The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-16
Death of Victor Emmanuel.

bGdlu VI VtCSOl
Victor Emmanuel King of Italy, has
been gathered to his fathers and Humbcrt
T reigns in his stead. He succumbed to
an attack Of military fever, a disease
which brought him to deaths door in
1858, and at three o'clock in the afternoon
Of last Wednesday, 9th January, sitting
dressed in his armchair, with his family
and friends at his side. lie bent his head
and quietly died. The Quirinal palace
had been surrounded by immense crowds
of his sorrow stricken subjects, ana
when it was told them that their King
was no moro, the widest EXPLANATIONS OF
Grief burst from that dense ltallan
throng. We are told that "strong men
burst into tears, women tainted, ana de-
spair was depicted on every countenancc.'
Such all outburst Of unfeigned grief
must seem strange to the citizens OF this
great Republic whose ruler is more
than the highest Of the salaried and TOM
porarv o~fficeholders and is neverconnect-
ed in the minds Of the people with that
divinity that doth hedge a king. The ties
of warm affection that often bind togeth-
er a monarch and his subjects find no
congenial soil In the relations that exist
between a people and their president who
Is always the head ofsome political party.
The death of a king like Victor En-
manuel is ofmuch deeper sfgnifcancato
the people of Italy than the retirement OF
q Grant or a Hayes is to tho people OF
America. The general and false impress
sion In the minds Of people that a
European m6naroh in modern times Is a
mere hgure-head on the vessel ofState
Is dispetled by such a scene "a was be-
held In the courtyard Of the Quirinal pal
ace last Wednesday afternoon. Rome
and italy were flied with painful sus-
n and anxiety which were succeeded
by CONSERVATION when the death Of the
king was announced.
Victor Emmanuel has achieved = posi-
ton in modern history second to none of
LOe Il6Il VI lie III 1''i Ah ASSSt A> -
ecnded tho throne of Sardinia in 1s49.
At that time and for ten years later italy
consisted Of even separate governments
of which the most formidable was that of
the Pope who as a temporal sovereign
ruled the States ofthe Church. To defeat
Austria and regain Lombardo- Venetia,
to absorb Tuscany, Parma and Modena.
to incorporate the kingdom of Naples
and finally to break down the temporal
power of the Pope and reign for W
yrars king of all Italy, united forthe first
time since the days Of Augustus Caesar
this was grand work, and will make the
doer Of it immortal. No doubt he was
Greatly aided by the craftsmanship Of
Cavour, the g~allantry ofthat modern hero
Garibaldi, and the substantial friendship
of Napoleon III; but the chief place in
the drama Of events was filed by Victor
Emmanuel.
He will be remembered chiefly, how
ever, for his successful struggle with the
papacy, which he carried on to a glorious
termination despite the thupderer Of tho
Vatican whose major accommodation
and anathema Jay on the stubborn king
until he reached sthe month Of DEATH"
No event in modern history has greater
importance than this stripping Of the
Pope of his temporal power and posses
z-- Tla h,nl that onnor or isha II 10
cold in death, and all protestants must
feel anxious to know If Hnmbert the
king will be able to keep what his
sire 70 nobly won. 'The race is not to
the swift nor the battle to the strong"
The aged Pope still lives; Victor Emman-
uel has died in the meridian of life. He
had taken great precautions to prevent
tho exercise of undue influence In the
of a new Pope, in the natural
expectation Of the prior decease Of the
HOLY Father. How much the death of
the king will strengthen the hands of
the papacy and weaken professionalism re-
mains to he seen. King Humbert Is well
spoken of, as a man of. good parts, the
counterpart of his illustrious father. He
will, it Is hoped. emulate his father's TX
ample in his dealings with the Ro,nish
Church and In his great work of solidify-
ing and strengthening the kingdom of
italy. II Re Golonfuomo-the Knightlv
Kinc-as Victor Emmanuel was proudly
called by his devoted subjects has left his
an example that he shohld follow in
his steps. For the sake Of Italy, for the
sake of liberty, for the sake of protestant
ism, it is to be hoped Humbert I WI
prove q worthy son of so great a sire,