Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-11-29

guilty let him be hanged as consumate
william.
Justice requires that the attempt to
slay Guiteau should be tried with as
much sincerity and severity as the at
tempt TO slay the President. Before the
law all men are alike. "For Justice"
it is said, "all place temple and all sea-
sons summer" The attempt upon Gui-
teau's life was cowardly. We compre-
hend the emotions which would lead any
man to Kill Guiteau. There were cir
cumstances around the trial yesterday
which may eXtenuate the attempt. There
was on the witness stand the doctor who
watched over the suffering hours of the
dying President. There was the sad,
tragic story of his death. There, before
the jury, were exhibited the Presidents
very bones, melancholy, pathetic, sacred
emblems of his honored and glorious
life. We can understand the indigna-
ton which these exhibitions would in
spire, and that 1t might rise suddenly
above law. All the same the attempt
was crime. While we chmprehend
this we see how the nation is dishonored
by the crime.
1t will be stain upon justice deplora-
BILE in the last degree If this man should
not have fair trial. From this point of
view there can be no condemnation too
severe for the person who sought his life.
The cowardice of Guiteau is not a matter
of surprise. In reading the story of his
trial, the daily manifestations of brutali-
! ty which he has shown In the presence
of the Court and jury, we are reminded
of one of the most vivid incidents in
"Rob Roy" When the despicable
wretch, Morris, was brought before Hell
en- MacGregor our readers will remem-
Der that he fell and made an effort to
clasp her knees, ''from which she drew
back rs if his touch had been pollution,
so that all he could do in the utmost eX-
tlemity OF his humiliation was to kiss
the hem of her plaid" 81 never heard
| entreaties for life" says the narrator,
( ''poured forth with such agony of spirit
| The ecstasy Of fear was such that, in
stead of paralyzng his tongue, as on or
| dlnary occasions, 1t even rendered him
eloquent, and with cheeks pale as ashes,
hands compressed in agony, eyes that
seemed to be taking their last look Of all
mOTtai oDJccJS, nc pTotOsleu HIS tolhl "
norance of any design Oh the person of
Rob Roy, whom he swore he loved and
honored as his own soul" ale prayed
but for life-for life he would give all he
had in the world 1t was but for life he
asked-life if 1t were to be prolonged un-
der tortures and privations; he only
asked breath though it should be drawn
| In the lowest caverns of their hills."--
The sentiment Of the American people
toward Guitcau is expressed in the words
in which the writer Of this famous fiction
tells of the demeanor Of Helen MacGre-
gOr: "lt is impossible to describe the
scorn, the loathing, the contempt with
which the WIFE Of MacGrcgor regarded
this wretched petitioner for the poor
boon of existence" At the same time
we trust TINT the trial Of Guiteau will
not be conducted upon the fierce theories
Of Highland vengeance, but upon the
high and lofty plane of American honor
and American justice: that the murder
Of Garfield will be punished to the full
extent Of the law, and that the misguid-
ed person who attempted to avenge that
murder outside of the law will receive
the Justice which IL master Of Ms all.