Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-10-21
GuITEAU,s STORY.

which he calls Introduction, "a (which he
seeks to explain his crime. ~ have not"
he says, fused the words assassination OF
assassin In this work. These words crate
on the mind and produce n bad feeling.
think OF Gen. Garfield's condition as re-
moval and not as an assassination. My Idea
simply stated was to remove rs easily rs
possible Mr.. James A. Garfield; quiet and
good -natured citizen of Ohio, who temporar-
lily occupied tho position OF President OF
the United States, and substitute In his
place MIR. Chester A. Arthur, OF New
York, n distinguished and highly estimable
gentleman. Mr.. Garfield I intended to
quietly remove to Paradise (Which is q
grcat improvement on this world), while
Mr.. Arthur saved the Republic" He says:
"I addressed letter to President Garfield
and to Secretary Blaine some time in March,
/ should say, calling their attention to my
services during the canvass and to my early
suggestion to General Garfield at Mentor,
in October and also in January, touching
the Austrian Mission. 1 heard nothing
about the Austrian Mission until noticed
In the paper that William Walter
Phelps, of New Jersey, had been
given the Mission, and OF course that ended
1t. then sought the Paris Consulate. !
| spoke to General Logan about 1t, and he
said that he would speak to General Gar
field and with MIR. Blaine. He told me that
he did speak TO General Garfield, and that
General Garfield agreed to leave IT. with
Mr.. Blaine. saw Mr.. Blaine about 1t sew
eral times during the deadlock in the SEN
ate, and Mr.. Blaine said tlas they had not got
to that yet. He was very clever at nat
time. stood well with him and with Gem
eral Garfield, and had every reason to eX-
pect that they intended, as soon as they got
10 IL, to give it to me. Mr.. Walker, the
present Consul, was from New York, and
had been appointed by Mr.. Hayes two years
ago upon the recommendation OF eN-Secre-
tary Evarts, and l did not feel that Nlr.
Walker had any claim upon General Gar
field for the office, as the men who did the
business during the canvass ought to be re-
membered. And have an impression dc.
cidedly that at this time General Garfield
and Mr.. Blaine felt rs L did. Well,
/ called at the White House TO
see General Garfield about it tafteI
General Logan had spoken to him and
he had agreed TO leave the matter 10
Secretary Rlaine), but, ! was unable
TO see the President. l only called the
Presidents attention to the matter once,
and that was within two or three days after
/ reached Washington. l gave the Prcsi-
dent my speech entitled: Garfield against
Hnncock,' which delivered in New York
in August, 1850. l marked at the head ol
The speech these words: Paris Consul
ship,' which were written In pencil, and
then drew u line down to my name, connect
ing the words paris Consulshlp' with my
name, so that the President would remem-
ber what wanted. This was the only Time
that had any personal conversation win
the President ON my having the Parls Con
sulship. He took the speech and ran MS
eve over II, and there were other people
pressing around him and left MN Ill me
act OF reading my speech. went INTO MS
| 81, Drix Spprailryts room
and there 1 saw Mr.. Morton, Minister 10
France, and General I'yner and two or three
| other gentlemen OF that character. Ihey
knew me and was cleverly received, espec-
tally by Mr.. Morton. He asked me about
| nv health, how i was getting along, etc;
This interview with the President occurred
about the 7th or Sth OF March.
81 may say here that after Mr.. Blaine
was appointed Secretary OF State 1 had not
much expectation that l was TO get the
Austrian Mission, because | expected that
1t was to be given 10 one Of the Blaine men;
but did think and l did feel that had a
right TO press my application for the Paris
COnsulship in view of my having surren-
dered any supposed right that might have
had in reference TO the Austrian Mission on
account OF my having called General Gar
fields attention TO the Austrian Mission in
October, and also in january. / abandoned
the idea of obtaining the Austrian Mission
as soon as saw that Mr.. Blaine was APP
pointed Secretary of State, but did feel
that had right 10 press my application
for the Paris Consulship. During, the
deadlock in the Senate wrote Mr.. Blaine
several notes. l called at the State De-
partment several times, but he was
generally busy, so / said what
had to by a brief note. / always addressed
him as Secretary Blaine or MIR. Blaine. :
After the deadlock broke / saw MIR. Blaine
at the State Department one day, and he
said that he dd not think that The President
would remove Mr.. Walker. This was the
first intimation from either the President OF
MIR. Blaine that they did not intend to give
me the Paris Consuiship. l was surprised
and said to Mr.. Blaine: Il am going to see
the President and try and induce HIM to re-
move MIR. Walker and give me the Paris
Consulship. We'll, II you can, do so,' sait
Mr. Blaine. This is the last conversation
have had with him. have not spoken Il
him on any subject since. A few days aftel
i saw Mr.. Blaine L called Mt the White
House to get the Presidents final answer il
reference TO my getting the Paris Consul
ship. 1 sent in my card and the door
keeper came BACK in moment and said
Mr.. Guiteau, the President says it will b,
impossible for him to see YOU to-day
therefore sent him n little note and told hin
about the Paris ConSulship.
CONCEPTION OF THE ASSASSINATION.
IL conceived the idea of removing tn
President" Guiteau declares, "pendinl
ship had any influence on my mind at all
would have deferred me from tho act, be
cause expected as n matter OF act that
would get the Paris Consulship. Alter
conceived the idea OF removing the Presi
dent did not 20 near Mr.. Blaine nor nea
the President to press my application.
- My conception OF the idea of removin
the President was this; Mr.. Conkling lie
signed on Monday, May 49, 1881. On tn
following Wednesday was in bed. i thin
1 retired about eight O'Clock. felt de
pressed and perpleXed on account OF til
political situation, and / retired much ear
lier than usual. / felt wearied in mind an
body, and 1 was in my bed about min
O'Clock and was thinking over the polite;
situation, and the idea flashed through IN
brain that II the President was out OF TIL
way everything would go better. AT fir,
this was mere impression. 1t startled mi
but the next morning it came to me vii
renewed force, and / began to read th
papers with my eye on the possibility TIL;
the President would have TO go, and I'll
more L read, the more saw the complies
, tion Of public affairs, the more was / I'm
!; pressed with the necessity OF reno,
, ing him. This thing continued for abol
/ Two weeks. kept reading papers and keI
, being Impressed, and the idea Kept bearin
and bearing and bearing down upon me thi
the only way to unite the two factions Of II
, Republican party and save the Repubi
from going into the hands OF the rebels an
Democrats was TO quietly remove the Pres
, dent.
PREPARING. FOR THE CRIME.
, "Two weeks after / conceived the idt
, my mind was thoroughly settled on the il
tention to remove the President. / the
, prepared myself. l sent to Boston for
copy OF my book, .The Truth and spei
week In preparing that cut out pari
graph and II line AMI word here and lher
and added one or two new chapters, pi
a some new ideas In it, and / greatly In
: proved IT,. knew that IL would probab
have u large sale on account OF the n0torie
9 that the act OF removing the Presidel
would give me, and / wished the book
1 go out to the public In proper shape. Tn
, was one preparation for IL. Another pref
:, aration was To think the matter all out
detail and to buy revolver and to prepa
! myself for executing the idea."
PURCHASE OF THE REVOLVER.
: Guiieau bought the revolver before q
President went to Long Branch. ~ call,
at O'Meara's, corner OF Fifteenth and
Q streets, opposite the Treasury, about two
I three weeks before the removal l stepp,
8 ont TO the showcase and said: Let me 10,
N at that / saw II was a large bore, and
!, pulled II out, i saw 1t marked British 81
" | Int, . nd hot -.