The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-07-07
The Great Crime.

The Great Crime.
The startling intelligence which was
flashed over the country on Saturday that
the President of the United States had been
shot down in the capitol of the Nation by
the ,assassin's bullet, stirred and evoked a sen
tirnent' Of national love and devotion that
might sin no other way have found express
sion. From the extremes OF the Union it
came gushing up in spontaneous flow, Civ
ing assurance that deep down in the hearts of
the people the well-spring of genuine pa
triotism exists and in no section Of the coun-
try more pronounced and derdonstratiye than
in the South - The. tragic occurrence had
scarcely been explained, or the meagre par
ticulars sent over the wires, before in almost
every town and community the assembled
multitudes voiced the, intense Indignation
which was felt at the dastardly act, and the
deep, heartfelt sympathy experienced for the
stricken family of the PROSTATE President
Indeed the blood Of James A. Garfield seemed
to have healed the wounds of the nation as if
by magic and caused the warm generous natures
0fthe Southrons to melt in sympathy for the
great heart that was agonized, as it were, in
the death struggle, and the great mind which
was almost paralyzed by the assassin's blow.
1t was sorrow that. rose above the tempest
and passion of party and factions, mingled
whitman indignation born of devotion to our
Republican institutions, expressed in anxious
looks, painful solicitude and expectant hope.
Each electric current that bore intelligence of
the condition of the fallen President was
watched with an intense interest that spoke
the deep concern that filled every heart and
stirred tue emotions of every soul.
Whether James A. Garfield shall live or die
as the result of the assassin's attempt upon
his life, the lesson of the terrible event will
not be lost upon the country. If spared,
through the mysterious ordering s of Divine
Providence, and rescued from the very jaws
of death, to direct the intele and preside
over the destinies of this great Republic, to
the close of his appointed term, the remem-
brance of the warm sympathy and deep, ear
nest devotion of the people of the whole
country, will mellow party feeling and oblit-
crate sectional strife, in the presence of this
majestic expression of American Patriotism
This great national sorrow has touched all
hearts and drawn them together as no other
event could have done, teaching how small
indeed are the petty strifes and animosities &
parties in the light of this grand expression OF
national devotion.
Should the prayers of the nation not arrest
the hand of Death, and should the great heart
of the. President cease its throbbing for the
welfare of the country, the lesson will not be
lost. Hissucessor could not be Indifferent to the
loyal sentiment that has gone up from every
portion of the Union or dare to offend the pa
triotic emotions which have been exposed
to the world The spirit of faction. the intlu
ence of mere partizan devotion, would COVER
in its presence, and retire before the attronteC
majesty of the American people No man
broad and catholic enough to be President o.
this great nation of freemen, could be small
enough to be partizan or forget the outburs1
of feeling that has almost robbed a nationa
crime of its horror.
1t is strange indeed that it required this
cruel and bastard blow to teach the people OF
the sections to know each other. A common
sorrow has made them realize that they are
citizens of a common country-their destinies
and their duties linked together and that in the
presence of common danger their inspira-
tions of patriotism find common expires
sion. If death should, unfortunately, ensue
the President will not have died in vain His
blood will have cemented the bonds ofthe ma
ton, opened anew the currents of national
sympathy and affection and bound together
the interests and ambitions of the estranged
sections. But if the prayers of a whole ma
ton can turn aside the final summons and re-
store the stricken President to health and use
fulness, he will still live to direct and guide
the destinies of this great country, and the
sublime lesson of humble submission to the
Divine will SO beautifully exempllied in his
patience in suffering and cheerful fortitude in
the very presence of Death, will lift the as
pirations of the people to higher plane
and inspire them with loftier ambitions, re-
buking the spirit of faction and the strifes OF
sections