Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-04-23
The Perlls OF Royalty.

Nothing could be truer than that uneasy
lies the head which wears q crown Within
less than atwelvemonth Emperor William OF
Germany, King Alphonso of Spain, King
IIumbert of Italy, and Alexander H., Car
of all the Russias, to say nothing of min
listers and heads of departments in these and
other countries, have been targets for the
assassin's bullet. 1t is remarkable that all
four of the sovereigns escaped with their
lives. In only single case, that OF Emperor
William, was any serious harm inflicted
upon the rulers. Well might the Gar re-
pair at once to his chapel to give thanks
for his providential deiverance.
The attempt upon the life Of the Gar,
which occurred last week, was daring and
audacious in the extreme While the EN-
peror was taking his morning walk, the
assailant, Solovieff by name, approached
within few feet of him, took deliberate
aim and fired; some accounts say three, and
others say four, shots were fred before the
would-be assassin took to his heels. lie was
easily captured and imprisoned. After the
shooting the Emperor rode about the city
unattended as though nothing unusual had
happened. The populace showered cheers
upon him at his miraculous escape, and in
his speech thanking them for their enthu-
siastic reception he said, " This is the third
time God has saved me-" As to the fate of
the would-be assassin there can he no ques-
ton. Russia visits swift destruction upon
all such characters. The remarkable cool
ness of the Gar during and subsequent to
the shooting indicates what is pretty well
understood that the attempt upon his life
was apprehended by him.
Solovieff alleges that he "was appointed
by lot to shoot the Car" That all this ter
rible work emanates from the Nihilists, a
secret organization of socialists, for revolu-
tionary purposes, which is rapidly spreading
throughout the empire, there can be no
doubt. This secret organization appears to
be governed by central committee. The
orders of its central power must be obeyed
without hesitation by those who receive
them, on penalty of assassination. When
ever the order to kill is issued, those who re-
ceive it must kill or be killed. There is no
freedom of action. To assume freedom of
action is to become traitor and forfeit
life. The whole empire seems honey-combed
with Nihilism. The one-man power Of
Russia has raised up a mighty host of those
who do not believe in that form of govern
ment and who seem ready to stake their lives
and fortunes in the attempt to change it.
Their present -assassination-is
cowardly and dastardly one, though its use
under the present state of things is not to
be unexpected.
That the government has become thor
oughly alarmed by these revolutionary de-
monstrations, and is determined to meet
them with something like their own weap-
ons; is conclusively shown by ukase, just
issued by the Car, appointing Governors
general over six districts Of the empire,
and placing them under martial law. That
law is to be administered in the most thor
ough and merciless fashion. Six military
officials are to have the right of imprison-
ing for an indefinite time all suspicious per-
sons Of transporting to Siberia, without
trial, as many as they choose, and of exc
cutting, in conformity with sentence passed,
those they may happen to regard as espe-
cially guilty. Nor are these powers confined
to political criminals. Regular criminal
procedure appears to have been altogether
suspended. Ordinary offenders, not even
suspected of plotting against the state, are
to be made subject to martial law. More
over, the ukase is retrospective. The Gov
ernors-general are expressly empowered to
try prisoners arrested before the issue of
the decree, provision designed apparently
to authorize the holding of sort of bloody
assize upon the persons, variously estimated
at between five thousand and ten thousand,
who have been recently imprisoned in the
mutinous districts
That most serious danger confronts the
empire there can be no question. But the
teachings of all history are false if martial
law succeeds in arresting it. A little mercy
on the part of the Car toward his suffering
subjects would do infinitely more.