New measures are constantly taken to deprive us of all independence. Tbe difficulty of entering tbe higher educational establishments is being constantly increased, so that university training will soon be a privilege reserved for the rich. These and similar giievancea most ba looked upon as the sole causu of such disturbances as are now taking place at Kharkoff. We know what awaits the Kbarkcff etudeuts. What occurred at Kieff ia etil! fresh in our minds ; and yet it is impossible to blame tbe students in either case. Tbe conditions under which they are placed must be blamed. Considering the above facts, we, the students of St. Petereborgh, venture to beg your Imperial Highness to mediate on bebalf of our brethren at Kharkcff, and to turn your attention to the position of studentp. "This is what happened at Kharkoff. Tbe students of tbe Veterinary Institute chased down stairs and drove out > of tbe plaee their Professor Jouraveki; a Euan who, for various reasons, is hated exceedingly. Then the students of tbe institute went in a body to tbe university to explain to tbe students there their proceedings, and to invite co-operation. After the meeting bad dispersed arrests were made, both among tbe students of the university and smoog those of the icetitute. One of those who were seized was a nervous invalid, who, after being locked-up for forty-eight hours, was released as having been arrested by mietake. On his being set at liberty a large roeetiog was held in tbe university, at which tbe attendance of the inspector waß requested. When tbe inspector appeared tbe crowd made way for the unfortunate invalid, and be, staggering and trembling from excitement, stepped forward and related bow grossly be bad been treated in gaol. His appearance, hit (gestures, and bis speech produced a thrilling effect on the assembly; cries of indignation arose from all sides. Tbe inspector who had assumed a dictatorial tone, was tamed out. Boisterous discussions took place as to what was to be done, but no conclusion was come to, and the students appointed a meeting for the following day. Next morniog they foond tbe doors locked; but they forced their way in. Tbe masters sent for tbe troops; and with them came the governor himself. Driven out of the building, the students crowded in front of the university, demanding an explanation of the governor. He replied by commanding tbem to disperse; and when persuasion failed be threatened to fire upon them unless they went away within ten minutes. They then dispersed. A lawsuit was now instituted, iu which appeared as plaintiff, and also as one of tbe judges, tbe expelled Jouravski. And arrests and domiciliary visits began. " The police eomehow got scent of all this, and took measures to prevent the young men from crossing the river. They took down the palace bridge, and began to take down the Voskresenaki bridge, which would have cut tbe students off from the city. Seeing this, they hurried to the scene of operation, drove back the police, leaped over the spaces where the woodwork had been already taken up, and so* got over the city aide. The procession, in the best, possible Older, then moved od, but

soon found its progress stopped by a regiment of foot guards and a detachment of cavalry ; accordingly, it iook another direction, and was met by groups of officers and police functionaries, who advised the students to separate quietly. A number of the young men formed a circle round these officers, and so remained until the body of the procession bad passed. The gendarmes supposed (doubtless from information received) that the students were abouc to visit tbe Technological Institute, and galloped off by crossstreets in tbe direction of that establishment. The procession, however, went straight to the palace where the Czarewitch resides. Along this oute no precautions bad been taken. A few policemen, however, made their appearance ; and in tbe court yard of the palace was a military guard, from which a message was at once sent to General Gouroff, in command of the city. On his arrival, he inquired what the young men wanted, and being enlightened on this point, informed them that the heir to the throne was at Tsarkoe Selo ; adding, that if they would entrust to him, General Gouroff, the address they had brought with them, he would give them his word of honor that it should be duly presented, and that no one engaged in tbe affair should be prosecuted. In consequence of this promise the address was entrusted to him ; and we shall now see what General GourofFs word of honor ia worth. Already many ominous rumours are abroad, and it is not improbable that this little affair will develop into a great one." "The Kharkoff students sent to other university towns, relating the affair and De ggi D g for co-operation. On the receipt of these letters the students of the MenicoCbirurgical Academy, the University, and the Technological Institute held meetings on the 7th, Bth, and 9th of December, when very noisy discussions took place, not as to what should be done in this particular case, but to decide what means should be adopted for protesting against the conditions in which Russian students in general found themselves placed. At the meetiog of the 10th December it was resvolved to prepare an address to the Czarewitch. Tour students were charged with the duty of composing thir address ; and they had just finished a rough draft when" a band of gendarmes and police broke iato the house and carried off the document, together with its authors. "On the morning of the 11th a number of students secretly assembled in the library of the Medico-Chirurgical Academy, and a second address was hastily composed and copied out. With this document about five hundred young men, principally from the MedicoChirurgical Academy, marched in tbe direction of the Voskresenski bridge, iutending at first to go to the Technological Institute, where was being celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the establishment, and where the Czarewitch was expected. But the Technologists sent out to say that the Grand Duke was not coming, and that they themselves, in view of the jubilee theg were celebratiug, would be able to make a demonstration. They advised the students of the Medi-co-Chirurgical Academy to go straight to the palace of the Grand Duke.