Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-05-05
THE REPUBLICAN.
NOTED AssAssINs.
nnuius, nAvAiiLAc, MAcntrn, srArs
cnAniOrrr cuRpAy AND nOorn.

prison yard IN Washington. aud their
re.bnria in Greenwood cemetery in
the presence Of friends and relatives,
recalls to the public memory the fear
fnl tragedy in which he was the prin-
cipal figure, aud caused the mind OF
the writer TO run over some OF the
most memorable assassinations in the
worlds history.
First. with reference TO the origin
and meaning OF the word assassin.
and a definition of its present derived
signifcution. We learn from the new
Cyclopedia that the word was brought
by the crusaders into Western Europe
on their return from the Holy Land,
where existed set of bloody fanatics
bound to their leader, the then ccle-
brated "old man OF the mountain" by
fearful oaths, and who murdered un-
hesitatingly whoever was pointed out
bv him, reckless of death or dangers.
The name of this leader was Hashish
ME, being derived from Hashishnie,
an opiate now known as hashish, used
by him to bring his disciples into Il
state of murderous frenzy, a drag
, which had been introduced among the
Arabs by a contemporary of Mabom-
med. 1t is little singular that this
frenzy of mind, whether produced by
artificial stimuants, rs hashlsh, or
superindueed by purely moral causes,
seems to have been the necessary
mental condition of all assassins, and
indeed is their chief Characteristic.
This brings us TO the derived sense
of the word. Assassin is defined to
be a secret murderer-but although
the word is frequently used indiscrm-
inately to denote all kinds of secret
murder, yet au assassin by pre-cmi-
nence, is something more than a muir
derer. Indeed, il is not so much the
act, nor the manner of it, whether
secret or open, for most assassins are
bold TO reclllessness, but the mOt,De
which determines the nature Of the
act. The motive Of the assassin rare
ly, if ever, purely personal, selfish or
private one; but the word has assumed
political meaning, and the historical
assassin acts in obedience TO some
higher law, of which be persuaded
himself by his own peculiar and falla-
cious reasoning that he is the chosen
executor. Some motive of public,
political, national, patriotic or reli-
gious necessity prompts him.
The reasoning that brings the will
r.ob Al fpr any ax-f mr. m.
preston, whether public or private,
no matter how many, is necessarily
flacious, and betokens diseased
imagination (in the person that even
contemplates it,) whether the object
is to cut down ones country or avenge
a private wrong-they all belong to
the class denomnatcd monomaniacs.
The assassination of Caesar by Bru-
tus, of Henry the Fourth by the fanatic
RavaiIlac, of Duncan by Macbeth,
mere celebrated by the poet than by
history, of Marat by Charlotte Corday,
the terrible attempt on Napoleon the
Great by Staps. and the last equally
as horrible aud defenseless as any OF
the others, of Lincoln by J. Wilkes
Booth, are among the most celebrated
in history, and are removed by the
motive, not at all by the manner, from
those vulgar murders prompted by
such private and selfish motives as
revenge, jealousy or gain.
Brutus, instigated by misconceiv-
ed patriotism, holding, at tho time, the
Office Of city pr@tor, thus recognizing
the government of his patron by act
ing under it, killed Cesar at the capi-
tai, in .he Senate chamber in the light
day and the very eye of the public
He failed even by dint Of his political
power and the most artfGl eloquence
TO mako the Roman people approve of
dhis ungratcful act, withdrew into
Macedonia, and, although opposing
the triumvirs with a mighty force, met
the avcnging spirit of the murdered
Cesar at Phillippi, and in the agony
of remorsc, miserably cast himself
upon his sword and put an end to his
own life.
Francois Ravallac, first a lawyers
clerk, then a schoolmastcr, and afler-
wards a member Of the order of the
Feuillants, but expelled from il as a
fanatic, afterwards returned TO his
native village Of Angolem, where his
gloomy fanaticism engendcred in him
the most intense hatred of Protestant
ism, and especially Of his sovereign,
Henry ~, ar adherent of the new
faith, and one of the most enlightened
monarchs who ever sat upon n throne,
whom, however, he had been taught
20 believe the enemy of the Catholic
faith, and whom be went TO Paris to
kill. Clad in the long gown Of his
order and armed with a long knife,
Ravaillac met the King as he was
riding from his palace to visit the sick
Sully, and in the public street Of La
FerrOnneric, in the midst Of a crowd
plunged the dagger into the heart of
his victim. He fed, but was immedi-
ately caught, acknowledged the deed, /,
and, after trial in Paris, was torn 10
pieces by horses.
Macbeth, after inviting Duncan,
King of Scotland, to partake of his
hospitality, (at least, such is the le.
gendary account upon which the tra-
gedy Of Shakespeare is founded, aud
although differing from the obscure
scrap Of history which makes Macbeth
kill Duncan in battle, near Elgin. is
the account TO which the minds of
readers most naturally revert mur
dered the old King in his castle, thus
committing double crime against the
laws Of hospitality and nature. The
act OF the poet has coutrived to take
all the pity and sympathy away from
the poor old victim OF the horrid deed,
by fixing all ourattention on the agony
ofremorse that tortures the conscience
of Macbeth.
Charlotte Corday (whose character
mas been recently 10 our city so vivid.
lyportraycd by Mrs Lander, a young
woman Of noble descent, of singular
purity Of life. aud a remarkable per.