The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-25
A King for an Hour.

On the 18th Of December, 1854, at
eight o'clock in the morning, the Dey Of
Algiers was distributing pay to his SOL
diers in the courtyard OF his palace.
The Grand Treasurer was with him, be-
sides his secretaries aud usual divan
and the number Of soldiers was about
three hundred. II was understood that
these were all unarmed, MS it was there
custom to be on such occasions Though
there was no suspicion Of any dissatisiac'
ton among them and when one oil
them, after receiving his pay, and kissing
the Dey's hand, suddenly drew a dagger,
it produced great sensation in the
court. When, instead Of repenting him
Of this indiScretion, and putting il
back agnin into his girdle. he proceeded
to sheath it in the Dey's breast. and
then to shoot him with q pistol, the ex
element redoubled. Yet seriously
enough, nobody stirred, except the Dey
lie rose, and walked few yards
well recollect the bald description OF the
writer in that gazetteer-" calling out
his attendants: Among so many OF you,
can you not destroy such villain rs
this 2 and then dropped II his High
ness could not do more, 1t is scarcely i'm.
aginnble to conceive how he could have
done less bat his assassin was prompt in
action US the other was slow; he no
sooner had his victim on the ground,
than he snatched of the Dey's turban,
clRpped it on his own head, and seAted
himself on the throne. In the meantime,
friend OF this audacious character had
lodged pistol.ball in tho High Treas
urer's cOllar-bone, given him two sabre
cuts over the head, and cut his right
hand off; while four morelconspirators
for there were only six in all-were
"hnrd ut work with their pistols and sa-
bres among the company generally.
In n recent American description OF n
free fight, we read that "crowbars and
other sedatives" were used and that
pistols md sabres seemed in this case
also to have had nacotic influence, for
the company actually listened with pm
tience, during all those nnarchial pro-
ceedings, to a speech from the throne,
a sort Of programme issued by the new
Dey, respecting tue system OF govern
ment that would DO pursued in the fu-
ture for the man on the throne had m
idea that the virtue OF sovereignty lies
in what il sits on, and really imagined
that he was firmly seated in that supreme
power which he had himself shown to be
so precarious even in legitimate pos.
SCISSOR of it,. He told them that he was
henceforth about to govern the country
on good principles, aud especially that he
would declare war against good many
people who fancied that, no danger wal
hanging over their heads. "The coun,
try IS at peace" said he, with good
deal too mnny;" and he especially badC
them to take notice that he was sover
eign "who would do justice to oil, oil
which observation he brandished hi,
sword about his head in what was, doubt
less, felt TO be significant manner.
Then he ordered the drums TO beat
and the cannon to be fired, TO give no,
tice to the city Of changed dynasty
While this was being done, one Of the
chiauses, or messengers, OF the palace
took heart Of grace, and suddenly snatch
ing up a carbino, shot the usurper dead,
at which action everybody seemed to re-
cover from their stupor, and the work OIL
cutting his Ave accomplices to pieces, ai
ter the Eastern manner, at once com
nenced. Even All Bashaw, the new
Dey, acknowledged thatif this audaciou,
rebel had kept his seat but few min,
utes longer, and until the cannon wa,
fired, the government would have beer
snbverted. Never wns treason on sucl
humble scale so near n success. These
SIX men were the sole conspirators, hui
the inaction Of the surrounding soldiery
TO whom they themselves Belonged i
explained by their ignorance Of the e1
tent Of the plot, and their fear of being
supposed to be mixed up in it. As il
was, tho chief rebel was the shortest Dey
on record--a king for an hour.-ChaHi
bers' Journal.