National Republican., 1881-07-04
The National Tragedy.

and flow fits Presidents life
But few months ago, with the hearty
acclaim of all the people, he was inaugu-
rated. Power brought with it in his case
the usual amount of care and irritations.
His anxicties were increased by the dam
gerous illness of his noble wife. As soon
rs she was convalescent he had taken
her TO the seaside to inhae the inyigo-
TdtiBg ocean breeze. He had made
plan to throw olr the cares
of office for n brief time and to give
himself entirely up to rest and recreation.
In this Mrs. Garfield was to join. The
day arrived. His faithful friend, the
Judge Advocate General was to bring his
wife from Long Branch to meet him at
Jersey City on Saturday, and together
they were to journey in New England
and enjoy the hospitality of old friends.
There can be nothing more tragic
than the fearful event that changed
all this Instead of meeting his wife
TO go with her where, oblivious of his
cares and her debility, they might
saunter for n few days where the scent of
new-mown hay and the quiet of lake and
forest might bring back memories of the
days of youth and some of its strength,
he dictates a telegram to her of fearful
import. 1t was that he was hurt-could
not tell how seriously; wished her to
come to him, and sent her his dear love.
This domestic tragedy comes home to
every man and woman possessed of hu-
man heart.
But, sad as is the story for the house
hold, it is more terrible to the Nation
Our President, strong and well waylaid,
shot, and perhaps killed at railway sta
ton by a wretch utterly worthless, and
for no better reason than that his
vagrancy was not ameiorated by an
Office No charge Of tyranny or wrong
doing-not martyr to any opinion
only the victim of mean and dastardly
revenge.
The frothy and stilted stuff which the
base emurdercruttercd to the world, hoping
to magnify his crime, is fully contradictcd
by his own written professions TO the
President Of devotion to him in his con-
troversy with some Of his party. While
begging place he was against the Stall
warts, and in q note to the President said.
j regret the trouble that You are having with
Senator Conklng. You are right, and should
maintain your position, You have my support.
and that OF all patriotic citizens. would like an
audience ofa few moments.
This note proves its writer most men
dacious wretch in claiming afiiliaton with
those known as Stalwarts. He was n va
grant, ondeavoring to live by his wits-a
proven rascal and petty swindler of
boarding-houses, demanding an office
for services never rendered, and impor-
tuning the President and other officials
until he became nuisance to be abated
The President of the United States should
not tbe accessible to such wrctches Refused
office, destitute Of any means of support,
expelled from one clearinghouse after
another, he at last found the last ditch.
Filled with malice, and carefully plan
ming the details of his crime, he accom-
plished il with deadly deXterity and
found refuge in the Jail by prudent ap-
peals for haste TO the officer by whom he
was taken.
That such man dare commit such
crime is the terror Of the time. That the
person of The President is not safe from
the assassin hand of acommon tramp is a
symptom of some frightful moral disease
not yet understood. That the majesty of
the law will beasserted by such pcnaltyas
the law provides for his crime there need
be no doubt There must be no mawkish
scntimentality, defying common sense in
order TO find insanity in the deliberate
methods of a desperate vagrant; nor must
mob law insult the President by taking
from the hands of Justice her weapons OF
her scales
There are other enemies of society be.
sides assassins who attack the person.
Among these are men with pens in their
hands who seek in such time as this
20 1till further disturb society by vir-
tually accusing the whole body of men
who favored General Grant for the Presi-
dcncy Of completely in the shooting of
The President. The New York Tribune
and Times Of yesterday, the Baltimore
american, and the Sunday Herald, Of this
city, are adisgrace to Americanjo journalism
While the wings Of the Angel Of Death
overshadow the bed whercon lies the
majesty of the people in the person of
their stricken President it is not
becoming in any TO break the
Bolemnity which should prevail
by replying to words of anger or of strife.
There will be time in which TO speak
in fitting terms of the men who have
thus offended against common decency
as well as against truth and propriety.
1t is the earnest wish and hope ofevery
American citizen that the great courage
with which the President has met the
assassin's bullet may, to use his own
words, enable him TO pull through all
right" Ifhe can live the nation will rejoice,
and the awful glimpse we have had ofthe
abyss viii teach us all to bear and forbear
more and more with each other as whole
people. flushed for time at least will
be the voice of faction, and graft
tude for the preservation Of the peoples
President will make us realize that his
life was equally precious TO all, and that
whoever harms hair of his head out
rages every citizen of the land.
Long live James A. Garfield, President
Of the United States