Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1881-09-27

cured or protected by ext sting
laws. Two Presidents sssassi mated
within two decades forbodes an
archy, unless ID is shown that the
power of the nation is suficient to
protect its rulers. The virtues OF
our murdered chieftain "plead
like angels, trumpet topgued,
against the deep damnation Of his
taking Off"
Not only the killing, but any at
tempt upon the life Of the Presi
dent should, by act Of Congress, be
declared to be treason and made
punishable by death. A body
guard should he provided for our
President by day and q sufficient
patrol should be furnished by
night to insure his personal safety.
True, this might not at all tina ss
be acceptable to the man who, dur
ing all his former life, had been
accustomed to the unrestrain ed
freedom of American citizenship,
but the Importance Of the Office
and of the officer to the nation de.
mands many sacrifices from the
man, and why not this among the
number?
The President should be relieved
from the onerous and disagree bls
duty of making the great majority
of appointments which he is now
com PEELED to make, and this duty
should be devolved upon his Oabi-
net, subject only to his approval.
before being transmitted to the
Senate, or upon come Board
or Commission created for
that especial purpose, but
with like reserved power Of
approval. Applications in person
for official appointments should be
prohibited, and personal recem-
mendations on behalf of lunatics,
dishonest or Incompetent men
should be made q misdem sanor
and punishable as such. Written
references should be required of
each applicant for Office, and these
should be placed in the hands of
this Board or Com mission, In order
that they might Investigate the
character and standing Of him who
would accept employment of the
Government, and the hungry vuI-
lures who now sit and sun them.
selves around the Presidential man.
sion should be kept ut bay by mus
kets in the hands Of trustworthy
soldiers.
More extended provisions for the
Presidential succession should inn
mediately be made, SO that the in
ducsments or temptations to the
following up of one assassina ton
by another for political OF other
purposes, would be rendered too
remote to be made practicable or
available.
The frequency of Presidential
vacancies makes the selection of
the first successor matter of much
more importance than has hitherto
been thought to attach to it. The
Vice President, the President pro
tenn of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House of Repressn tativss,
should each be selected with view
to bis fitness and qualification for
the first executive office in the ma
ton, fer while life remains uncer-
tain, the contingency may arise
when either of those officers may
be required to perform the duties
appertainipg to the office of Chief
Magistrate.
Politicians should learn that
making war upon an Administers.
ton is too often either directly or
indirectly the sowing of seed from
which the nation will, sooner or
later, reap bitter fruit; and that by
the sober judgment of an offended
people they will be held RESPONSE
bic for all the results naturally and
logically traoable to their wanton
and tso often selfish crusade
against an Administration holding
different views and pursuing a diff.
fsrent policy from their own.
Our system Of government
never contemplated that there
should be one President for
New York, another for Ohio,
and another for each Of the differ.
eut States, with a nominal Chief
Executive at the head. Senators
should remember that they are not
Presidents, and Presidents should
be encouraged in the personal ad.
ministTation Of their office. With
this idea fully unders God, office
seekers will soon learn that an en-.
dersement by either branch OF Con-
gress Is not sworn passport to
Office, nor does it furnish a justifi-
cation for the numbering of the
President who, for reasons satisfac-
tory to himself ignores it.
Our own great national sorrow
should beget in US, as a people,
more profound sympathy for other
people and other nations when
stricken by like calamities, and
whether the victim be an African
Prince or Russian Gear, we
should be prompt to communicate
our coincidence, sincere in the
mani festations of our grief and
with the stricken nation humble
ourselves before the God of ma
tions, and peoples, and men. and
Jointly implore his interpretation,
his guidance and his protection for
the affliction, as also for all rulers
and all men in authority.
As individual memtere Of the
great human family we should
learn more carefully to weigh all
our contemplated acts before their
accomplishment, lest, peradven-
ture, they reach beyond our de-
signs, and do harm and grent in
jury, in excess of our intention.
In ordinary life, consequences often
become too important to divest the
use of unstudied reckless means of
the charge OF criminal neglect. To
do evil Is always wrong, no matter
what the excuse. or what the in
tent.
This one act premeditated and
executed by an obscure, gangrened
fanatic, has made the whole earth
mourn, and compelled our nation
to pay tribute at the shrine of
sorrow.
But, my fellow citizens, beyond
the darkness and the gloom of our
present surroundings think l see
ivh onn and tpnnro M n