The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-07-08
The Attempt to Assassinate President
Garfield.

The spontaneous outburst of sympathy for
President Garfield and detestation of the
crime which may yet cost him his life, indi-
Gates a spirit of patriotism in the American
people which of late years has been scarcely
suspected. Outside of the common feeling
of humanity which makes men shndder when
horrible murder is committed and sympa-
thize with those who suffer, the attempt upon
the life of the President of the United States
startled the country with the thought that
we might be following in the wake of our sis
ter republic of Mexico, where change of the
government from the hands of one faction to
those of another is accomplished by the
ready process of assassination.
Guiteau, the man who shot the President,
although procaming himself a stalwart, ap-
pears to have acted in his individual capacity
and with no other prompting but such as
comes from depraved and vicious nature
1t would therefore be unjust to hold any par
ticular body of men responsible for his crime
1t is rather the outgrowth of certain forces,
some of native and some of foreign growth
and importation. Chief among these is the
debasement of the public service, by which
offices are promised and given as the reward
ofparty services, without regard TO the char
acter or fitness of the applicant. Guttau
processes to have aided in the election of
Garfield, and demanded as his reward lu-
crative office, which he was not qualified to
fill. Disappointed half-crazed, and with Il
mind filled with nihlistic and communistic
sentiments, he concluded that n change in
the administration might secure him the
place he wanted, and took the only immedi-
ate course to bring this about, namely, by dis
patching Garfield, in order, as he says, to
make Arthur President.
The worst feature of this desperate act is
not merely that an unsuspecting man has
been shot down in midday by an assassin-
Such things are, unfortunately, common in
our own as well as other countries The
crime is increased and intensified by the
great injury wrought upon the whole land.
1t intlicts stain upon the American people
and their free institutions, in the sight of the
whole world, which it will take many wears
to etface. 1t is calculated to injurc the cred
it of our government in foreign countries,
disarrange and depress business, and this,
too, at time when the country seemed to
be entering upon an era ofunexampled pros
perity, and create doubt of the permanency
of our government as a republic. 1t is an
injury to the cause of freedom everywhere
hacp la 4 IL, a., A.
be far distant when the President of the
United States must be protected by body
guard of soldiers, after the fashion of the
satraps of the East. When that comes to
pass, free government will exist, if at ALL
only in name.
General Garfield had been elected accord
ing to the forms of law The result was nc.
cepted by the whole people, and all except Il
desperate faction of his own party were dis.
posed to throw no obstacles in the way of
his administration. Guiteau's crime is there.
fore without political excuse. 1t also points
out the extent to which the doctrines of
nhilism, communism and socialism have
taken root in our soil. Guiteau may not be-
long to any Of the orders kindred in feature
to those of Russia, France or Germany,
which have been imported here, but that he
il thoroughly imbued with their principles is
evident. These men advocate lnrestrained
license for the individual, while they disre-
gard the rights Of the community. They ut
ter the hglwaynans plea that the world
owes them II living lfthey cannot obtain it
in the way most agreeable to themselves,
namely, without labor, they will take it at
the point of the knife or pistol
The cure for this state of things can not be
made merely by Furnishing one individual
who has carried out the principles of his
class to their natural conclusion There
must he reform in the land 1t is natural
and proper that II President should cndeavor
to gather around him, in IN advisory and ex-
ecutive capacity, those who agree with him
politically, in order that the principles of
government approved by him may be more
efficiently carried out but this should hot
extend 10 the subordinate and unimporlanl
offices. Lei the spoils system he swept away,
and appointments be made for fitness, and
not given as pay to political pa.isans-
When that day comes an element of insecur-
ity in our toIm Of government will dsap-
pear.
The press and the pulpit also, should unite
in intoxicating spirit of obedience 10 the law
and its constituted authorities, and enGeavor
to temper the discussion of public questions
with moderation courtesy and fairness 1t
is, perhaps, too much TO expect the rinci-
pies we have indicated ever to be fully car
ried out, but every attempt in that direction
will accomplish good results.
THE CoMET-The comet is rushing north.
ward at the rate of half million miles day
and is becoming small by degrees and beauti-
fully less. Prof Draper, of New York, has
seized its tail, by means of the photograph,
and has discovered many curious things in
regard to the celestial visitor The photo
graph reveals the fact that the tail of the
comet is so light and airy that the stars shine
through it. II also shines by its own light,
and not by light reflected from the sun
Prof. Draper says:
The nucleus is either solid or liquid, probably
solid and mineral, heated by contact with the
sun to just the degree of heat that if YOU heated
i, more it would liquefy. Prof Draper does not
believe that the nucleus is any hotter than you
could heat mineral on earth. Together with
this mineral is probably some volatile fluid like
naphtha Our sun falls In with this huge ball
wandering in space aud attracts it. The comet
PUSHES toward it and the naphtha heats II - on
the side toward the sun aud sets the whole af
fair on lire. The tail that il throws of he takes
to he particles thrown OIL from the nucleus like
a rain. The rain drops are probably little me.
teors, and 1t Is possible that they may some
times get away from The comels influence leave
uiIIIr nfin -