An assassin, probably a Macedonian devoted to the late Major
Panitza, on March 27th resolved to avenge his late leader's execution by murdering M. Stambouloff, the Premier of Bulgaria. Meeting him and M. Beltcheff, Minister of Finance, as they came out of a club, he fired, but for some reason selected the wrong man, and M. Beltcheff, who had no enemies, fell dead. Sofia has been virtually placed in a state of siege ; M. Karaveloff, the leader of the Radicals, has been arrested ; and Bulgarian opinion ascribes the assassination to Russian agents. It seems probable that the Russophil party, both in Roumania and Servia, were aware that an attempt would be made, for they were ready in arms to take advantage of its success ; but there is no evidence connecting the Russian Government with the crime. The Czar, who is himself threatened by Nihilists, is not in the least likely to sanction assassination, though from a mistaken pelicy he allows his Ministers to screen men who have broken the laws of humanity for the advantage of Russia. The assassin has not yet been tracked, and as he has got away, it is improbable that he will be. M. Stambouloff is right In not sparing traitors, and is entirely supported by the people; but he is, we fear, a little too ready to utilise such crimes in order to get rid of men who are traitors, but who are not concerned in the special attack to be avenged. It is as if Mr. Gladstone had banged Mr. Parnell by court-martial because Lord F. Cavendish had been assassinated. It would be wiser to be just; but all contests in Eastern Europe assume a character of civil war.
