Daily Republican., 1881-07-05
The AssassinatlOD~

-
.fhe American nation is III grief. The
assassin's hard has been uplitted not
only against the life of her President
but against the life OF the nation Itself,
With two assassination> OF Presidents
in a period of little over sixteen year',lt
would SEEN to indicate that our Gov
ernment was unstable, and that we
were tending 20 MeXicaniZation. 1t Is
eless for us to eulogize the character
of President Garfield. 1t needs noue'
A nation buried III grief acknowledges
his greatness in all the walks OF
life. President Garfield owe his great
ness to himself. Left al orphan at the
age of two years, the son of poor al
most nenniless widow, he has hat. TO
fight his way on up through life to the
Presidential chair, Is but few men have
done, though Lincoln and JohnS"n are
notable examples OF this class. He was
equal for every emergency from the
time he commenced working upon the
canal, a poor laboring boy, until 'ht As
sassin's bullet laid him how. Whether
as laborer, rs student, As professor, as
pres dent of college, as minister, a>
a State Senator. As colonel, aS chief Of
staf, as Major General, aS |. :. Sena-
tor, as President of the United states,
the moral and intellectual status oil
James A. Garfield ec.ip>ei hjr noble |
and physical stature, and lowered IL.
above the average of human attain
meuts. He entered political lie N II
time when great men wera re., Gi"ed a
time when the contest with slavery IT,
g 'ired principle, courage and fidelity,
He possessed them all, and he threw
in his lot in favor OF freedom AMI hui
mauity. He fought the battle Of liberty
not only upon the moral ieiI OF ccu1ic,
but upon the more bloody arena OF
saRguinary conflict. In ali ne was vie
torious, and in the gratitude Of the
nation he had served 80 nGbly anG wei
he was called 10 fill the chair O. the
Chief Magistrate. He could 20 nc lAr- ,,
ther, none could have started powar or
more pennileSs, nor none with a more !
uoble purpose in view. With Il most
absolute power placed in his hands, as |
President, he was careful u0t 20 |
abuse it but to Use il wisely, and with
a ticLlnesS and tiXedne,> of purpose that +
challenged the llniratipn Of tha ,irSt '
and good, and wa a terror 10 the cor. :
rupt. In the four months in which he e
las been President, he lI, stood MI d
moved by faction, firm as the noun .
aims of his native land, in advocacy OF =
light, Gt pure govrl nmelI,, honest OH n
:ills and fidelity 10 tll' best interests Of e,
he Government. Fraud was forced 10 I.
make unsuccessful, attempts 10 hide it, -,
lead, and selt-ieceit, i,nbrri.lty ami dis. II,
were detected and scattered Ii
ike the biliowS of the ocean upon a p
'ocky shore. But we have forgotten ii
We are eulos;Ainga a man that We have :,
Llready said needed nCn". 1t is 50 easy II
o praise man wherr all praise Is de- -
served. But drcadful Thought, This .:
good man, that President. whom all "
good people without regard to party u,
| filiations respect aui owe is stricken ~
lown by the bullet Of a vii" commit OF
listic ASSASSIN. Al tim. VIXEN pea e ="
:rOwnS the nation, when IN lustrv rmga. ~
: IS all, when all except few vie bad m
men are happy in the various av0ra- e
ions of lite, our President is Sho, NJ
lOwn without a moment, warning by .I
! man who is a leecA upon the govern re-
ucnt, vile thing without character, pr
parasite upon the body polite, a ipw ,,I ,r
wretch, t-i5nins insanity e
0 escape the consequences OF his ia'- sc
ardly act. This is th- President 20 ~
vhom America had pointed proudly
md justly a> ,plentiI example Of 81
What our colntrr and it, cherished
principles were abe 10 dp for simple !"
manhood, uuiavurrd 0: fortune and un-
lied by any inheritance o1 title yr pre- I
silence. Well may the p~op,e Of Amer
ca bow their heads IN -rrI and b,tne ne
heir eycs in tears, It IS IN honor to t,' t,'
c ,ds tina, never bowed before f. bow Il
hem now, and to eyes that never wept IN
ears before to weep them now. 'h'