The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-03

Nobody in this world is called upon to en-
counter such intensity and vindictiveness Of
hatred as the Liberators OF mankind. Almost
every species of injury real or fancied, men can
forgive, and in time forget, but the individual
who has come between them and the victim
of their tyranny they will not forgive. His act
is one which seems to arouse against him all
the worst passions of which humanity is cap
able, and he is fortunate indeed if sooner CT
later he does not feel the effect of the hatred
he has awakened. ts-
A notable instance of the truth of this will
be fresh in the memory of all. Probably no
man who has lived in this country since its be-
ginning has been the object Of "a hatred SO Bit
ter, of resentment SO intense as the gentle
humane, merciful Lincoln. No act OF premed-
itated wrong or injury to any human being
was laid to his door, but he made himself the
foe of slavery, and slavery never rested till it
had compassed his death. at3
The latest advices from Europe give us the
particulars of an attempt which if successful
would have furnished an astonishing parallel
to the fate of our martyred President. A Rus
sian landowner, who felt himself aggrieved by
the Imperial decree which had emancipated
the serfs, sought to avenge himself by the as
sassination of the Gar. As if he had design
ed to make the coincidence complete, he ap-
preached the Emperor in public place, and
discharged pistol within few feet of his
head. But the Russian liberator, more fortu-
nate than his American prototype, found de-
fender in one of the race who owe to him their
freedom. A peasant saw the act of the assas-
sin, and struck up his arm in time to prevent
the shot from taking deadly effect. It is a
pleasure to know that he was ennobled on the
spot for his promptness and courage, and also
that the Gar displayed toward the wretch
who had just attempted his life mildness
worthy of him who had "malice toward none,'
but @charity for all" "What had l ever done,"
he asked, "that you should wish to kill me?"
As if he had not done enough to put HIM
self beyond the reach of pardon from all in
love with slavery! Like Lincoln he had come
between the oppressor and his victim, and like
Lincoln he was TO atone for it with his blood.
The parallel exhibited in the work of these
two men, SO widely different in origin, in Iedu-
cation and surroundings, is something surpris-
ing. Lincoln, the republican fat-boatman of
Illinois, trained in the rough but kindly school
of poverty and labor, yet lifted inlo the lofty
seat of power by the choice of his countrymen,
reached forth his hand and struck the chains
from four millions of slaves. Alexander, the
hor,, outonrat tho haad Of tho o,;f+ar;rr I,.,,,e
of Romanof, welding the not vaster power of
the hereditary Cars, touched Herewith the
letters of nation of serfs, and they stood up
free men. Here indeed the two extremes of
absolutism and republicanism seem to have
met, for they have produced the same result.
1t would be a curious and perhaps not wholly
Improbable subject of enquiry whether any
intermediate form of government could create
power which would enable any man to ac-
complish work so vast. Be that as it may
however, it is certain that these two men SO
widely different in all else, yet so alike in the
mission it was given them to perform will
stand side by side in history as two of the
greatest benefactors ev% granted to humanity.
The two great LiberGtors of their century,
their names will shine down the dark vista of
time, as stars of the most glorious magnitude,
when nearly every contemporary of theirs
shall have vanished into the darkness of OBJ
livion. The accidental differences between
them will fade out of sight; their one great
point of resemblance will remain and unite
them in an eternity Of grateful remembrance.
1t is however most earnestly to be hoped,
despite the ill-will displayed by the recent at
tempt at assassination, that the parallel be-
tween these two is not to extend to the man
ner of their death, but that the good Alexan-
der, the best sovereign who has ever sat on
the throne of the Russias, may long be spared
to labor for the prosperity and happiness OF
the empire over which he rules.