Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-07-23
OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.



The shadow Of a great calamity per-
vaded the national capitol, and its de-
pressive influence effected all classes.
The scenes of April, 1865 are rc.enacted;
for again a beloved President has been
stricken down by the bullet of an assis-
sin, and the sunlight of pease and tran
quillity is succeeded by the gloom Of
painful suspense. Our citizens now as
then, abandon their usual avocations,
and with bowed head and abated breath
discuss with each other the probability of
the dim and shadowy future. 1t seems
but yesterday when i'm the closing
struggle of the great domestic war we
were shocked by the astounding in
telligence of the assassination of Abra-
ham Lincoln; although the public had
become Injured to the receipt of unfayor-
able news during that dark period of
L country's history, from the many
sad and constantly occurring incidents
OF the war, yet it was not prepared for
SO terrible a elimination Of the rayagcs
of war, and gloom and sadness pervaded
all hearts throughout our broad land.
and the whole civilized world over
whelmed Us with expressions of svm-
pathy and coincidence. The murder of
Lincoln will be ever remembered as a
cruel incident of the great rebellion. and
must be accounted for. by the historian.
to other nations who are watching the
career of our young rcpublic rs a natur-
al and legitimate product of the excited
and intlamed condition of the country
when our great family was divided
against itself.
what shall we say of the attempted
assassination of our beloved President
Garfield? The country is at peace with
all the world, grim yisaged war has
long since 'smoothcd her wrinkled
front" and the joys and blessings of
success and prosperity in all the pur-
suits of life are visible on every hand.
During a period like this that one of the
best of our statesman, yea, the "noblest
Roman of them ALL" should BE stricken
down by an American citizen is simply
unaccountable and cannot be explained
away by any process OF reasoning ac-
ceptab'e to q mind of ordinary intelii-
gence. There is no evidence ofinsanity !.
in fact, it will DC shown that it was a de-
liberate act Of murder by Il responsible
being. May We not then well consider
whether our institutions afford much
better protection to the citizen in the
enjoyment of happiness and liberty
than that furnished by the most oppres-
siye European government to its serls
and plebeians?
1t Il maintained by some people that
the assassin acted under all insane i'm
pulse. Granted that he did, he is no
less responsible for the crime; and we
%apprehend if the death penalty was in
flicted in all such cases, but little would
be said about "~insanc impulse" We
are aware that in all crimes there is
more or less of that mental unbalancc
which puts a nan out of relations with
his fellows and with 5 .iety and passes
for Insanity but the unbalance that i'm
pels men to the commission of crimes
originates ordinarily in causes fur which
the criminal is originally responsible.
In crimes committed under the in
fluence Of madness from drink the law
distinctly recognizes the responsibility
of the criminal for the processes enter
eel upon while in possession of his facul.
ties, 10y Which he upset his reason and
Judgment, and placed himself at the
mercy of his passions. Here the offend
er adjudged innocent perhaps of mali
cious intent is held nevertheless. re-
,sponsible for voluntarily u%nhinging his
reason and swinging himself off upon
his ungovcrned p%ropensities. The man
Guitteau may have had an INSANE i'm
pulse" to kill the President, but his
mind must necessarily have been
wrought up TO such a condition by his
own v~olition and he is as much response
bic as though by his own visible act in
prolonged debaucl,ery he had abandon
ed self control and left himself to drift
at the will ofmurderous impulses.
What u grand and noble character the
Gcoi'&nt ,has d!issplayed.on the sick bed,
facing death with the fortisute OF a hero
upon the Gei&"fl&ttle. When told by
the doctor that he had but one chance
in a thousand for recovery, he replied,
"Then l will take that chance" there
was nothing Of bravado in it, but, on the
contrary, only the quiet courage AMI
strong determination of Il man who
loves his wife, his children, and his
country, and has made up his mind TO
live for the sake of them all, If he can.
The Christian calmness with which he
held himself ready for the worst, and
the strong human courage which he
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