The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-07-14
Charles j. Guiteau.

IL is not often that an intellectual, moral
and financial dead beat" succeeds in get
| ting so prominently before the public as
has the assassin OF President Garfield. 1t
is much mooted question whether he is
suffering most from insanity or damphool.
ISM" II he is insane now his past history
would indicate that he has always been
insane His chief aim in life has been to
cheat some hotel or boarding house pro-
prietor, and when this pleasant psstime
became almost impossible from the fact
that he was well-known in almost all our
cities, he concluded it would be good
thing to get a steady boarding place in
some quiet asylum and hence the insanity
part Of his organism comes to the front
and he makes target Of our noble Presi-
dent. His plans to avoid the mob which
his mad act would be likely to incite to
fur yshow conclusively that this was his
object Insane people may show consider
able foresight and intelligence in planning
certain acts, but they never make any pro-
vision for the consequences following the
act. A man who has control Of his facul.
ties enough for this cannot very well be
called insane The Chicago Inter. Dorm,
has the following sensible comments con.
corning the worthless vagnbond
"There il no lesson TO be learned from
such thug ~ Guitean He is not the
fruit OF lcspotisln. nor Is he the fruit Of
Republicanism He is not a fruit OF any
thing; be is simply wormcaten windiall.
His friends cannot he charged win neglect
of duty, for he has never been id'otic
enough to be- sent to an ASYLUM for the
feeble minded. or 'razy enough to be sent
to an hospital for the insane aud his wees
have not heretofore been vigorous enough
to land bin in the penitcu,iary The fool
killer, il the world were only blessed with
such beneiuctor. would have taken him
in hand long ago, but in the present imper.
feet state OF human laws there has been 10
way to interfere with Guiteau's personal
freedom He will not serve as warning
to parents, for he was well brought up;nor
as frightful example TO boys, Tor be did
not, in tlie ordinary sense, fall into evil
ways. He was not rnined by bad company
nor by strong drink He was not pointed
at as a Sabbath breaker, nor as a scoilcr At
religion He ran no conrse of crime. He
has had no downfall All that he ever
was he continued to be up to the ds, Of
the assassination. He Was simply an intel.
lectual weakling without moral sense He
came near killing his own sister once, to
whom he vas nader every obligation for
care and support, but still he did not us
ually manifest wurderous disposition.
and was no, considered al unsafe man TO
have at large. II matters little what be-
comes o. Guiteau Hanging would be a
compliment, to his intelligence. and would
very likely seem 10 him heroic way Of
going out Of the world His predecessor
in assassination, 10 years ago. was shot
like dog 10 the street, and his crime was
never digniiied by trial II Guiteaus
worthless life had somehow beeu snufied
out in the depo, at Washington, tina, Sat.
nrday morning. il would have been taxing
human nature too much TO ask any regrets
over his speedy dissolution.