The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-31
The Torture OF a King.

King Ferdinand Ill. OF Naples was a
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 Ia
Dor was immense, commencing, in
summer at all events, at four a. M,
and so complete and jealous was his
supervision of kingdom which was
regarded as personal estate, that it
used to be said that not pump could
be fixed by a municipality without the
express permission of the King. In his
rule King Ferdinand was aided, to an
extent difficult for English 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 mouchards.
On the 9Th of December, 1856, l was
present at a grand military mass on
the Campo di Mario, near Naples. At
the head of a brilliant staff King Fer
dinand held review on that day of
some 10000 of his troops. AS the third
specially formed by General NunzlfsnSes
to replace the Swiss troops as a body
guard for the King-was marching past
the Royal station, a private in the
fourth file from the King calling out:
Zone, two, three, four!'' rushed across
the rank, and charged His Majesty with
the bayonet. In my opinion it was the
heavy and numbering character of the
saber- bayonet alone that saved the
King. He was just grazed, he after
ward told me, on the left of his abdomen.
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, speaking to every one. Ad-
dresses rained on the palace from all
the provinces of both the Sicilies.
Then came reaction. In the February
following the attack 1 had another
audience of the King, who was then in
his great palace at Caserta. | went by
command. Two miles from the palace
my carriage was surrounded by patrol
of mounted cavalry. When they learned
who was they did not search the
vehicle, but detached couple of SOL
diers to accompany it. Before the great
west front of the palace stood line of
infantry. Everything betokened 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, 81 do not know why we
should not both live for forty years"
On the 22d of May, 1859, he was dead.
Dead, no doubt, of disease not un-
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 1868 must be
taking place in Russia at this hour.
Any long continuance of such state
Of tension is, think there can be no
doubt, impossible. -Letter in Pail Mall
Gazette.