The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-01-22
WILL THE GEAR GO MAD9

10 nave ones mouse surrounded by
policemen, and to drive out rapidly and
fearfully, ensconeed in closed steel
plated carriage under heavy escort of
cavalry, may seem TO most Englishmen
very annoying. Few in our island can
realize how terrible it is. have been
SO close an observer of almost identically
the same circumstances that my recollec-
tons may in this matter be of interest.
do not speak of Russia, but OF the state
which twenty three years ago more close
y resembled what Russia is now, so far
as smouldering rebellion and repression
go, than perhaps any other European
country. King Ferdinand III. of Naples
was warm admirer and close imitator
of Nicholas the Gar, as well as his per-
sonal friend. In bulk and dignity Of
port the Sicilian King was second only
to the Gar. His face bore very strong
likeness to the portraits of the Emperor
Nero. His rule was personal. His la
Dor was immense, commencing, in sum-
mer at all events, at A. NJ; and so COM
plete and jealous was his supervision of
kingdom which was regarded as per-
sonal estate that it used to be said that
not a pump could be fixed by munich
patty without the express permission of
the King. In his rule King Ferdinand
was aided, to an extent difficult for Eng
Iish people to realize, by the clergy, both
regular and secular. Obedience to the
church was the first requisite to obtain
the favor of the King. In return, the
police Of the church was more subtle and
universal than even that of the mouch-
ards.
On the Sth of December, 1856, was
present at grand military mass on the
Campo di Mario, near Naples. At the
head of brilliant staff King Ferdinand
held a review that day Of some 10000 of
his troops. As the Third 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 sta
ton, private in the fourth file from the
King calling out One, two, three, fourv
rushed across the rank and charged His
Majesty with bayonet. In my opinion
it was the heavy and numbering charac-
ter of the sabre bayonet alone that saved
the King. He was just grazed, he after
wards told me, on the left of his alb
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 many 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 had
another audience of the King, who was
then in his great palace at Caserta. I
went by command. Two miles from the
palace my carriage was surrounded by a
patrol of mounted cavalry When they
learned who L was they did not search
the vehicle, but detached couple of
soldiers to accompany it. Before the
great west front of the palace stood a
line of infantry. 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 to me, i do not know why we
should not both live for forty years
On the 22nd of May, 1859, he was dead.
Dead, no doubt, of disease not I'M
known to physicians; but killed in real
truth, by the charge of the Chasseur
Milano, from the shock of which the
nervous system never recovered.
Now, [ can't help thinking that what
saw at Naples in 1656-59 must be taking
place in Russia at this hour. Any long
continuance of such a state of tension is.
| think there can be no doubt, impossi-
bic.