The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-07-08

by reason of the death of tho Presi-
dents. And we may yet have IN
Arthur, another inferior Vice Presi-
dent. Will the party ever learn wis.
dom from experience and select a
Vice President with the same care
that they do President
HoN. J. a. LEONARD, our excel
lent friend of the Rochester Post,
doubtless prizes one of President
Gariicld's acts since the assassination.
saturday evening the President
signed his appointment AS Consul to
Leith, IN important seaport town in
Scotland, n the mouth of the river
Leith and near Edinburgh. Con.
CALCULATIONS, Doe, and if the salt
water doesn't make You dizzy and
sea-slck just take a run over to the
editorial convention next winter and
see the boys. They will miss You on
those occasions.
sad celebrations were those COM
memoratiNe OF our country's natal
day on the occasion of its l05th an
niNerSaryi The shock that the
country received a few hours PIE.
vious, announcing the assassination
of President Garfield, and the fur
Their fact that the President fingered
At every moment upon the threshold
of death, rendered the occasion one
Of extreme sadness. and il was no
time 10 rejoice. 1t WAS Il repetition
Of similar occasion in April, 1865,
when the immortal Lincoln was laid
low 10y IN aSSaSsIn's hand. The
scene 1T the Washington depot Was
fresh upon every mind and every fact
was gathered up and commented
upon a. the occasion justified. TO
shoot down the Chief Magistrate of
great nation is i grave and sad
event of itself, almost beyond com
prehenSion, but when Il brute like
Guiteau strikes down Il Garfield then
there is an aStoniShment and awe
that nearly paralyzes Il people. Here
was our great and good President, in
the full visor of health and man
hood, at the expiration of four
months service, and starting out
upon brief tripto secure needed re-
spite from toll and excitement, and
i'll cold blood falls a victim To the AS
sassin'S bullet. 1t is natural that q
people shudder and inquire the cause
of this rash act.
There is accounting tor the assas
sination of Lincoln, from the fac,
that the war had just ceased To rage
and unrelenting hate held sway al
the turn of the crisis, and there hap
pened To emerge from that bitterness.
Il John Wilkes Booth and Il few de
PRAYED accOmpliceS. of course the
rebel leaders were not directly guilty
and perhaps not indirectly. but loya
people long harbored. towards the
whole rebel element feeling akin u
direct accusation for the crime
Again the country has witnessed {
bitter political strife, in which the
whole party has warmly espouscd one
side OF the other, and from this strife
has emerged Il craZed fool and mono
maniac named Guiteau, and in hi.
madness plays the role Of Booth. liz
had drank in the bitterness engen
dered by the political leaders, his
tickle mind had partaken the spirit OF
revenge that ranked in greater mind.
with like disappointment, and in
counting notoriety, reveling in bruta
madness, and in his weakness aIit
wickedncss, aims the deadly shot
Although its aim WAS ut the man
hated 10y bitter partiZans, and it tool
effect in one clothed with authority
and who in the discharge of his higl
and responsible trust had offended il
political way a few proud and eX
acting political spirits, still il gener
Gus people will not IN the main hole
them guilty even in remote way al
accomplices in crime. They ma,
have famed flame that might have
encouraged weak minds and craZeC
heads, but individually crime may
have been the tarthest from theil
thoughts.
At the same time they must bt
troubled and if they are pure ana
honest must pause and inquire if thcil
cause is just; if the fight upon the
President is warranted and if the PEG
pie are behind them in their support
The fact is, they are not endorsed il
this unhO.y crusade and Il peoll,
will not hold them entirely guiltlcs:
in this crisis. Wiser cOunsels should
henceiorth guide these mad politicians
and perhaps crazier followers ant
brutes like Guiteau will not partakt
of their madness and shoot down thu
great head of Government and seel
out other eminent statesmen will
shot-guns.
But the President still survives
and as Garfield himself said on thu
occasion of the assassination of Lin
coin, God reigns and the Govern
ment at Washington still lives!