Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-29
FoR THE vERNoST PH0S1H.
GuiIeau.

The Infamous Guiteau, the would-be assas-
sin of President Garfield, for few years fol-
lowing the age of 1G-an opportune period
for forming habits and moulding character
was a member of the Oneida Community in
the state of New York which originated in
Putney and was under the leadership of John
H. Moves, who was born in Brattieboro in
1911. Whatever morbid mental idiosyncra-
sizes Guiteau may by nature have possessed
the doctrines of Noyes would fall like cookie
seed upon congenial soil or sparks upon tin
der. Noyes proclaimed himself independent
of all written law, human or divine, and claim
ed to have special revelations and to be direct
ed by divine influences. He and his commu-
nifty referred all impressions to a divine aflla-
tus not stopping TO inquire whether those
Impressions were from above or from below
and icddtcCer they did was right in their view,
aud could not be wrong. That community
was a hot-bed OF morbid, erratic Dlinds. There
was evidently kind Of incpient insanity or
unsoundness of mind running through the
whole and seriously affecting many members.
While the Putney community was being trans
ferred to Oneida, N. T., your correspondent
wrote and published an extended history of
their doctrines and doings. Noyes declared
that 'the controlling element of his moral
philosophy was "a reference TO the will of
God revealed 10y His Spirit" In reference
to this we then wrote as follows-aud it may
have since proved literally true: Now, they
the Noyesitcs might take it into their heads
that they were led by the Spirit to put an en-
envy out of the way and even a member of
the Putney community was heard to say, a few
years since, that he rOuh kiH a man as Quick
as he could a serpent if The Lori toll him 10
do it,. We do not say that they stand charged
with having committed any such crime, but
we do say, that, from the premises which
they have laid down. this conclusion might
be reached without any difficulty" Now,
Guiteau's foul doings would be natural out
growth from Noyes' doctrines, and legitimate
result of the impressions made by and the in
SEPARATIONS received from contact with that
community-rip fruit from the seed sown.
Full of conceit, with moral sense well-nigh
obliterated, morbid love of notoriety, pos
sibly excited by some political movements,
and disappointed in not receiving place he
was mauifestly unfit to occupy, he made the
dastardly attempt to take the presidents life ;
but failed, aud keenly regrets the failure
which is the browning enormity of TIE infer
nal effort.
He must have been a yeritable fend in hui
man form to have deliberately concocted such
a diabolical scheme of cold -blooded assassina-
ton. Language fails to express its utter tur-
pitude 1t is futile to talk of irresponsible
insanity be was far more a demon than a
lunatc. For weeks he was shrewdly plotting
to do his deadly work and make sure of his
intended victim, closely watching him at eve
ry turn, doggedly following his footsteps, and
fain would have shot him down on the Sab
bath and in the sanctuary As guilty of muir
der at heart as any man can be.
We believe that Noyesism partially, though
it may be remotely, is responsible for the
fiendish deed. II was an ofTense in Putney,
plague-spot in the Empire State, petty
gangrene upon the body polite Though
more limited in extent, it outdd Mormonism
in enormity Eoyes promised reform in def
erence to public sentiment, but appears not
to have been sincere, as he broke with the
better part of the Community and has gone
with few of his followers into Canada TO
pursue his ruinous course. T.
Jacksonville, July 2Gth, 1851.