New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-24
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THE SYMPATHY or THE NATIONS.

y.
The death of the late President has occa-
stoned n demonstration of right feeling and
generous sympathy in other lands which il
would i'll become the American people not 10
recognize and acknowledge. From England.
nearest to us by the ties of common tongue
and of political institutions fundamentally sim
lar to our own, any ordinary expression of con-
dOlence might have been expected and would
have been only natural but it has been more
than this-it has been extraordinary The
special kilograms of the Queen and of the Gov
eminent are themselves noble and noteworthy :;
the remarks of the newspaper press have almost
without exception been intelligently kind the
resolutions adopted by corporate bodies are
graceful tributes to n worth which seems all the
rarer now that 1t has departed; but we read
with even peculiar satisfaction however pain
full, of the deep regret felt aud in humble and
homcly ways manifested by the British people
of all classes, from the highest to what is nsu-
ally called the lowest. We had before heard of
the anxiety which President Gariield's prccari-
GUS condition was exciting in England, Scot.
land and Ireland; and we are therefore less
surprised at the emotion which his death has
excited there. 1t would hardly Ice courteous Ia
subject this To any particular analysis; but one
Ioi It's constituents is undoubtedly that whole
some and hearty hatred of assassination which
English-speallng peoples have always enter
tanned The Anglo-Saxon love of fair play has
given peculiar character 10 English history
The few rcgicidal deeds which il records ycr.
usually inspired 10y foreign influence; and
plots against the lives of British monarchs have
oftencSt been set afGot in other lands or fo
mentcd by religious bigotry with which thc
great body of the people had no sympathy. We
might speak at large Of the material interests
which possibly contribute to the good will with
which the perpetuity of our Government and
our productive prosperity are regarded in Eng
land but it is unnecessary t. dwell upon any
lower instinct than the moral one which WE
have more particularly indicated.
There is reason, also, for the peculiar feeling
which the death Of the late President has cx
cited IN the countries of the Continent This il
to be found il the existence of II band of secret
murderers, who propose to promote the hanpi-
ness of mankind by killing its rulers, by the
abolition OF all existing systems of government
and by the introduction OF others of which it is
enough to say that they are ill-dclined, whim-
seal, ana sngularly without any political sys.
TEN heretofore recognized by mankind. Their.
have been regicdal conspiracics before but
never anything like this We can understand
States should be regarded with particular hor-
ror in Russia, in Germany, i'm France and in
Spain. If any good could come of political
assassination, every one of these countries has
had ample opportunities of finding out what il
is; and it is q crime which all of them have at
this moment particular reason to deprecatc
We have existed long enough as n nation to
become an important member of the family of
States. Thus far, and especially during the
war of the Rebellion, crisis which circum-
stances beyond the control of any public virtue
rendered it impossible for us to escape, we have
manifested both a love of liberty and love of
liberty tempered by law. In our conservatism we
are ut one even with the most reactionary Gov
ernments OF Europe; but it will be well for the
advancement of human happiness If we remain
Mt one, in this regard with the most intelli gent
Liberals of Europe, where freedom has eyerv-
thing to gain by moderate spirit, and every
thing to lose by insane and bloody violence.
To such minds it was important that our late
President had done 80 much, and prom
ised to do so much more, by the firm
ness. equity and benefcence of his Administra-
ton, to promote the quiet and orderly happiness
of the people who had called him to preside over
them.
1t is now believed by well informed per-