The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-03
Sunday, July 8. 1881.
PRESIDENT GARFIELD assassIxaTEo.

The news flashed over the wires yes
terday morning ID of the most startling
character. The President had been
twice shot and dangerously. If not fs-
tally, wounded insths depot OF the Ball
timore and Ohio railroad at Washing
ton City. Shot oEce 10 the arm and
once on the right side above the hips,
near the kidneys As near as we can
learn, the shooting was done by re-
moved Office holder. one Gaitesnx,
late Consul ct Marseilles. Such acts
are fearfully ominous. They shock the
ssnsibilities Of tbs people. make them
doubt the efficiency Of self government
and produce . feeling Of uncertainty
and unress. Such acts reach beyond
the noble victim Of dire malice at
which they were aimed, and strike the
foundations Of civil government with .
shivering and deadly blow. Strong men
when they read them or hear OF them
involuntsriIy hold their breath and
ask, What next
No event Of modern history so CON-
pletely paraly zed. for moment. the
American people. friends and foes. as
the assassination Of the lamented Lin,
coin. But that assassination, % diaboli-
cal - 1t was, was engeDdered by the
passions born amid the throes Of revo-
luticn that shook the institution Of
continent to their very foundations.
But Garfield was elected TO the Presi-
dency in times Of profound peace and
prosperity. He found some Of the de-
partmsnts Of the government fostering
In corruption, and he.a s an honest man.
and Q faithful gussdian 81 the rights Of
the people, attempted to clean out
these Augsan stables. and has probably
lost his life in devotion TO the princi-
pies Of honesty and purity in the adj
ministrstiou Of the government. Moth
ing but the lowest and meansst malice
could have prompted his taking off.
Love Of humanity and charity might
urge NJ TO believe that It was the act oil
. mad man, but we fear we will be do.
MED that mitigating consolation.
But II Ia useless 10 denounce such an
act. The language Of denunciation il
impotsnt for the purpose. We can only
distantly gather and tremble at the ul-
innate consequences Of such disbolism
DR. Hall said when he heard Of Napo.
leans death that he felt that the clock
OF time had gone back two centuries
and we'll may We feel in free America
that the brutal instrumsntalitie Of th.
fourteenth century have been inaugu
rated again.
With Jefferson I'VE tremble for oul
country when we reflect that God Il
just" and xs sometimes fear that the
knell of constitutional liberty will b,
heard in some assassins shot. But so
far as we have yet been able to learl
this was an individual disbolism. TIL,
assassin was the agent Of no dark bant
of oonspirstors. He alone is the male
factor. This Is some little alienation o
the terrible calamity. The people ar,
honest and true. The terrible indig
nation with which they have receive,
the news all over this broad land ct
tests their fidelity TO law and order
There il no smothered volcano Of revo
luton with its train ready to be light
ed by some ambitious chieftain or a.
piring demagogue. The people woul,
tear to pieces any such rsvolationiss a
fellow conspiraior. As long as thi
remains true We are safe. Terrible q
is the calamity. - dark ~ may be Il
portent. and a. fearful a. may be th
wound II civil liberty and constitution
al government. this IL our bow Of prom
ise full Of hope for u and the world.