THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER AND THE NIHILISTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 199, 22 August 1881, Page 1

THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER AND THE NIHILISTS.

The Berlin correspondent of tho "Times," on the resignation of the Russian Ministers, telegraphed as follows : — " All the news from St. Petersburg is of a rather gloomy kind. Count Loris Melikoff, with his Ministerial colleagues, General Milutine, and M; Abaza, are reported to have fallen grievously ill, and their indisposition is suspected of being closely connected with the late autocratic manifesto of the Czar. Both Melikoff and Abaza pass for Liberals. The manifesto, according to fill accounts, has caused great dis° appointment, in St. Petersburg, and men arc beginning to resign themselves to the reaction which seems setting in. The Press naturally comments upon the Czar's utterance with great reserve and caution, and the two chief journals of the capital content themselves by saying that they now know what to expect Apprehensions of further disasters are beginning to seize the public mind and it is expected that the Nihilists will not be long in issuing a counteriprocianiation, and thus closing the record. Nothing seems to be known as to the process by which the momentous declaration of the Czar was generated, but it has taken everyone completely by surprise." J The Berlin correspondent of the "Standard " says that in a proclamation just issued the Russian revolutionary partf answer the manifesto of the Czar in the following terms:—" We accept the war forced upon us by your Majesty. Wo shall persevere, and are confident to achieve victory ; the greater the oppression the firmer will the people become, and if one of us is killed there are ten eager to take his place. We have not liltlier to been afraid of your power nor shall we be in the future." The document concludes as follows:—" Clear the country of all obnoxious influences, make the way clear for those loyal sons of the people, who, provided with the confidence of their fellow-countrymen , and we will then deliberate with your Majesty j s Government on the present modest requirements of the people, on the reasons which set before your Majesty what shall be enforced with irresistible power, and what concession shall be now made. May your Majesty withdraw all confidence from those individuals who, by their perverted counsels, brought about that event j oniy let your Majesty assemble your people around you, listen to their wishes in an unprejudiced spirit, and then neither your Majesty nor the State will have any reason to apprehend further catastrophe." In fly-sheets, sown brodcast over the South Russia provinces, tho peasantry are, it is stated, informed that the Czar, upon emancipating the serfs, ordered land to be given them gratis, and that it it i3 only owing to the cheating propensities of the official, word and the well-to-do classes generally that" they are made to pay for what is legitimately their own. Upon the strength of this the reader is advised to dispossess the landlords and appropriate everything he can lay his hands on. It was in consequence of this agitation that the Jews Were attacked first. As publicans, many of them had on their premises the gin which, of all things, is the one most coveted by the rustics. The authorities at first did not interfere, but allowed millions of roubles worth to be destroyed without moving. It was only when the houses of Christians were plundered, and houses of the Orthodox Church were threatened, that the soldiers were ordered out.