St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-07-08

the war against the Union produced
the crime of Booth, so the deplOrable
struggle for power and place and par
tisan success has had its elimination
in Il desperate crime.
Boston Herald.l
The shooting of president is the
last fruit of the "spoils" system. When
the disappointed otlice-seeker gets to
| that point that he is ready to murder
the President who fails to satisfy his
demands, it is high time that we should
adopt a new system of selecting gov
eminent servants. When even a de
mcnted person, or an unbalanced Wis
ionary, like Charles Guitcau. looks
upon an appointment to Office as a
personal affair between him and the
| President, it is evident that there is
something wrong in the system.
tENGov. Tildcn
Two things are So obvious that they ,
cannot escape consideration even now.
The first is the great peril that attends
the enormous and increasing power of
the chief executive magistracy. 1t
addresses temptations too strong for
public safety to the interests and pas
sions of millions of persons. The put
ting up periodically at the end of
every four years of the vast power of
the government of 5O,0OO,OW of peo-
pie. the enormous expenditure that II
involves and the redistribution of the
lOO,OOO offices Mt Il rattle in which the
whole people actively participate, must
be fruitful of evils yet unseen. Civil
connections, fraud and violence are the
natural results. The second one per-
haps grows out of the first. Ii Is the
mhoundcd Righteousness that charlc-
tcrizcs our party competitions and po-
lItICal discussions, the assassination
of private character, and the unscrupu-
louS methods resortcd to to influence
the public Judgment. All good men
of all parties ought to do their utmost
to limit and restrain these mischieis.
T. The undue stimulus to mad passions
arms the hand of the eccentric indi-
vidual who assumes to himself to work
out results perhaps under the insane
ambition for IA nOtOricty of intamy.
Judge Robertson.l
cannot but think that this was
political murder Everything points
To such Il conclusion. People will look
upon il with far more horror than when
they gazcd upon the murder of Lincoln,
for that was done hy Il hot-hcadcd
SuutheIncr mt the end of Il fierce war
L when mems passions were greatly eN-
cited but this assassin strikes Il Prcsi-
b dent in the time of peace, while moth
70 ing actuatcs except contemplate dis
| appointment over not getting an office.
springfield Republican,
i We do not desire To strain logic to
j hang all reform on this assassination,
y but logic already demands the reform.
3 1t merely waits for the popular feeling
to make good the demand of logic. II
J. is not enough in this great republic
Il that certain policy is right and wise.
The people must demand il and de
Il mand it urgently, before it will he
l. adopted especially if it he a policy
q which requires the politicians to sur
render any of their accustomed pcrqui-
: sites and sources of power. Now that
/ Il president has been shot, let the PEG
1t pie take the truth home Ia their hearts,
% let them carry it to Washington with
If determination and cngravc it on the
/ national policy i'll deep and mmistaka-
;. BILE characters.
Randolph Tucker
ii The most solemn duty of the next
: Congress will be to establish tenure
of civil Office upon some permanent la
= sis 1t will never do to permit the
ii whole office holding force of the gov
= eminent to he subjected Ia removal
Is every four years with every possible
;" change of administration. The conn
u try is too large; our Institutions will
ii not stand it: our institutions may not
bc able to stand the strain. If Prcsi-
dent Garfield dies lie will have been
murdered 10y thc.spoils system, for the
IL man Guiteau is evidently cIazcd by the
greed for Office.