The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-01-17
VICTOR EMMANUEL.


Since the first announcement of the i'll,
ness of King Victor Emmanuel, which
was made but few days ago, the dis
patches have intmated that fatal result
was probable, and yesterday the worst
fears were realized by the death of the
Italian monarch at half past two o'clock
in the afternoon. The malady which end.
ed this eventful career was that malig-
nant malarial fever which is peculiar to
the vicinity of Rome, and which, though
especially fatal to foreigners, does not
spare even the most thoroughly aclmati-
zed natives. In 1855 the same dread dis.
ease crossed the royal threshold and car
ried off the wife, mother, and brother of
the now deceased King who nearly died
of it at The same time himself, being saw.
ed only by the most unremtting care
and remarkably vigorous constitution.
The fifty eight years which rested on the
royal shoulders, together with life which
had by no means been that of an ascetic,
had no doubt materially weakened the
former powers of endurance, and when
the fever returned this last time its work
was speedily accomplished. The King
was conscious up to the last moments Of
his life, and he died surrounded by his
family and with the consultations of the
Roman Catholic Church ,ofwhich he had
always been a faithful son, notwthstand.
ing the peculiar circumstances of his
life.
Victor Emmanuel was born in 1920
and had he lived to the I4th of next
March would have been fifty eight years
ofage. He was the son of Charles Albert,
King of Sardinia, and Queen Therese,
daughter of Grand Duke Ferdinand of
Tuscany. He received careful scienti-
fc and military education, and in 1912
was married to the Arch~DuChess AIDE.
laide, Of Austria. Under the title Of the
Duke of Savoy he took an active part in
the events Of l04S,especially distinguish.
ing himself in the battles of Gioto and
Novara. The latter engagement was
fought on the 24th of March, and on the
same day Victor Emmanuel became King
by the abdication of his father. The more
remarkable events of his career since he
mounted the Sandman throne were his
participation in the Crimean war;the vic.
tory which he gained with the assistance
of the French Emperor over Austria in
1859, which was followed by his recog,
milton as King of Italy by the Parliament
which assembled at Turin in 1861; his
participation in the Austro- Prussian war
of 1866, by which Venice and the prov
ince of Venetia were ceded to Italy; and
finally the occupation of Rome by the
royallst troops, with the subsequent trans
fer to that city of the capital of Italy.
Never an enemy to the Roman Church,
and forced into hostility toward it more
by force of circumstances than from
choice, Victor Emmanuel, since his occu-
patton of the Holy City, has done all in
his power to narrow the breach between
the Church and the State, and has fire.
quently, and particularly of late, shown
marked esteem for Pope Plus, with whom
his relations have almost uniformly been
friendly. Personally the King was man
OF more than ordinary energy and abili-
ty, and although his mode OF life could
hardly be SAID to come up to the Puritan.
ic standard Of morality, he was unques-
tionably king who loved his country
and loved his people; and that this last
sentiment was reciprocated, the sincere
sorrow with which the excitement of his
death was received throughout Italy is
abundent proof.
Victor Emmanuel leaves four children:
the Princess Clothilde, born March I'd,
IS43, and married January goth, 1859, to
Prince Napoleon; Prince Humbert (the
now reigning king, born March 18th,
1874; Prince Amadeus, Duke Of Aosta,
and formerly King of Spain, born May
goth, IS45; and Maria Pia, born October
10Th, IS47 and married October 9th 1862,
to Louis l., King of Portugal. Prince
Humbert, who was Immediately pro-
claimed king on the announcement of
Victor Emmanuel death, partakes gen>
orally of his fathers characteristics, and
will doubtless make few, if any, changes
in the prevailing conduct of Italian af-
fairs.