New-York tribune., 1894-06-25
ASSASSINATION or C1RNOT

ASSASSINATION or C1RNOT.
The civilized world is again startled by the
daSardly murder of patriotic and hGhnnded
President Like Lincoln and Garfield the Presi-
dent of France is the victim of private ven
geance acting from wanton caprice and AFRO
eating to itself the right of diSposng Of the
destiny of a nation; and in his case. as in theirs.
his virtues disintcrcStcd motives and exalted
character his civic courage, his distinguished
services to his country and his prc-cmncnt use
fulnesS have been powerlcSs to avert his fate.
President Carnot has seemed 10 be almost
necessary man In an anoulalOuS transition
period Of French history. Without extraordi-
nary gifts as an orator or a political leader. he
had qualities of mind. proby of character and
consummatc tact and fcxibility in adapting
himself 10 conditions as he found them that
rendered him almost Indispensable to the main
tenance Of existing institutions. When the enc
mics of the Republic. taking advantage Of the
foul and dcmoraZing Panama scandal. con
sprcd 10 destroy the new political order. they
failed because they could not implicae him in
their disclosures Of Ministerial and legislative
corruption. Other great regulations might be
wrecked. unstable Ministries might bc over
thrown. but 50 long aS the President com
mandcd the confidence and respect Of the na-
ton. the Republic was safe. His continuance
in power. without a breath of suspicion to sully
either his exalted Office or his honorable fame,
was triumph Of virtue amid the havoc ana
ruin of tainted regulations. Never, perhaps. in
history have the political institutions Of an en-
lightcncd nation been more directly dependent
upon the bamclesS life and purify of character
Of one man Marvellous and inrompro ohcnSible
are the vicSsmdcs Of human destiny, The re
muval If Il President which INSCRIPTIONS con
spirators soriid advcnturcrs and powerful fac
tions could not accomplish by secret inirsue,
has been suddenly wrought by the unrcaSonins,
fanatica crime Of an obscure Italian assassin.
II is this sense Of disproporion between tire
insigniicancc Of the agent and The momontouS
consequences 81 his Grim" that dazrs human
intelligence and impartS an almost fantastic
horror 10 the deed The Anarchist. who
plunged his dagger into the breast ~ he
French President a. he was leaving the
Chamber of Commerce dinner Ia Lyons.
was hardly more Than "a fly settling upon the
wheel Of The chariot If state; yet momrniarllN
the wheel j. stopped and The First Citizen "f
the Republic lie, PROSTATE and dead. Through
ont Christcndom there viii bc a rccoil Of alb
horrcncc and dcicSiation from This foul, ai-
rociOuS ana ScnScloSS crime: and minglinc with
this feeling there will be an instructive dread
Of the power Of such creatures aS this assassin
10 intervene caprciouSy and dcSpotically in ia"
affairs of nations This Is one Of "a swarm of
black flies buZzng in every great capital
| Hardly more than week ago au Anarchist
| from MarSeillcS writer for an inc"ndiary -"
| cialiSt press. sought to asSdSSinaie Premier
! Crspi In Rome and when he failed, gloai"d
over the notoriciy which he had gained and
! challenged the Government 10 put him 10 death.
! one unsuccessful crime is the signal for The at
roclouS murder in Lyons. The Anarchists in
] the capitals have quickly exchanged signals and
! accomplished fcudsh work.
; The death of President Carnot, while il will
| be universally deplorcd and recognized IN
France rs an irrcn"Iiable national loss will
| not affect The stability of republican inSttu-
tions His term drawing 10 "A close and his
retirement from public life in a few
! months was possible In consequence r his IN
! paired health and disinclination 10 remain in
| Office The canvass for the succession already
| begun will be N once prccipitatcd. 1h"r" j. no
prolonged strain Of past popular elections for the
| Presidency I'm France. The National Assembly
acts almost automatically under the Constitu-
| tion. and the vacancy will bc Immediately filed.
the existing majority in the popular Chamber
| guaranteeing the choice Of conservative Re
| publican. But. while a new President VIII be
| elected without undue excitement, this fresh
| Anarchist horror coming after the atrocities OF
q Ravachol and a Valiant. will warn the
| French people that stern measures OF rcprcs-
| sion against Socialist enemies ana rebels plot
| ting against the whole order Of modern progress
are Indispensable and that additional and pow
| crful safeguards Of political institutions must
| be established In the lottery of assassination
there are no prizes but only blanks, and an in
creased feeling Of insecurity and dcspOndcncy.