The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-07-09
THE sADAFEAIR AT WASHING
TON.

THE sADAFEAIR AT WASHING
TON.
We can but deplore the tragic affair at
Washington. In the prime Of life, occupy
ing the most exalted position in the gift Of
The people Of this great Nation, President
Garfield fell a victim of the deadly hatred Of
a member Of the opposing faction of his
party.
II was a lamented occurrence. On every
side we hear naught but expressions Of sor-
row, even by President Gar6eld't bitterest
opponents General Garfield may not have
been the purea man that ever lived he
may have been guilty Of questionable tran
ssctions in his capacity OF National legisla-
tor, but he was the legally elected head of
our Government and murderous blow at
him WAS an affront 10 the Natien which
should be speedily avenged. 1t is we'll for
the country at large, that the assassin was
not some lunatc from outside che fold of the
Republican party. Had he procl aimed
himself sn unreconstructed rebel, or any
thing else than "stalwart of the stalwarts,"
we should have had partisan howl from
Maine to California and from the Lakes to
the Gulf; a waving of bloody, shirts and
repetition Of the ghastly stories of rebel out
RACES at the South TO influence the passions
of men and thoroughly demoralize business.
The infamous Guiteau is a Repububican.
He brooded over his troubles. lie looked
with adhairing eyes upon ex-senator Conk-
ling'and commended his course in seeding
from thesParty that had fostered and honor
ed hina, as no ether member had been hon.
ored, and lie insanely imagined that by rid
ding the world of Garfield, harmony in the
Republican party would be restored BY the
consequent accession ef Arthur to the Presi-
dency.
1t hss-Boen limited, and we may say, al
most openly charged, that Guiteau is only a
tool in'the hands of men who would profit
by President Garfield's death. We caunot
believe This. Guiteau's own inabilityto OBJ
tam Office, the open rupture in the party
and Its threatened complete dissolution by
reason of this disagreement, had added his
few feeble brains, until be became mono
maniac on the subject
: He attempted the role Of murderer by
choice, not at the dictation of Others
The calamity is the direct outgrowth oi
the serious troubles that have agitated the
Republican party for four months. It was
one Of those unlocked for events, which are
unaccountable on any reasonable hypothe-
sis and eannot lie guarded against Unfor-
tunately the world is full of lunatics, who
require but a small exciting cause to turn
them into raving madmen, who are at all
times dangerous to society. To this country
where eveay citizen'is eligible to Office and
almost every other man one meets is an
Office seeker, very few of whom ever attain
their ambition, it is somewhat remarkable
that sanguinary affairs like that of last Sat
urday are not of more frequent occurrence
Being 80 infrequent they apall the people
when they occur and give rise 10 the gravest
apWehensions. But there is nothing tc
dread. The death Of one nan-can make nc
difference with the glorious fq5are of oui
magnificent country. The strong arm O
the law, can enforce proper respect for it i
IL will, and repress any lswlessness, which
National calamity fi4e the shooting o
President Garfield w0nid naturally create
among the wantonly disposed msoreant
every ready 10 take advantage of public ex
citement for their own profit aud preferment
We rejoice that our contemporaries, with
few ignoble exceptions, have treated thi
sad affair in the proper spirit. 1t woulC
be reprehensible in any paper to take ad
vantage of the murderous assault OF a poor
miserable, half crazy, disappointed offic
Seeker, 10 assert that he was but the plan
tool in the hands of the opponents of th
man he attempted 10 murder. Several pa.
pers actuaied by the brosdest and most con
tsmptible partisan spirit, have seen fit h
rsske this charge, and by so doing hav
sought to ishame the public mind and Ell
courage disturbance. The rancor and ha
tired existing the two factions of the Repub
lican party without parallel and evel
standing now almost In tho very shadow o
death itself, these bitter factionists canno
restrain their animosities. 1t is a baC
thing for country for the party in powe
to develop such bitterness of spirit, and it
powerful argument in favor of q change.