Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-07-21

| has yet appeared, TO say thaC IhlS
attempt at assassination was anything
more than the act of Guiteau. He
may have been the vile agent of
others, some think he was. but there
is little if any warrant for so doing.
! cannot think that here, as one has
said, ''we have indications that nihilism
Socialism and Communism, trinity
of demons, born Of modern atheism,
is threatening the life Of the nation. "
The fact seems to be this, Gulteau
must have efice; upon this he was
determined; this failing him, dis
appointed vexed, angry, mad, he will
have satisfaction in some way, even
if it be by robbing the nation of the
| noble man, the ripe scholar, the dis
tinguished statesman, the exemplary
Christian, the friend of righteousness,
education. culture and progress,
President James A. Garfield. To
his mind the death of the President
would change the administration put
the stalwarts in power, and him in
such favor with them as to secure the
much coveted Office.
Should the President recover it is
said that as the law now stands the
case will only be one of assault with
intent to kill, the extreme penalty fol
which is eight years imprisonment.
The law ought to be changed so that
a heavier penalty be inflicted for the
attempted destruction of life so valu,
able to the nation as that of Presi.
dent must be; and so that whatever
the result may be to the party attack
ed, the criminal, (clearly convicted OF
intentional murder, } would suffer the
extreme penalty of the law. The
court should give attention rather to
the intention than to deeds, or result
Of deeds.
Now if Guiteau be insane. and it
can be shown that his insanity is re-
sultant of a low impure vicious life;
or if it be clear that in consumm ate
selfshness and vileness, he shut his
eyes against light and his heart
against purity, ana that he was in
toxicated with an Unsuitable desire for
Office so that his feeble mind could
not brook disappointment without re-
venge; or. without seeking for anoth-
er chance for Office under another ad-
ministrstion forced into power by his
dastardly and fendish act; then [ say
in the name of God and humanity,
in the name of truth, righteousness
and genuine benevolence, let him suf-
fer the full penalty of the law touch
in the crime of murder. | DO not
say this in the spirit of hatred, (I
pity the wretched man. but that me n
may have the fear of punishment
before their eyes; that through their
being thus restrained the innocent
may not suffer, and that our nation be
not disgraced in the eyes of the whole
civilized world. The time has fully
come when every officer of Justice
should not bear the sword in vain;
but be as the representative of the
eternal Almighty Judge of the uni
verse, "a terror to evil doors and a
praise to them that do we'll" And let
men who will not legislate properly,
and enact wise. good, wholesome and
necessary laws, that crime may be
repressed and prevented, and men
who will not execute such laws be
thrust from their badly filled positions
to trust and honor, and placed under
the band of the righteous indignation
of an Intelligent, free, brave and vir-
tuous people. And to begin with we
need a law prohibiting the manu-
facture, importation and sale of intoxi-
eating drinks, tobacco and opium
And as we'll let us have a law that
will annihilate the brothel, the
gambling hell and all those things
that curse nation by encouraging
sensuality and crime And further
more, let us put in force all the good
laws we have now, and improve them
as much as possible. We also need
a stringent well inforced law prohibit
ing the carrying of fire arms by pri-
vate individuals. a most cowardly and
dangerous practice, quite too common.
Had laws such as [ have mentioned
been in force throughout the land, it
is quite probable that our last national
anniversary would not have been so
surrounded with gloom and grief; Mr..
| Garfield would not have been shot
down by a disreputable william. The
masses need educating, Men need to
be taught the wide difference there is
between liberty and license; a differ
ence that always existed and ever
will The individual who is given up
to lust and lawlessness usually has
these altogether opposite things badly
mixed. And in fact there is a good
deal of fog in the minds of many on
this point. Such need to learn that
liberty comes more in giving up than
in grasping; more by self-denial than
by self-indulgence. Men should
know, too, that when they speak of
others kindly and respectfully,
especially those high in Office, they
respect themselves. They should
learn to be less bitter and more truth
full in speech concerning those who
differ with them in opinion. More
charity. more courtesy anil more man
illness is quite desirable. 1t would
not be strange if the violent ungentle-
manly and uncalled for utterances
against Mr.. Garfield during the late
campaign were source of inspira-