Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-07-19
DR.. Hogn, Of Virginia, on the Assassl.
H.i:.a;.

We gave some space yesterday to the
eloquent and patriotic sentiments ex-
pressed by the people of Richmond,
Va, on the attempt to kill the President
of the United States. The speech of
Rev. DR.. M. D. Hoge, delivered on this
occasion, particularly impressed people
at distap ce as an address inspired by
q lofty purpose, pure heart and dis
crimi nating judgment. While the rev.
erend speaker was perhaps too sensitive
in his apprehensions for the stability
and perpetuity of American free insti-
buttons, his fears are those which in
times of political excitement are apt to
suggest themselves to all minds imbued
with deep love of country and un-
wavering devotion to republican forms
of governm mt. They are the fears iu-
spired always by love when the object
of deep affection is involved, remotely
or nearly What he said of the hates
and fana,icisms which breed faction,
"whose motto never is principles, not
men," nor principles and men," but
men without principles; loyal not to
law or duty, but to money, to place, to
ambition, to power" are true for all
time and ia every place. The speaker
was addressing his fellow countrymen
in the presence of national calamity
which may be traced to the evil infiu-
ences of faction and ambition, however
innocent the leaders of particular factions
may be of direct responsibility for the
insane act of any mailman who may
strike an assassin's blow. AS cler-
gyman, habituated to derive moral
from any state of public affairs warrant
ing such deduction, he was called upon
to discharge binding duty. In crisis
such as that in which the welfare of a
people is so deeply involved as in an at
tempt to take the life of its chief ruler.
DIR. Hoge could hardly fail to impress
upon those about him the true sense of
danger fiom the unbridled aspirations
of faction and ambition. "Fanati-
cisms,n he said, shave often become
national epidemics, and when faction,
at once malignant and insane, begins to
work in the body polite, it is like one
of the hateful maladies which some
times infest the physical frame-it fe-
vers and pollutes the whole structure,
until it at last breaks out in some in
If, in addition to the existence of gen.
eral state of affairs warranting the ut,
teraDce Of such a warning as this for
'ne people os the whole country there
was also a state of local affairs threat
enining the integrity, the peace, the
prosperity and the free institutions of q
State, it became doubly the duty of DIR.
Hoge to invoke all the eloquence at his
command to drive the disturbing spirit
of the hour back to darkness. Because
he did this, however, and because he
impressed upon bis fellow citizens the
the truth that "thdt q0hich is morally
qOrong can aaever be politically right, +"
it appears that he was bitterly assailed
by a "readjuster" journal which de-
clared that 'Guiteau was inspired to
commit foul crime to save the repub-
ican party, and DIR. Hoge, in the same
spirit, if in less degree; was moved to
fire shot or two to save the Bourbons
and funders, who lyingly call them
selves the democratic party" That
these sentiments should be wrung from
"readjuster" journal, in opposition to
the patriotic utterances of one of the
purest citizens of Virginia, looks like
strong testimony to the need of DR..
Hoge's rebuke of faction and fanatical
ambitions. The general truths which
he uttered would have found no local
application if no sore had been rubbed,
and the partisan animadversions of the
readjuster exponent only strengthen
the case which DR.. Hoge seems to have
brought home to the sense of the people
of his State. Baltimore Sun, 9Th inst.