The Washington weekly post., 1899-05-23

- LTHoUGH the Gar has until re-
| II Gently been regarded as thor
| oughly honest and loyal In his
| profession Of the most humane
| and generous sentiments, yet the
fact remains that both HIS lieges and the
world ut large are still waiting for his
proclamation OF that amnesty for which
people have been looking ever since he
came TO the throne. five years tgo, aud
which would have constituted a far more
practical and convincing demonstration
OF his philanthropy than the organization
Of peace congresses such as that which
assembled at The Hague on Thursday.
AmneSties for political offenses were
looked for at the time OF the Cars se-
cession. on the occasion OF his solemn
| coronation at Moscow, and again at the
birth Of his eldest child, but no sign CT
clemsncy has been given by The Little
Father" of 'All the Russias."
! Yet another occasion is now offered to
| Nicholas for the remedy Of this neglect
| on his part, for were he 20 signalize the
| opening Of the peace congress which he
| has organized by the issue Of a proclama-
| ton granting an amnesty for all purely
political offenses II would constitute
i guarantee of the good faith OF the be-
nevolence and generosity to which he
! gave expression in his various peace
manifestoes and would be hailed through
out the entire civilized world as the most
enlightened and progressive act OF SOW
ereignty that has ever been performed by
any monarch since his grandfather. Alex
ander ii, proclaimed the emancipation OF
the serfs, nearly forty years ago.
| There were many objections raised.
| both on political and administrative
| grounds. to the issue OF this celebrated
| ukase on the part of Alexander the Lib
| orator; and from purely economic point
| of view it may be questioned whether
| Russia as a nation has as yet derived as
| much material benefit from this freedom
| OF the peasan.ry from slavery as was ex
peeted. This. however. is due to the peo
pie, who have not known how to take ad-
vantage of the priceless boon of liberty
thus conferred. rather than the fault of
the ruler whose edict was such as TO en-
title him to the admiration and regard of
all the world. and to the most honcred
place In the history OF his country.
The same objections would doubtless be
raised to the grant by Nicholas Of an
amnesty for political offenses. and Il is
quite probable that in a number of in
criminate liberation of political offenders,
even If innocent of any infraction Of or
diDary common and criminal law. But
the general effect of such an act of elem
ency at home. as Well as abroad, would
be so immense and so widespread, and
would excite SO much good will and
regard both in behalf OF Russia and of
its young ruler. as to result In advan-
tages-political. moral. and material-that
would far outweigh any isolated cases OF
harm.
Looking to the Kaiser.
If lay so much stress on the propriety
OF the Car taking advantage of the
peace congress for the proclamation Of
his so lonS-delayed and SO anxiously-ex-
pected ukase of amnesty, IL Is because
there is persistent rumOr to the effect
that Emperor William intends to avail
himself of the occasion to proclaim an
analogous act of clemency. Some declare
that 1t will embrace political offenses,
while others insist that IL will be restrict
ed 10 the men, women, and children now
undergoing Imprisonment for lese majes-
te. 1nasmuch as the latter consists OF
speaking or writing in an insulting man
ner concerning the Emperor or the mem
bers of his family. an amnesty for these
offenses would come with particular grace
from this monarch, who. as those who
know him best are aware,is possessed of a
heart quite as suspectible to generous
and humane impulses as that Of the Car.
He has shown such a remarkable degree
Of tact until now in the happy timing OF
the favors and compliments which he con-
fers-as, for instance. when he chose the
day of President Carnot's funeral to an
nounce the pardon OF several French staff
officers convicted of peculiarly aggravated
cases of espionage-that a general impress
sion prevails that he will not permit the
peace congress to pass away without sig
nalizing it by some act of clemency, some
display of sentiments Of peace and good
will toward his fellow-creatures 1t would
be the first general amnesty granted since
his accession to the throne, now eleven |
years agJ.
There is yet third sovereign who may |
possibly avail himself Of the peace con- |
gress to issue a decree OF amnesty. 1t is |
King Humbert of Italy. who. more silent |
and certainly less demonstratiye than |
either Gar or Kaiser, surpasses both of |
them in warmth OF heart and in kindli- |
ness toward his fellow-creatures. At the |
tomb of Garibaldi three weeks ago he |
soIemnly promised the old patriots daugh- |
ter. Nine. Canzio. that he would avail |
himself OF the earliest opportunity to am |
nesty the thousand and odd prisoners \
who are still undergoing punishment for |
their participation in the sanguinsry dis |
turbances OF q year ago. What better or |
more appropriate occasion could he find /
for the performance OF an act OF Glenn !
eney OF this kind than the meeting OF the /
great peace congress at The Hague?
Humbest's Fsrgivisg Spirit.
OF Humbert's forgiving spirit innumer- /
able instances could be given. One OF them. ]
which deserves to be placed on record. was /
only recently brought 10 light. Some TWEEN /
ty years ago, while driving with the Queen 1
through the streets of Naples, d man Of /
the name OF Passanante Jumped ON the /
doorstep Of the royal carriage. and. draw
ing a knife. aimed a blow straight at tine 1
Kings heart. Quick as fash his Prime /
Minister, Carroll. who was seated facing 1
their majesties. with his back 10 the
horses, threw himself between Humbert
and the would-be ASSASSIN In such man
ner as to shield his ruler with his body, /
into which the knife was plunged up 10 its
very hilt- Queen Marsuerite's white dress
was deluged with the blood OF the Pre-
mieI. and several years elapsed before she
recovered from the shock TO which her
nervous system had been subjected. Pas
sanante was, of course. arrested and con-
demned to imprisonment for life He died
in confinement some ten years ago. A few
weeks ago the death OF an old woman at
FFagcati. who had been nviEg there for a
long term OF years in a good deal Of coma
fort and luxury, was reported to the 10
cal authorities. When they came to eA-
anime her effects they discovered from her
papers that she was no other than the
mother Of PasSanAnte. and that from the
time Of her sons conviction until the day
Of her death she had been maintained En-
tireIy at the personal expense Of the King.
no one, excepting the controller Of hin
privy purse. knowing anything about the
matter This is only one Of hundreds of
similar iilusts ations which could DC cited