The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-14
and warmth, they press against the wind
pipe and canse partial strangulation, and
not intoxication.
pLetse, In, the Psif Mali GsssstN1

King Ferdinand 1T of Naples was q
warm admirer and close imitator OF
Nicholas the Gar, as we'll as his person.
al friend. In bulk and dignity OF port
the Siciian King was second ouly to the
Gar. His face bere.a very strong like.
ness to the portraits Of the Emperor
Mere. His rule was PERSONAL His Ia
Dor was immense, commencing, ia sum-
mer at all events, at a. M: and 20
complete and jealous was his supervision
of kingdom which was regarded IS q
personal estate, that it used to be said
that not a pump could be fixed BY q
municipality without the express perrnis-
sion of the King. In his rule King Fer
dinand was aided, to an extent difficult
for English people to realize, by the
clergy, both regular and secular. Obe-
dience to the Church was the first requi-
site to obtain the favor Of the King. In
return. the police Of the Church was
more subtle and universal than even
that of the mouchards.
On the 9Th of December, 1856, l was
present at grand military mass on the
Campo di Mario, near Naples. At the
head of brilliant staff King Ferdinand
held review on that day Of some 10000
of his troops As the Sd regiment Of
Chasseurs-a regiment specially formed
by General Nunziante to replace the
Swiss troops as body-guard for the King
was marching past the Royal station,
private in the fourth file from the King
calling out: "One, two, three, four"
rushed across the rank and charged His
Majesty with the bayonet. In my opin-
ion it was the heavy and numbering
character of the sabre-bayonet alone that
saved the King. He was just grazed, he
afterward told me, ON the left of his ab-
domen. An officer pushed his horse
against the assassin, who was knocked
down and secured. For the moment the
conduct of the King WAS admirable. He
drove at once through Naples in small
phaeton, with no escort-a thing which
he had not done for nrany months. He
threw open his palace to receive all who
came to congratulate him on his escape.
His apartments were crowded, and the
King moved through the throng, speak.
ing to every one. Addresses rained on
the palace from all the provinces Of both
the Sicilies.
Then came reaction. In the February
following the attack I had another au.
dience of the King, who was then in his
great palace at Caserta. went by com
mand. Two miles from the palace
my carriage was surrounded by patro1
of mounted cavalry. When they learned
who / was they did not search the We
hicle, but detached a couple Of soldiers
to accompany it. Before the great west
front of the palace stood a line of in
fantry. Everything betokened a siege
The aspect Of the King himself was that
of hunted animal. We all know what
followed. In 1856 the King had said tc
me, Il do not know why we should moi
both live for forty years." On the 22d
of May, 1859, he was dead. eBead, nc
doubt, of disease not unknown to ply.
sycians; but killed in real truth, by the
charge Of the Chasseur Milano, from the
shock of which the nervous system never
recovered.
Now, l can't help thinking that what
1 saw at Naples in 1856-'59 must be tax
ing place in Russia at this hour. Any
long continuance of such state Of ten
sion is, / think there can be no doubt, i'm
possible.