Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-19
Assass,uation IN History.

Crimes usually unfrequent IN proportion 20
their magnitude; and among these, fortunately
for the credit OF human nature. that or the asss-
snation of rulers il of the rafest it lie also
one Of the greatest As the mind glances back
ward into the past, il sees but few instances in
which this most atrocious of all crimnslties has
been committed. Its occurrence may be seen
10 The earlier history of mankind. but as the
race energes from barbsrisna, il is discovered Al
longer intervals, till, as we approach the modern
era Of christian enlightenment. it disappears.
The term assassin dates back to the days OF
the crusades. and is the of shoot Of some of the
western languages Of Asis. An association
there existed whose trade was murder, and whose
chief vas uamed Hsshishin. The members Of
this body were bound by the most solemn oaths
70 execute the will of their leader, who. when be
wished 10 siimulate them to a state of frenzy.
gave them an opiate nov known "a hashessh, and
from which the name Of the leader aud the term
ASSASSIN are derived Ia this blood stained as
socistion of fanatics. driven to deeds OF murder
BY the influences OF fearful stimulus, DO we find
al apt type OF the drunken msnisc Who. on Fri
dsy evening, gave . cowsrdly death blow 20 the
chief magistrate of this republic.
10 the earlier sges Of the world. when fierce
passions held sway in the human breast. and
thrones we're open TO all who had the coufage
and strength to hold them. the removal of ruler
BY violence was not uncommon. Perhaps this
occurred more often 10 the history OF Rome than
in that Of any other country. Prominent among
these instances il the familiar one Of Julius
Ca ssr. slain toy Junius Brutus and his co con-
spirAtors- Even the disgusting moral chsrac er
OF Casar, the vast amouns of misery he brought
upon the world during his conquests. and even
bis inordinate ambition, have not reconciled pos
terisy to his fate. so repellan, is the means by
which his existence Was terminated. Ii IS only
the ch sritable superstition on the part OF the
VIZ d that Brutus was actus;ed by the purest pa
triotism that has prevented bis being eIecrstcd
/. monster of iniquity
Another prominent instance in Roman history
IL the case Of the efeminste but infamous despot,
Hslogabslus. History has not failed to stamp
it, act that relieved the world from one Of its
worst tyrsnts murder and SO the same time
does not l,it from a righteous obscuriiy the men
men Who perpetrs,ed the crime.
The successor OF the detestablc Helogsbalus,
The virtuoUs Alexander Severus, also fell vic
tirs 20 the sword of the assassin and has added
20 nis other qualities which men admire that OF
martyrdom. Pompey the Great, after an event
ful life, was. like our own president, treacnerous
iy murdered IN the presence of his wife, but, un-
like Nc. Lneoln. Pempey met his death at q
moment uhen defeat instead Of victory had
crosncd his life.
liz would be an endless task TO at,emp, To epu
merate even a small pl:t OF the number of Sre.,
men assxssnsted during the existence of the Ro
man empire. Leaving the dark days of that pc
rod, we End that there are but few cases % claim
The attention OF the world.
In all the long career OF Englsnd We 6ad but
ore or two cases in which the assassination OF
rulers i- said TO have occurred. Apart from the
smothering OF the princes. which enlightened
Investigation pronounces but barely probable. we
have only the OF Richard III. Even in the
case OF THE unf0riunate Piarisgenet, the mos,
that history ventures TO SAY is that it il supposed
that he vas murdered in prison by SIR Piers EI-
ton. his keeper
Among the Borgias of the 18Th century. the
characteristics Of toe old Romans we're faithful
ly preserved. The brother Of The famous Lacre-
Tia used the dagger and poison iniiscrimin ssely
upon the Italian dukes tho stood in the way OF
his ambition. Ia the same century ID .rnley, the
hsndsone bat prOfigate husband OF the uufor-
tuaste Mary, Queen OF Scots. "a. killed by
Bothseli: and some two centuries later Charlotte
Cordsy relieved the world OF monster IN the
person Of The blood stained Nssat. The rerer.
snee which posserisy secords to cordxses more
perhaps account Of her sex than hes crime,
and IL much Of the same kind - We regard the