Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-09-14
aUirEAU,s PsorECrios.

LEAOo
Many people. In fact. We may say o
majority Of people. are under the im'
precision and freely express the opinion
that the matter OF the recent shooting a.
aui,.su by Sergeant Mason. one Of his
guard, will BE- passed over lightly BY
reason Of popular sympathy and sp'
oro,.l Of the act. II Mason bad been
sursr of his object and aim and sent his
bullet crashing through the brain Of
the internal wretch. public sympathy
and approval would have been still
more In his favor. Yet It has to b
borne In mind that in al well regulated
and thoroughly Legitimate governments,
government prisoner. no matter what
may be the degree Of snormity Of his
ofY.nss. IL strictly in charge and under
the special protection OF the govern.
msnt, the fundamental. legal and civil
bedrock. 90 to speak. Of the nation.
And especially SO is ii with Guitsau.
Many Of rs severely criticize Russian
sold.bloodsd severity with government
offenders. and particularly in the matter
Of attempts at killing the Car. and pa
triotisslly long to tear Guitssu limb
from limb. yet how much the real ends
Of human and national justice would b
served or attained by summsrily destroy
log that miserable wretch remains to be
seen. He has been brought to no trial;
his motives for the fearful deed have not
been legally drawn out. He has been
given NO opportunity to formally explain
the trus causes OF his sudden and OF.
trsusly surprising act. II there is any
thing behind Guitsau in this matter 1t
should be brought to light. The ''Stsl-
warts" in whose interest no so vaunt-
ingly proclaimed that be performed his
tragic deed, will bs vindicstsd BY his sx-
plsuation before the bar Of justice. and
IL there is or has been any outsider. or
anybody at all beyond himself interested
in this national matter. the whole nation
desires to know IL.
The following telegram Of yesterday
from Warrington is very pertinent to
this subject:
General Sherman says. regarding Ne
sons shot at Guiteau. that the Law must
tsks its course. The act vas excessively
criminal. coming from q soldier guard.
and everything should be done to pre-
vent the lowering OF nj dignity BY Q set
Of .w~sll-msanins but misguided people.
II . conspiracy among the guards ap-
pears, M.son's will not be the only case
OF court.martial. Had the shooting
been done by some insane rufian. who
knows no other Law than Judge Lynch.
there might have been some excuse for
Ii; but s~msnating A. IL did from the rank
and Ole OF the United States army. /
think Il deserves the ssversst punish
mont. We cannot afford to set . bad
example at Washington in matters OF
this kind. II We are ever to expect an
end to the lawlessuess prevailing in some
OF the districts South and West. We must
begin BY setting . good example q +
selves. II won't do to dscry these un-
oouth. rough hunters. trappers asd
squsttsrs OF the West, OF even . Colorado
mob, II acts like that which occurred
yesterday are to be tolerated In the cspi.
tai Of the country. I shall see to IL that
this matter 10 siftsd to the bottom and
the guilty ones do not escape punish
msnt.
10 connection with the above. another
telegram ssys that charges Of disobsdi-
mot Of orders and breach Of discipline
have been preferred against Mason by
the commanding officers at the arsenal.
and forwarded to General Hancock.
This 10 - It should be. and simply shows
that the government officials have q
proper comprehension Of their strict
duties In this matter.
When arrested Sergeant Mason, re-
joieins 10 his attempt to assassinats the
would.bs assassin. said be ''didn't enlist
to guard assassins." Said he: ~ am
perfectly sane. and 10 I had killed him I
would be perfectly willing to remain In
prison the remainder Of my life. II re-
stored to duty I will shoot him % soon
- I can get q chance" This merely
shows Mason to be more Of . mono
maniac on the subject than Guitsau.
0uitssu. for reasons best known to him.
self. tried to kill the President: and o
Mason. having studied and broodsd over
the ia.s. excited and supported By pub.
lie opinion. works himself up to the
resolution to revenge the whole Amsri.
can nation BY sss~assinstipg Guitsau.
Mason 10 said to be an old soldier.
sick and silins for some time past. tax.
Jog considerable medicine. His nerves
and mental condition are stated to bs
much shattered and disordered BY the
use Of quiniue and other drugs. render
ing him very nervous and e1cltable, his
brain doubtless being more or less
affected. II this Is proven to be the
case. his very rash and unauthorized act
10 easily accounted for. and he will be
let Of easily. But In that, and that
only. lies his true line Of defense. The
prison authorities have evidently done
right in removing Guitssu to Q safer cell
location, where NO moro derangsd
avengers in the shape Of guards" can
take . shot ct him.
The New York Herald Of the 4th in
slant Published an interview with Gen.
arsl AvYea. commandan NJ tha rnifad