1891 Archives - Page 2 of 3 - The Libertarian Labyrinth

Lizzie M. Holmes, “Woman’s Emancipation” (1891)

July 24, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

WOMAN’S EMANCIPATION. While it is certain emancipation would speedily follow economic freedom, it is not true that such emancipation is a part of or would come simultaneously with economic freedom. Heinzen said: “In the man the human being alone can be oppressed or liberated; in the woman the sex as well.” Woman is doubly, enslaved. She wears the chains her poor laboring brother wears, and, besides, the bonds he in his ignorance placed on her ages ago when he first began to take note of her periodical weakness. Naturally, it would not take long for an economically free woman to […]

Lizzie M. Holmes, “Women in the Conflict” (1891)

July 24, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

WOMEN IN THE CONFLICT. In numerous ways outside of the labor of hands, women are helping to guide the course of progress, molding the very forms of civilization. There are hosts of all classes of women in the busy West, who are making history, without whose records the annals of this country would be dark and incomplete. There are in Chicago alone over 300 women’s societies, all organized for some object of usefulness, mutual benefit or self improvement. From these societies the young, but already celebrated Woman’s Alliance was formed. Delegates, according to numbers of members, are sent from each […]

William J. Gorsuch, “Tags” (1891)

November 18, 2016 Shawn P. Wilbur

The other day a friend, who is so much of a Tolstoian as to be pleased to work for a living, remarked: “You are the first person ever pointed out to me as an Anarchist. Are you an Anarchist?” I replied: “Some folks say so.” I wish if possible to explain that answer. I hold that one of the greatest hinderances to social progress is man’s proneness to accept and wear tags, labels, badges. One of the limitations of language, due to differences of experience and therefore of knowledge on the part of individuals, is that the tag attached to […]

Rosa Slobodinsky and Voltairine de Cleyre, “The Individualist and the Communist” (1891)

November 12, 2016 Shawn P. Wilbur

THE INDIVIDUALIST AND THE COMMUNIST. A DIALOGUE. INDIVIDUALIST: “Our host is engaged and requests that I introduce myself to—I beg your pardon, sir, but have I not the pleasure of meeting the Communist speaker who addressed the meeting on Blank street last evening?” COMMUNIST: “Your face seems familiar to me, too.” INDV.: “Doubtless you may have seen me there, or at some kindred place. I am glad at the opportunity to talk with you as your speech proved you to be somewhat of a thinker. Perhaps—” COM.: “Ah, indeed, I recognize you now. You are the apostle of capitalistic Anarchism!” […]

Louise Michel, “Why we are Anarchists” (1891)

August 29, 2016 Shawn P. Wilbur

We are Anarchists because it is absolutely impossible to obtain justice for all in any other way than by destroying institutions founded on force and privilege. We cannot believe that improvement is possible, if we still keep up the same institutions, now more rotten than in the past, or if we merely replace those whose iniquities are known by new men. These latter become in their turn what the others were, or else become barren. After the gradual changes of past centuries the hour has come when evolution cannot be separated from revolution, as in all birth they must be […]

Errico Malatesta, “Anarchy” (1891)

August 29, 2016 Shawn P. Wilbur

Anarchy is a word that comes from the Greek, and signifies, strictly speaking, “without government”: the state of a people without any constituted authority. Before such an organization had begun to be considered possible and desirable by a whole class of thinkers, so as to be taken as the aim of a movement (which has now become one of the most important factors in modern social warfare), the word “anarchy” was used universally in the sense of disorder and confusion, and it is still adopted in that sense by the ignorant and by adversaries interested in distorting the truth. We […]

Lizzie M. Holmes, “Nina Van Zandt Spies to Marry” (1891)

July 15, 2016

Nina Van Zandt Spies to Marry an Italian Editor. HER SENSATIONAL PROXY UNION. The Romance of the Trial of the Chicago Anarchists Retold.—The Authentic Story of a Woman’s Unwavering Devotion. ON ENTERING a certain museum in Chicago the first objects that attract the eye of the visitor are two excellent oil paintings, under one of which are the words, “Handsome August Spies,” and beneath the other, “Beautiful Nina Van Zandt.” The crowds invariably pause to gaze upon the pictures as they have done for more than four years. Time has not lessened the interest taken in these two characters and […]

Plot of a Beautiful Nihilist (Sophie Gunsberg, 1891)

June 22, 2016 A Beautiful Nihilist

PLOT OF A BEAUTIFUL NIHILIST ______ To Make Her Lovers Kill the Czar—Her Failure and Trial—The Official’s Side of a Story Hitherto Told Differently. No authentic account has yet been given of the late political trial—or rather condemnation—of Russian Nihilists for high treason; for trial, in the English sense of the word, there was none. I have just had a long conversation with one of the dignitaries who played the part of judge, jury, and counsel for the crown during the brief ceremony which began by accusation, was continued by voluntary confession, and ended in condemnation to death. The ringleader […]

Arrested as Nihilists (1891)

June 22, 2016 A Beautiful Nihilist

Arrested as Nihilists. St. Petersburg, Oct. 8.—A profound sensation was created here to-day. A young woman from Moscow was arrested, charged with being a Nihilist. She confessed and admitted that she left a trunk at the home of the well-known composer, Glazounoff, in which was a revolutionary proclamation. The police immediately proceeded to the house of Glazounoff. He vehemently protested his innocence, declaring that he was utterly ignorant of the contents of the trunk. He was nevertheless compelled to deposit 15,000 rubles as bail. “Arrested as Nihilists,” San Francisco Call 70 no. 131 (October 9, 1891): 1.

A Female Nihilist (Olga Ivanovsky, 1891)

June 22, 2016 A Beautiful Nihilist

A Female Nihilist. Some farther particulars have been gleaned regarding the young girl who is being tried at the present time, with four other persons, at St. Petersburg for being concerned in revolutionary schemes. Her name is Olga Ivanovsky, and since leaving school she bas been studying medicine. According to the Galignani Messenger it has also been ascertained that one of her intimate friends was Sophie Gunsburg, who was tried among the first batch of prisoners and sentenced to death. Mlle. Ivanovaky’s arrest occurred under the following circumstances: About a month ago the police authorities received an anonymous communication which […]