New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-25
some careless trustees, as well as reckless OIL
GERS, paying the penalty of Acknowledgement.
THE yNFLUUNCE OF EXAMPLE.

Little thought the Hon. David Dudley Field as
no stood at his window on that eventful night year
ago. in the stern simplicity of his night-shrt DrOou-
ing patriotic emotions for future speech, as ne con-
templated the glories of his country's hag that
he was by that very act sowing INC
seeds of pneumonia in the breast OF an
Italian King But so does the influence OF the
statesman, even from the privacy OF his chamber
and the sacredness of his most intimate garment,
radate throughout the globe, affecting the destinies
of nations, the habits of kings, and not in
frequently the opinions Of justices of the peace
Victor Emanuel, as it now appears from the
cautious and diplomatic disclosures OF his attend
ants, caught the cold which resulted in infamma-
ton Of the lungs and death by standing at night I'D
his shirtseeves at one of the windows of his palace
looking upon the garden. Instances Of kings stand
ING at the window at night in their shirt-seeves
arc so rare in history that the mind is at once set on
an inquiry why this particular king should have
been up to it, and how, if it be true that he was
in the habit of it, that habit engendered. Inti-
mate rs we are with kings, are free to say we
have never seen one In his shrt-sleeves we doubt
il even our former Minister to England, who has fire.
qncntly held four in one hand, ever did. Nor Is 1t
the habit Of kings to appear at the WIN
dow 1t has been vaguely stated that Charles
TX did on one occasion, but he subse-
auently persisted in such agOnies OF remorse that,
BY the universal consent Of all persons liable to be
kings the divine right of kings has been held ever
since not to include the right of looking out OF the
window. Why then did this here king" as Carl
bald afectionately calls him, stand at the window
by night in his shirt-sleeves and look
into the garden' He not particularly
an agrculturist: the early beet could have
had no special interest for him; and the dead beats
were all abed in the palace. II could hardly have
been the stomach ache; no intelligent king would
have taken pain in his stomach to the window
that would be carrying Goals to Newcastle. What
was il then that kept this here king" at the WIN
dow in his shirt-sleevesf OF course he kept his
crown on otherwise he would have taken cold IN
his head indeed it is Unknown that kings never
take off their crowns even in the hottest weather.
But Why ut the window in his shirt-sleevesf
Let us not, as American citizens attempt to
oyade the inouiry or SHIFT the responsibility. II
was the example of the Hon. David Dudley Field.
Victor Emanuel evidently thought he could do it.
Fatal mistake. What seemed so beautiful and in
spiting in an American statesman death
to the Italian King. He did not consider
the difference IN climate between Washing
ton and Rome, the difference between shirt
sleeve, and nght-shirt, between looking at
flag and looking at garden. between the C0nsftu-
tion Of Itay ard the Constitution of the United
STATES: between his own constitution and Mr..
Fields. Victor Emanuel, no doubt, had witnessed
with the most painful feelings the exodus to Amer
co of great numbers of his most gifted subjects, car
rying with them cargOes upon cargocs OF barrel
oraans filed with some Of tie most moving and
able-bodcd music that ever answered TO crank.
and accompanied by monkeys of the most pleasing
manners and the highest order of Intelligence.
And Victor with thoughtful forchnger to
his temple. said "Beshrew mo now" or
:. Ayast. thcrclr or something of that sort
such as kings and mariners always say when
tberc'. nobody looking 81 will find ont about this
aud know the reason Why II was with this pur-
pose that he subscribed for all the NewYork papers
and ordered The Congressional Record to be sent to
him rcpullrly at Rome. Here was monarch. who
seeing his realm thus dcpOpnated. instead of In
dulging in useless repnng, set himself upon philo-
sophie inquiry to the causes of the heglra Is II any
wonder that, in pursuing his studies of the political
institutions of the new country to which his subjects
were fleeing, he should have been attracted by the
preat debate in which Mr. Field bore so conspicuous
n part or that tho picturesque attitude of that
statesman. Ms described by himself, studying the
folds Of the flag in diaphanous apparel, should
have at once charmed and fascinated him
II, may have been illogical; it seems indeed. as
though he was too hasy in his conclusions but is it
not entirely obvious that his royal mind took in-
mcdiatcly the impression that it was such exhibit
lions AS these that attracted the admiration OF his
people and drew them away from their native
shores7 And is il at all strange that. taking
this view of the matter, he should on the same
night that he reached this conclusion. have pulled
of his royal jacket and waistcoat, and gone Ia the
window in his shrt-sleeycs, with the confidential
remark to an attendant Ii this be craftsmanship,
:. I'll take a whack at it myself"i
Nor can we blame him. We can all remember how
daenIv impressed we were with Mr. Fields appear
luce and behavior ~ described by himself on that
OCCASION We all stopped short and admired II. We
could rot know, of course, that his exam
ple would be so soon initiated by crowned
heads and with such fatal consequences.
There was a certain fine selfforgctfulnoss
and noble disregard Of the weather. i'll the conduct
of Mr.. Field, that made forget, in our admiration
of him, that,kings might initiate him aud catch
cold doing IT, We see it now that il is too late.
What diplomatic complications may arise from
II. il is too early at present to foresee II will
he useless TO attempt TO conceal tho fact
or avoid the responsibility There are too many
among us, who know all about it,
and doubtless ere this have communicated
their knowledge to the Italian Government.
OF course, eve shall have TO surrender Mr..
Field. We shall advise him to make no
resistance TO the demand for him. He
certainly intended no harm, and if he can make that
plain they will hardly dare to hang him. And when
he gets this matter of his hands he will Ito well TO
visit tho courts of the various kings and poentates
of Europe and give them lessons in sitting up in
their night shirts
IL would be superiiuous to say that there
change of weather Wednesday. and that the mercury