Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1897 — ASSASSINATIONS OF RULERS. [ARTICLE]

ASSASSINATIONS OF RULERS.

For Such Crimes There Is Greater Incentive in Europe than Here. F'lveaetemptshavebeeu made against the Hfe of Queen Victoria, one in 1840, two in 1842, one in 1849. and one in 1882. An attempt against the life of Francis Joseph of Austria was made in 1853. and oue against the King of Italy in IS7B. Three attempts were made against the life of Queen Isabella of Spain, three against Napoleon 111. when Emperor of France, and three, in 1861. in 1875, and in 1878, against the life of Wilhelm I. of Germany. In the United States, where the crime of assassination is happily rare, few assaults have been made upon public men in office, although two Presidents have l>een shot down in Washington. Mr. Lincoln was assassinated in April, 1865, and President Garfield in July, 1881. In the early days of the republic Presidents were safe and deemed themselves safe from murderous assault, and many of the precautions taken by recent Presidents to protect themselves from attack have been seen to be unnecessary. Assassinations, in the United States as in other countries, are the outcome of periods of great political excitement. The sentiments of many persons are stirred almost to frenzy, and at such times some unbalanced extremist is led by the excitement to some violent act which in tranquil times, probably, would not be even thought of. In Europe the incitement to assasslnatiou is much greater than it is here, for not only are men in many cases deprived of the opportunity to make known their grievances, but, furthermore, the pow er of punishment rests with the executive head of the government. An application is made, perhaps, for the liberation of some accused person. On the executive devolves the consent or rejection of this request. In the popular resentment which follows either the severity or the Indulgence of the monarch, there may be an outbreak of a murderous character. In the United States the power of commutation rests, usually, with the Governor, not with the President, though In times of civil strife, when martial law supersedes the civil law, the final appeal for clemency is made to the President.