Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-06-29
ASSASSLNA TON OF PRESIDENT
CARNOT.


CARNOT
President Carnot, the Chief Magistrate o.
the French Republic, was assassinated OIL
Sunday last in most cowardly and bruta
manner. The deed was perpetrated in the
city Of Lyons, whittier President Carnot had
gone TO attend the exhibition now going on
The assassination OF the President of the
French Republic is one of those appalling
events that from time TO time send thrill
of horror throughout the world, the more 80
because they are causeless, so unreasonable,
and seem TO make mockery Of all our social
order and security.
1t is remarkable fact that no one Of the
conspicuous victims Of political assassina-
ton within our time has been tyrant or
man who could naturally have conferred
upon himself the luminosity Of political an
tagonists. On the contrary, they have all
been men of conspicuously gentle character
and liberal convictions. Lincoln was a
broad minded and liberal statesman, vim
dicitive not in the slightest degree, and his
death was cruel injury to those whom his
assassin pretended and probably imagined
that he could thus serve. Alexander III.
was killed at the very threshold Of prom.
Used career of liberal reform on which the
assassin thus closed the door for genera
ton at least. There was nothing in Gar
field TO explain resort TO assassination and
never had man done less TO deserve such
y fate than that modest, upright, patriotic
gentleman, Sadi Carnot.
He was man who held his high position
not through self seeking, not through force
OF arms nor the arts of the demagogue, nor
even through the despotism Of party. He held
1t only because all parties trusted him more
fully than any of them trusted any one else.
They trusted his honor, his fairness, his pure
devotion TO France. He was not great
leader nor great constructive statesman.
He was essentially paciicator, and his
very weaknesses which were those of a
man anxious above all things for peace and
security and the orderly prosperity Of the
country, were such as should have disarmed
all personal hostility. If such life must
end in violence, who is safe2
Il must be consolation to the French
people in this hour of sorrow to reflect that
It was not one of them who committed this
awful crime. 1t was an alien, and one of a
nation with whom the French have not
been on kindly terms Of late. Until we
know more of this Italian and his associa-
tions II will be unsafe to make any conjec
ture upon the probable effect of the assassin
alton. Indeed such conjecture would be diff
ficult under any circumstances, for the poit
ical passions of the French are differently
swayed from ours, and whether the death OF
Carnot shall strengthen or weaken the in
situations which he represented, whether it
will unite the Republicans or inspire the
Monarchists, whether it will concentrate
opinion against Anarchists or excite them
TO fresh aggressions, time can only tell.
Perhaps the murderer's nationality may
cause division OF sentiment that will be
helpful To unity at home. But In any case
Americans must add to their personal lament
for the death of this true patriot an earnest
sympathy for the Republic itself, aud the
hope that 1t will emerge triumphant from
tho evil that has come upon It.
That the utmost indignation and horror
should have filed the whole French people is
not TO be wondered at, since it is one that
must awaken the utter Reproduction of the civ
ilized nations. Particularly is this the case
In America, where every eye looks to France
as towering singly and alone amid the en-
pires and monsrchies of Europe.
Il seems a strange incident-that when
Napoleon l. was in the midst of his Italian
campaign he took occasion to remark upon
the eve Of memorable battle, "Carnot has
organized victory" 1t is the grandson of
this elder Carnot who has just been muir
dered by an Italian.