In the North, it looks as if the battle were
to be between Abso- lute bigotry and a Social revolution bigoted also in its scepticism. In an address to his Bishops, the Emperor of Russia, devoutly crossing himself, has proclaimed a crusade against the spirit of revolt and infidelity. The same purpose had been avowed before, but not so nakedly : it is now clear that the Russian armies, which are doing their best to penetrate into Europe, are to fight under the spirit which animated the Holy Alliance. Nicho- las intends to restore 1815 and its settlements.
Meanwhile, the Allgemeine Zeitung lends authenticity to a re- markable document which had already appeared in a Swiss paper, the Evolution. It purports to be a manifesto of "the German Democrats" abroad, in meeting assembled, and to be a programme of the policy which they will pursue. It sneers at the " half-revolutions" of France, Germany, and Italy, now undisguisedly resulting in a virtual return to the styles of go- vernment as they existed before February 1848; it adopts the Red Republic as manifested in Paris during the days of June. The German Democrats denounce the sham Democrats of Frank- fort, the Neutralists of Switzerland, the Middle-class Republicans of Europe, the Philosophical politicians, and the smaller So- cialists ; they declare for a complete system of Communism—abo- lition of landed property, state care of industry and produce, uni- versal education, and extinction of religion ! " Education must be stripped from all religious doubts whatsoever ; Religion, which must be banished from society, must vanish from the mind of man ; Art and Poetry will realize the Ideals of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, which Religion places in an uncertain state." Thus Shelley's Revolt of Islam is proclaimed by the German Democrats, who speak in the name of Hungarians, French, and Italians. It would be easy to sneer at this extravagant paper ; but those who are best informed know how Communism has spread under the surface throughout Europe, and most especially in France and Germany : that, indeed, is one reason why princes and statesmen and pro- fessed leaders of revolution have been unable to make any final settlement : the German Democrats sneer at " reform " as a Middle-class half measure; and the same feeling has kept the mul- titudes of France and Germany in an angry state of reserve. It is true that the people of Germany, and vast numbers in France, do not respond to the old revolutionary cries of political liberty ; true that they are prepared to answer the call to a social revo- lution.- And the worst of it is, that the accomplished professors of politics throughout Europe find this question of Communism coming upon them with a studied neglect of its principles and a studied ignorance of its physical force in the populations that hold by it.
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