The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-06-20 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE PRINCE AND THE ASSASSIN. In anticipation of the arrival of the Gattien, who is speeding to our shores by the protected route of the Cape with the Duke of Edinburgh on board, we have received Sydney papers, 1 which give us some interesting details of the attempted assassination of the Duke of Edinburgh, and some more pleasant facts relative to 1 the loyalty of the colony and the conduct of the gallant young Prince. 1 Shortly after the news of the attempted asI aassination of the son of elw Queen reached 1 this country it was followed by a statement i which must have produced a thrill of horror 1 wherever it was read. It was said that the murderous act of O'Farrell was the result of an organised conspiracy among the Fenians ; that 1 orders lied been sent out from this county to ' amsassinate the Prince ; and that O'Farrell had 1 been designaied by lot to carry out this cowardly crime. It is, therefore, satisfactory to find that there is no ground for any such aaser' lion. " Alone I did it," the wretched assassin might have exclateed. This non-complicity is as clearly proved as a negitave generally can be , proved, and, with death staring him in the face, ' the wretched convict soleninly asserted, repeatedly and deliberatedly, that no one else had any hand in the crime or knew that it was about to be perpetrated We had also received the news 1 that O'Farrell was insane. This, we now learn, was the defence set up; and no wonder, for it was the only available defence, lint it completely broke down; and O'Farrell was, on the 21st of April, executed. If man ever deserved death at the hands of the hangman, and if it be , right under any circumstances to carry out capital punishment, O'Farrell undoubtedly deserved to die. To all intents and purposes, he was a mar lerer and an assassin, and be met a murderer's death justly, so long as deeth by the law remains the last penalty that can be inflicted. To turn from this sad phrase of the last Australian news to brighten features, it is pleasant to read of the manly, generous, and Christian way in which the young Duke of Edinburgh acted throughout. Our readers are already ac(ln:dated with the incidents that immediately succeeded the attempted assassination. The further news shows, that while this dastardly deed unmistakeably called forth the loyalty of the entire colony, it did not cause the Prince to abate one jot of his confidence in the Australian subjects of his royal mother. His progress towards entire recovery having been steady and decided, he was enabled, for a week or so before his departure, to drive about Sidney in an open and confident manner, and to take a prominent part in some public ceremonies—laying the foundation stone of a Town-hall, assisting at an University commemoration, planting some memorial trees, and engaging in other public ceremonies. In this way was a kindly feeling of the representative of royalty manifested towards the colonists, while they in their turn were enabled to show a loyalty and affection towards the Queen and the mother country which, but for this dastardly attempt on her son's life, would never have been called forth. There will be many in this country who will regret that O'Farrell's life was not spared till an appeal could be made to the Queen; arid it would have a doubly graceful episode in the royal annals, after the Prince whose death was compassed had pleaded for the assassin's life, for that life to have been spared by the Queen; but we, at least, have the pleasing fact to add to our history, that Prince Alfred pleaded for his would-be murderer, while we cannot but feel that, in accordance with the strict letter of Australian law, justice was rigorously done.  -