Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1877-02-16
The Gold Hin Daily News has

The Gold aW Daily News has
now the largest and best
circulation Of any evening
newspaper published In the
State Of Nevada. Il Is
therefore the very best and
most efficient medium for
business, mining and all
other advertising.
THE SHOOTING OF GOVERNOR
PACKARD.
The nsws Of the ~dastardly attempt to
assassinats Governor Packard In his
own ONCE In the STATE House In New
Orleans yesterday. fell upon The nation
like q funeral pail. The uncertainty
which has snshroudsd the result Of the
Presidential contest since the election.
the consequent depression in business.
and the generally unsettled condition Of
a national Affairs. have prepared
American citizens TO anticipate evil.
We have gradually come 70 wonder u
the great American republic Vas to fol-
Low the example Of al that have gone
before IL. and 60 down in anarchy and
confusion ; 10 the great American Union
WAS destined to b crushed into pieces
by The banda Of too ambitious parti-
sans ; In short. II We were 10 have n
Msxioo here In the United States Of
America. And yesterday. when the
shot vas aimed a Governor Packard.
men looked 81 eseh other. nutsly ques-
tioning. has the hour comet Has the
Rubieon at last been passed. and are
turmoil and revolution to usurp the
places Of peace and orderly govsrnmsntl
And NO wonder that men put these
silent questions to each other. For
the news which was flashed from Louis
lana all over the world. carried with II a
terrible warning. Had the miserable
wretch Weldon succeeded In the accom-
plishnsat Of his attempted crime. who
shall say what dire events might have
sprung from that fatal pistol shot, The
assassin's knife. well directed. has
reused many . community. Of . less e.
riiabis nature than that Of Louisiana. to
u fury which could only b satated by
civil war. The blood Of one man. who
has ruled over . Stats. has demanded in
eIpiatioa the blood Of thousands Of eiti-
z-ns. innocent Of all crime except that
they we're unfortunate enough 10 live
under his government. When the
torch. and the knife. and the pistol be-
gin to do their work. the end Of lsgiti-
mate government 10 near ct hand. and
the reign OF terror draws nigh. No
wonder. then. We say. that men looked
auIiously at each other yesterday. and
questioned themselves fsarfully. when
aud where will all this trouble end,
To accuse the Democratic party as an
organization. with any completely in
this attempted crime. would b. as ridie-
ulous u Il would be unjust. The Lead
srs Of thai part. know full we'll that the
assassination Of Governor Packard. In
stead OF aiding their cause In louisiana,
would injurs IL beyond hope at this
particular juneturs. The event Of yes
isrday 10 probably n honestly and
deeply dsplorsd by Democrats As BY
Republicans. The man Weldon Is uu-
doubtsdly enc Of those fanatics whose
attachment to party assumes the
form Of lunacy. and the party In whose
name and for whose supposed benefit he
commits. Of attempts to commit, his
crime. Is no more responsible for his ac-
ton than the organization against whose
representative il Is lsvsllsd. That the
attempt TO assassinats Packard was the
result Of . oonspiracy Of individual Dem
ocrats. there oar BE- NO doubt; but there
can be equally no doubt that Il was not
q Democratic conspiracy in the larger
ssnss Of tho term. and that Il was not
sanctioned by the leading Democrats Of
Louisiana, certainly not Of the nation.
But 10 the party cannot Be held directly
responsible for the crime Of Weldon. Ia
1t not shacklsd by . moral responsibility
in The matterf II not this attempted
assassination Of Packard BY the missra-
BILE wretch. the legitimate outgrowth Of
the system on which the Democratic
campaign in Louisiana vas conducted.
with the approval and active aid Of the
national organization We believe the
entire world will answer yes. Weldon
Hsw citizens bulldossd and murdered for
voting the Republican ticket. II il was
right to kill voters. Why should he
hesitate. according to Democratic princi-
pies. to kill the man electedp Nobody
.upposss that the Southern Confsds-
racy engaged Wilkes Booth to murder
Lincoln. Yet that horrible ~assassina.
ton was but the legitimate offspring OF
secession. and the moral responsibility
Of Il attaches. and svsr will attach 10 the
government Of Jsd Davis. And so IL
will bs in this case. The Democratic
party 10 undoubtedly technically inno-
sent Of al completely In wsldon's crime.
Morally. IL was the ~instigator Of ID. and
No will b regarded.
The assassin's ball failed Of its dssii.
nation. and Louisiana Is not yet given
over to the horrors Of anarchy or conn.,.
munism. For this much. let Us be
thankful. But the lesson Of this almost
cousumma,sd tragedy should not b for
gotten. II will b the imperative duty
Of President Hayes. when inauguratsd.
a. nut his heel upon the serpent which