Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-12-17
SATURDAY, DECEMBER II, 1881.


The Washington correspondents are
beginning to intimate that the acquittal
Of Guiteau on the ground of insanity
would not bc altogether ~displcasing TO
the members of the "stalwart" wing of
the republican party who have just scor-
cd a triumph in the election of Mr..
Keller to the speakersliip Of the house.
1t is altogether improbable that the pre-
sident has expressed any wish upon the
subject, because any such expression
from him would be at once highly indie
cent and highly indiscreet, and indis-
cency and indicretion are two offenses
which the American people feel quite
secure that the president will not com
init. But the political necessities of the
case must be at least as evident to the
president as to those stalwarts who have
already announced their perception
that upon the whole the least awkward
outcome Of the trial Of Guiteau for the
presidents faction Of the republican
party would he a declaration that a Jury
believed Guiteau to be insane.
An incident or the trial will suffice to
illustrate this point. Guiteau, u it'll that
modesty which becomes him so well, ex-
pressed a desire in court hat unless the
president had made other arrangements
he would appoint Mr.. Emery Storrs his
Acknowledgement Guiteau magnani-
mously added that this was Tie first
favor he had asked Of the president, al
though he exhibited a consciousness
that his Claims" upon the president
were of the first importance, and that
the first personal favor he asked ought
TO be granted as unquestioningly as
General Grant considered that the first
batch of favors he asked Of President
Garfield ought to be granted. Every
body understands the claim which Gen
eral Grant imagined himself TO have
upon President Garfield. Without Gen
eral Grants assistance General Garfield
would no have been president. The
'claim" which Guiteau yesterday put
forward in so alluring a manner is pre-
cisely of the same nature. Without his
assistance Gen. Arthur would not now b
president. Now, Mr.. Emery Storrs has
Been mentioned for the attorney-gener-
alship by persons whose sanity is not
disputed. 1t is not fattering Mr.. Storrs
at all to say that Guiteau's present can
didate for the attorneyship is much
more creditable than was Guiteau's can.
didate last spring for the Austrian mis-.
sion and the eonsuiship at Paris. 1t is
perfectly conceivable that the president
has settled in his own mind upon Mr.
StOrrs rs the most fit and harmonizing
person whom he can appoint to be at
torney-general. In that case, shall the
president allow the fact that Mr.. Storrs
is Guiteau's candidate as we'll as his own
to prejudice him against that presuma-
bly, worthy man? Or shall he appoint
Guiteau's candidate, and thus give the
half-breed republicans al opportunity
of saying that Guiteau knew what he
was about when he was INSPIRED" to
remove" the presidents predecessor ?
In other words, shall tiuiteau's "clairn"
be permitted to interfere with the policy
Of the administration which owes it's
being to Guiteau?
In this particular case, the recommen-
dation of Guiteau will doubtless make
an end of whatever chance Mr.. Emery
Storrs might otherwise have had. Eth
or as the candidate of murderer or as
the candidate Of a maniac, Attorney
General Storrs would cast a certain
gloom over the administration of which
he formed a part. But 1t would UNI
doubtedly be much easier for the presi-
denttotake his own course, not merely I'm
this case but in many cases more or less
akin to 1t, If Guitean were pronounced
insane. Any man would rather be the
beneficiary of an accident than of a
crime, and there is here no middle
ground.