The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-13
GUITEAU's PUlIsHMENT.

g00d zeal Is being SAID now ABOUT 1ne
punishment that should be melted out to the
man Guiteau fer bis assault! upon the presi.
dent, in the various papers of the country
and notably in the republican press. In
these papers there is a bloodthirstiness mani
fest that is unpleasant to see. Itdoes not
sound well to hear in this free republican
country of ours, clamors for this mans life
whether guilty or not guilty, whether sane
or insane. The most diAbolicsl proposition
we have heard or seen comes from the Chi
csgo Inter- Ocean, which we give as follows:
"Tnere will be no question as to the justice of
executing the culprit whether the president
shall survive the assault or not, and there
would be little danger, probably, of the plea
of insanity shielding him; but the law makes
no distinction between assault with intent to
kill the president and similar assault on the
hnmblest man in the land. The life of the cul-
prit cannot be legally taken, therefore, unless
the presidentS wounds have fatal terminn-
tior. If he lives, aud it be decided that Quit
esu i, sane, the penalty in tho District of Co.
umbis, we believe, is imprisonment tor u
term of not more than eight years, which is,
of course, trlliDg and inadequate considering
the nature Of the crime. 1t may be well,
therefore, 10 consider, in view Of the likel-
hood of the pre.ilen,s recovery, whether it
IS not better to admi. the mans insanity, for
in that event he can be permanently confined
as u dangerous person to have at large, and
the world be quit, 1t is a pity tina. such q
monster should escape with bis life from the
scene of his villsiny. If some person had
shot him down in the depot at Washington
as no turned to escape, the world would have
escaped the sickeniDg recltals of his triumph
over the exploit, and have been spared col
umDs Of rubbish about him, which will cons
tlnue to appear in tho newspapers, fl4tterng
the mans vanity, and achieving for
him that notorety which no Graves" If
the president dies, the Inter Ocean would
have the court and jury that tries the assss-
sin to ignore the plea of insanity and hang
him for murder; il the president RECEIVERS, it
would have the plea Of insanity I'D mitted
and the man incarcerted Ia lunatic asylum
for lire. There is no justice or right in this
suggestion and the first man 10 raise his voice
In Indignant scorn at the mere thought OF
such athing if n court could entertain it,
would be the president himself. President
Garfield is n just and humane man and il ia
wrong to HIM of the foulest nature for
any paper, especially paper of his own
party, or for any man, especially
n republican, to propose any
thing more than tho law demands. Let the
law take it, course, and il the man, on fair
and impartial trial, DO proven insane, lot that
be done with him which tho law directs. If
no is proven of sound mind lot him be
dealt with as the law provides, either in
case the president dies or RECEIVERS. The
president would not have other than this
done; no mcmber Of his family would ask
for moro than this. That il was but human
nature when the mind and The hearts of all
the ., people were convulsed with grief and
indignation in the first g %r,," Co
presidents suffering and J. W, % n
DO swayOd by feeling of vS,, ,h,. '/M
cry out for the blood of the murd, "es. IL Al
no one will deny, bu. now that the - /bpe
of the people are Gained and their XXI
are assured OF the prseidents recovery, yne
sober second though, is potent. lelr ae
justice under the law is all auspor ana Only
can ask, is all the preside"o"y good cipzen
his power, will pa,caw. Al't' SO far as in
the prcsidcni ,. ;ii''. This assault upon
ono iac,.s Ar however painfully illustrates
l,arhvr fact &c iorcibly So, forth by Mr..
ws'iAAng in his letter TO the attorney genor-
al, that there Is no adequate provision in the
law for the puniShment of an assailant upon
theife OF n presiden!of tho United States. l,
Is not true that tho president Is no more than
any other citizen. While the man Garfield
Is entitled 10 no more protection
than any other man, tie office he fills is.
When the president of this country Is muir
dered or shot down by an assassin, tho whole
country 10 wounded. The institutions of
tho country have been assaulted, tho governs
mont itself has been attacked and although.
MS President Garfield himself said when
Prcsiden, Lincoln WAS killed, whom such an
attack has been made, God rules and the
American government still lives" yet it Ia
no fault OF tho assassin that "lhe American
government failed TO die. Every citizen Of
this land demands that Guiteau DO given a
speedy trial, and every good citizen rising
above tho bitterness he may feel N,
his acts demands ths, he may be given u fair
impartial trial and tia. every right he, MS nm
American ciis n In jeopardy of his life or
liberty. may DO entitled 10 under thc law be
accorded him. Courts In this country arc
net like they arc 10 Russia and Turkey. or.
Canned 10 convert persons accused OF helm.
Gus Crimes-,bey are created and organized
to DO strict Justice by oil aud to enforce tho
law ss tho lawmakers have made Il. No
gentleman has ever given moro marked proof
of bio devotion to Justice and RICH. than
President Garfield In bis action In New York
when President Linoola WAS killed. Ills soul