Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-07-09
The Attempted Assassination Of
President Garfield.

AuloItChu JOufuottcW 70 piUnps
TO chronicle events aud comment
on them but it hesitates in the
presence of this great crime OF
which the Republics President is
the victim, in the presence Of this
great misfortune of which the
American people must bear, after
ell, the hardest burden.
The shot sped by the assassin,
madman, political conspiraior,
whatever or whoever he may be,
struck hume, not only where aim
ed at the individual, but at the
fame of our Republic, at the repu-
tation of our republican irstitu.
tions.
To-day the thoughts and sym
pathies ofthe people are with Mr..
Garfield and his afflicted family.
There is not in any household,
anywhere over the length and
breadth of the land, the absence Of
some sign of grief and horror,
though it be but in the lowered
tone and saddened eyes OF the mil
lions who are mourning the ma
tional calamity.
The idea of partisanship is lost
10 the general feeling of bereave-
ment. It lie O President struck
BY an assassin, not political lead
er, that is before the mental vision
of this whole lands population.
Americans follow now with q
pnre national feeling the career Of
this remarkable man, true type Of
an American, rising from obscure
toll through succession of intel
lectual triumphs to the position Of
brightest honor within the gift OF
his countrymen.
They recognize that, the merit
of it, the honor of it, and they see
beyond that the supreme sadness
of this uutimely passing await
pass away he must-oftheir Presi-
dent by the blow OF an assassin.
But, as we have said, the bur-
den of the misfortune falls upon
the nation. The monArchies and
empires OF the old world will point
to these United States and say
"Behold q Republic that is the
breeder of political assassiDs."
It will be in vain to demonstrate
that this murderous work is that
OF lunatic, or ola personal enemy
stung by some fancied slight of the
Administration, and that il has nc
political significance whatever,
They will point to the unhappy
page in our history that records
the assassination of President
Lincoln and from that to this SINH
lar calamity, and will argue tina,
self-government can be neither sue.
cessful nor popular if it involves
the assassination of two Pres;-
dents nearly within sixteen years.
Let US, however, in our own
land, believe and give proof of i,
hereafter, that there is no political
Significance in this fearful crime
We have enough Of political
scandal without making our form
of government responsible tor the
mHrderous deeds of madmen W he
seek conspicuous victim for their
frenzy.
II 10 true that the violence oil
partisan warfare, the bitterness,
with which the wars Of faction.
are being wsged, may have the
effect of concentrating the halluci.
nations of lunaties into the direc
ton OF partisauship so that tn,
method OF their madness may tax,
the form Of political assassination.
That is, no doubt, the secret Of
the impulse under which this as.
sassin, Guiteau. did the deed thai
threatens to shroud our land il
mourning.
lfse, the moral appeals to our
Americanism to begin now, ia
the presence of this horror, the
mission of the publication Of oul
country.