The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-07-14
GUITEAU's PUNISHMENT.

GUITEAU's PUNISHMENT.
| A good deal is being said now about the
punishment that should be meted out to the
man Guiteau fer his assault upon the presir
dent, in the various papers of the country
and notably in the republican press. In
these papers there is a bloodthirstiness mani
fest that is unpleasant to see. Itdoes not
sound we'll to hear in this free republican
country of ours, clamors for this mans life
whether guilty or not guilty, whether sane
or insane. The most dabolical proposition
we have heard or seen comes from the Chi
cago Inter-O Ocean, which we give as follows:
"There will be no question as to the justice of
executing the culprit whether the president
shall survive the assault or not, and there
would be little danger, probably, of the plea
of insanity shielding him; but the law makes
no distinction between assault with intent to
kill the president and similar assault on the
humblest man in the land. The life OF the cul-
prit cannot be legally taken, therefore, unless
the presidents wounds have fatal termina-
ton. If he lives and it be decided that Quit
eau is sane, the penalty in the District OF Co.
lumbis we believe, is imprisonment for
term of not more than eight years, which ISL
of course trihing and inadequate considering
the nature of the crime. 1t may be well,
therefore, to consider, in view of the likeli-
hood of the Presidents recovery, whether it
10 not better to admit the mans insanity, for
in that event he can be permanently confined
as dangerous person to have at large, and
the world be quit. 1t is pity that such a
monster should escape with his life from the
scene of his villsipy. If some person had
shot him down in the depot at Washington
as he turned to escape, the world would have
escaped the sckening rectals of his triumph
over the exploit, and have been spared col
umns of rubbish about him. which will con.
tinue TO appear in the newspapers, aattering
the mans vanity, and achieving for
him that notoriety which he Graves" If
the president dies, the Inter Ocean would
have the court and jury that tries the assss-
sin to ignore the plea of insanity and hang
him for MURDER if the president RECEIVERS, it
would have the plea of insanity Sd mitted
and the man incarcsrted in lunaGc asylum
for life. There is no justice or right in this
suggestion and the first man to raise his voice
in indignant scorn at the mere thought Of
such thing if court could entertain it,
would be the president himself. President
Garfield is O. Just and humane man and it is
a wrong to him Of the foulest nature for
any paper, especially paper of his own
party, or for any man, especially
a republican, to propose any
thing more than the law demands. Let the
law take its course, and if the man, on fair
and impartial trial, be proven insane, let that
b. done with him which the law directs. If
he is proven of sound mind let him be
dealt with as the law provides, either in
case the president dies or RECEIVERS. The
PRECEDENT would not have other than this
done; no member of his family wyuld ask
for more than this. That it was bat humsn
nature when the mind aud the hears of ali
the people were convulsed with grief and
indignation In the first few days Of the
presidents suffering and peril, for them l.
be swsySd by feeling of vengenee aud to
cry outior the blood OF the murdsrous wretch
no one will deny, but now that the emotions
Of the people are Gained and their hearts
are assured Of the prseiden's recovery, the
sober second thought is potent, and only
justice under the Law is al any good citizen
can ask, is An the president, go far ss is 10
bis power, viii permit THIS assault upon
the president, however. painfully illustrates
one fact, fact &c forcibly set forth BY Mr..
OOnkliog 10 bis letter 10 The attorney gener-
81, that there is no adequate provision in The
Law for the punishment Of an AssAilsnt upon
tbelife Of president Of the United Ststes. II
IL not true that the president il no more than
any other citizen. While the man Garfield
is entitled 10 no more protection
than any other man, the Office be fils IL.
whsn the president Of this country il muir
dsre8 or shot down by - asssssin, the whole
country Il wounded. The institutions Of
ths country have been assaulted, the govern
msut itsslf has bssn sttscksd and although.
- Prssi3snt Gs-hsld himself ssid wien
President Lincoln ~As killed, when such 90
stack hss been made, God rules ard ths
Amsricsn govsrnmsnt siill lives. - yet IL i
DO fault Of the assassin that che America
zovsrDmsuf' f-ilsa 10 die. Every ciiizsn Of
his lsDd dsnsBds thsi Guitssu be give1
Ipss5y trisi, ard ever good citizen rising
.bovs ne bifisrBs's be msy fssl .,
.is 49, asmsDas fhsi be msy Be- gwen far,