The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-07-21
IN. Y. Tribune.1
The Presidents Mother.

There has been no more significant
point in the history of the tragedy a
Washington to the waiting, breath
less Nation, than the part which hi
wife and mother have borne in it
Millions of men and women to whom
the President was really but vague
name; a symbol of power, and Genera
Garfield, perhaps, political enemy
have felt their eyes fill at the thought
of the fair and delicate woman, SC
dear to him, whom he had with his
own hands just faithfully nursed back
from the borders of the grave, hasten.
! ing to him on the Fl lying train to holo
him in her weak arms, to help him
with her prayers and love, in his long
and heroic fight with Death. The
sight brings the White House down
to a level with the poorest cabin in
which there is love and faith, and
makes its inmates the kin of every
household in the land.
Nobody has forgotten, too, how in
the day of his Inauguration, when he
took the oath which made him ruler
Of fifty millions Of people, he quickly
turned from the waiting diplomatists
bearing the congratulations Of all 9TH
er rulers, and from the app auding
crowds, to little, plainly dressed,
white-haired woman seated behind
him, stopped and reverently kissed
her. 1t was his mother. Yesterday
the news Of his assassination, which
had been kept from her, was broken
to her by her daughter. She heard it
with kind Of stunned amazement.
How could anybody be so cold-heart-
ed as to kill my baby?" she said.
He was soldier to others; patriot,
the representative Of a certain far
reaching national policy; to the world
beyond, the chosen ruler Of a mighty
people. But he was only 'her baby
still to her; James" who, as she SO
often while in Washington said with
simple dignity, ''has always been a
good boy" 1t does not seem so long
ago to her since she held him in her
arms, or trained him to be a true,
obedient son. He might command
millions Of people of every race and
country, but he still obeyed the aged,
trembling woman, who, when she
heard of his cruel wounds, cried out,
Lord help me!' "The sword enter
ed her own soul Also"
There is not home in the land, we
venture to say, where the agonized cry
of this feeble mother will be heard
without profound emotion. Beyond
everything else, the American is do
mestic, home-loving man. He is a
politician, a Stalwart, a Democrat,
but he is first Of all and under all a
son, husband and father. His ruler
will never be to him as to the Euro
pean, tyrant, vague power separat-
ed from him by such a gulf Of differ
ing rank and interests that he hardly
recognizes him as human. To the
American, whatever his prejudice
against the principles of his chief
ruler, he is brother man standing
side by side with himself, on one level,
with the same feelings, hopes, affec-
tions. Hence the unspeakable horror
with which the news Of Saturday was
received by the whole Nation as by
one man. America can never adopt a
policy of assassination like Russia or
Ireland. The Republican, the Demo-
crat, the very man who the day before
with all the fury of party zeal would
have exalted Garfield as a demigod or
cursed him as his enemy, stood alike
appalled, at the murder of the man; a
man, too, whom they believed honest,
brave and true. If they had known
him to be false and base their horror
would have been the same. Hence
the confidence now felt by all classes
that the deed was the work of an indi-
vidual, not of band of conspirators.
No party in America will ever join
together to make murder trade. 1t
will never be necessary for our Chief
Magistrate to seclude himself behind
barred doors and sentinels, like the
prisoner at Gatschina, or to go abroad
surrounded by guards, in order to pro-
tect himself against Americans
Against fend-driven individuals, like
Booth and Guiteau, no care can pro-
tect any man. But against the vio-
lence of party hate, the inborn Amer
lean trait in the very men who hate
him of respect for his humanity, his
mother, his wife, for all the sanctities
Of life, will always prove his sure RAM
part and defence.
Yet while the Nation stands with
awed heart and barred head beside that
couch of pain and mortal danger, il
cannot wash it's hands in innocency OF
his blo)d. Americans will never be-
come assassins, but they are office,
seekers, greedy and voracious; they are
factious politicians, savage and un.
scrupulous; and James Garfield fell g
martyr to these national vices. From
the day of his nomination, his quiet
home was invaded and ruined by the
merciless hordes; he has struggled
with them ever since, and it was dis.
appointed office-seeker, set on fire by
faction, who fired the murderous shot
As his old mother weeps over he
good boy" and waits-if such be th'
will of God-to lay him to rest for tn,
last time, the country which is givel
) up to political greed cannot hold itsel
guiltless of her sufferings and his.