Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-16
Guiteau's Address to the Court.

The following is the opening of Guteau's
address to the Court which he wished to read
Monday morning. The address is more than
a column long. but the part below gives a
good idea of the whole production:
Ii the court please, desire to address your
honor at the threshold of this case. am,
in the presence of this honorable court
charged with msliciously and wickedly muir
derng one James A. Garfield. Nothing can
he more absurd, because General Garfield
died from malpractice. The syllogism to
prove il is this: Three weeks after he was
shot his physicians held a careful examine
ton and officially decided that he would re-
cover. Two months after this official an
nouncement he died. Therefore, according
to his own physicians, he was not fatally
shot. The doctors who mistreated him ought
to bear the oJium of his death, and not his
assailant. They ought u be indicted for
numbering James A. Garfield. and not me-
But have been indicted and must stand my
trial for the alleged homicide. General Gar
field was President of the United States, and
| am one of the men who made him Presi-
dent. His nomination was an accident; his
election the result of the greatest activity on
the part of the stalwarts, and his removal a
special providence. General Garfield was a
good man but weak politician Being Pres
ident he was in position to do vast harm
to the republic, and he was doing il by the
unwise use Of patronage, and the Lord and |
took the responsibility of removing him. l
certainly never should have sought to remove
him or my own account. Why should |
shoot him He never harmed me, From
him | expected an important office. | con-
silered him my political and personal friend
hut INV duty to the Lord and the American
people ovcrcame my personal feeling. and
sought to remove him. Not being marks
man he was not fatally shot. but imcompet-
ent physicians finished the work, and they
and not me are responsible for his death.
Nothing but the political situation last spring
justified General Garfeld's removal. The
break in the republican party last spring was
widening week by week, and / foressw a
civil war. My inspiration was to remove the
late President at once, and thereby close the
breach before il got so wide that nothing but
another heart rending aid desolating wal
could close it, The last war cost the nation
q million of men and billion of money.
The Lord wanted to prevent repetition OF
this desolation. and inspired me to execute
his will Why did he inspire me in prefer
ence to some one else Because l had
the brains and nerve probably to do the
work. The Lord does not employ incom-
petent persons to serve him. He uses the
best material he can find. No doubt there
were thousands of republicans that felt as
did about General Gsrfield's wrccking the
republican party last spring, and had they
the conception. the nerve, the brains
and the opportunity, they would have re.
moved him. l, of all the world, was the on.
~ man who had the conception. On the trial
ct my case | propose to summon some OF the
leading politicians of the republican and
dsmocratic parties, also the leading New
lork - Washington editors, to show the