The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-09
The Attempted Assassination of the Cznr-Its
Folly aud it's Probable Results.

The Attempted Assassination Of the Cznr-Its
Folly and its Probable Results.
Clouds are liable to gather upon the bright
est sky. The happiest day may end In sorrow.
Death treads closely on the heels OF life, and
when life is most keenly enjoyed the fell stroke
OF the arch-destroyer is most to be dreaded
Such is peoimen of the language which gives
expression to universal human experience, and
which is sanctioned by all time. Never did
bright day more narrowly escape ending in
blood and sorrow than Thursday, the 9th of
June, 1867. A magnificent spectacle had been
witnessed on the historic Champ dc Mars.
Emperors, kings, princes of the blood royal,
grand dukes, generals, men of art and
science, expresses, princesses-all that was
most gifted and all that was most beautiful,
representatives, in short, of every GLASS and
ofevery interest, from all parts of the civilized
world, had beheld with amazement and delight
the pomp and the splendor, the strength and
the glory of France. The day so far had been
a complete success. Paris had entertained her
illustrious guests in o style OF unparalleled
magnifcence, and Paris was satisfied with her
SELF The four hundred thousand spectators
had begun to dispense; the imperial party had
left the grounds amid q tempest of enthusiastic
and heaven-rending vivas." Suddenly, amid
all this jublation, the report of pistols heard;
the horse OF mounted guard riding close to
the imperial carriage is shot; lady is
wounded but the occupants of the carriage
mysteriously escape unhurt Thus has the
experience of the past been confirmed and the
lesson been brought home aircsh to all the
world, that in the midst of life we are in death,
and that no day is SO happy that it may not
end in sorrow.
Since the assassination of our own President
Lincoln no event has created throughout the
civilized world the same amount of excite
ment as has this murderous attempt in Paris.
Nor is this to be wondered at. Than the Gar
Alexander and the Emperor Napoleon there
are no two men living on whom the welfare Of
so many millions of human beings more imme-
diately depends. Rightly or wrongly, such is
the fact. Errors-crimes, il you wilt may
be possible to lay to their charge. AT the
same time it is impossible to refuse TO admit
that both of them in their respective spheres
have proved Themselves, on the whole, TO be
wise, benefcent and patriotic rulers. Both of
them, too, are deservedly popular with the
masses over whom they respectively rule.
Under the skilful administration of Napoleon,
France has reclaimed her proud position
in Europe and has attained point OF true
and substantial prosperity unknown in
her previous annals. Russia, under the
paternal care Of Alexander, has devel-
Oped her resources as they never were
developed before and the comfort of the indi-
vidual, for the first time in Russian history, has
Deon vvnsas- "a. -----I:-- with the devel-
opment and expansion Of the empire. MS
emancipation of the serfs, in opposition to the
wishes Of many of his most powerful nobles
will secure for him high and honored place
among the patriotic rulers of mankind. On
these two men more than upon any others the
peace and prosperity of Europe depend. The
magnitude Of the crime which the assassin con-
templated Is increased and its Nervousness is
aggravated when it is borne in mind that he
recklessly imperilled both these lives. The
one was as liable to fall as the other; both
might have persisted. Tho death of either
would have been public calamity The death
Of both would have been loss incalculable,
not to Europe alone, but to the world. We |
know we but echo the sentiments of the Ameri-
can people-sentiments which our government |
has doubtless by this time formally and off, |
,ially expressed-when we say that the marvel |
ous escape Of the illustrious personages is
source Of universal qualification, and that the |
would-be assassin has brought down upon his |
head the moral indignation OF mankind.
There are many points of view from which !
this sad affair might be looked at, and in which
1t would be found to suggest matter for serious |
There is one point of view in which |
1t is specially instructive. II affords one more
striking illustration of the absolute folly, not
to say wickedness, of all such attempts to rec
tify real or imaginary political wrongs. 1t is
certainly a fact to be deplored that, notwith-
the experience Of well nigh two thou
sand years, any man should be found willing,
and any society should be prepared to en-
courage him, TO play the part Of a petty
Brutus. No coed has ever come Of
such attempts. No good can come Of
them. As rule it will be found
that they have proved helpful rather than
otherwise to the cause which they were in
tended to destroy. Cesarism did not perish
under the stroke OF Brutus, but the name of
Cesar acquired a power which martyrdom
alone could have given it. He was greater in
death than in life. "Al his acts, his writings,
his words, his promises, his thoughts" says
Cicero, have more force since his death than
if he were still alive" Sometimes they have
created even greater horrors than those from
which II was their object to deliver. To quote
the words Of the present ruler of France, words
as truthful as they are full of point, =. Brutus,
by Staying Cesar, plunged Rome into the hor-