The Assassins of the Czar.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3908, 8 July 1881, Page 2

The Assassins of the Czar.

Sophy jPerovsky's Speech Before

Being Hanged in St. Petersbubg,

On the trial of Sophy Perovsky, the ■ Russian woman of noble family recently hanged in St. Petersburg as a regicide, when leare was finally given her to speak 1 in her own behalf, she said:—"ln 1899, being then sixteen years old, and having gone through the usual school studies, I fitted myself for a teacher. In 1870 1 taught ti village school. I soon foandout that the Gpvernment, by its system of despotic interference with the affairs of the peasantry, was putting insurmountable obstacles in the way of their normal, intellectual, moral, and economical development. In 1872 I was forced to leave the school, and I joined the revolutionary party. Since then I bave served the cause. Several times I was arrested arid tried for taking part in the revolutionary propaganda. In 1878, without any trial, hut by Administrative order, I was transported to the province of Olonotsk. I escaped, dropped uiy name, and procured '\

false passes. My part in the Moscow explosion of 1879 is known to the Court. Since June, 1880, I have been living in St Petersburg frith a woman whose name I don't want to give here. Geliaboff came to live in ray rooms, and by order of the Executive Committee we began preparations for the event of March 13th. Being an agent of the Committee, I knew everything about the means to be resorted to. I was charged with the duty of finding out where and when the Czar could be met with. In the morning of Marchl3th, I brought two bombs into the rooms of Hessey Helfman. But whence the bombs were brought, and how manyperson* were charged with the duty of throwing them I don't choose to say. I drew the map in order to show the station appointed for each of my comrades, and it was I to whom the bomb throwers had to look for directions on the place of action. I made signs with my handkerchief and they moved and acted according to our agreement. I had no bomb myself, for we had not enougli of them for all of us. I stood on the other side of the Catharine Canal and observed the effect of both explosions. That is all I want to say of the practical part which I took in the revolutionary movement. "As to the motives that induced me to join the revolutionary party, I can say this : The principal task of our party is to awak*en in the people a consciousness that they have the right and power to, govern themselves. To solve this proble^r?*f our party hoped to gradually raise the intellectual and moral level of the peoplt, to improve their economical condition, and !'io to develope this consciousness of their civil rignts ; and therefore the members of the party settle among the peasantry in different capacities and carried on a peaceful propaganda. But the Government, by a series of severs repressive measures made our peaceful work impossible.' Then our party, after a long hesitation, was forced to undertake a political struggle aiainst the Government, as the chief obstacle in our way. Once on the political arena, we could not help adopting the terrorist policy. Our relentless persecution of the late Czar was, oh one side, an.answer to his relentless persecution of our party, and on the other it was the result of our conviction that be would . never change his ruinous internal policy. I admit that I am a member of the party of Narodnaia Volla (the Will of the People), and am an agent of the Executive< [Committee. The parly of Narcdnaia Volfa is'far from having a desire to impose on the public and on the people at large any institutions whatever, or any form of govern* ment; it has only a deep conviction that by and by the people and •oeiety'will adopt its social ideas and. wjll realise them. „ .'. . : ...';.. ':'"<'-'' " A