Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-27
" The Responsibility"


Mr.. Editor;-If the responsibility for the great
crime which has been committed against the peo-
pie OF this country and their president rests In
any way with any party or faction, II ought not
to be concealed To do 80 Is to invite continu-
ance of the causes which have led to its commits
sion and the plea Of insanity for the wretch who
undertakes the deed. Great crimes do not have
their inception in a moment Antecedeut causes
OF long continuance lead up TO atrocities like the
present. However sudden and unexpected may
be their appearance they have been long Tester
ing In the body polite, and are only brought TO
the surface by aggravated circumstances. De-
spite the evident purpose the part Of some with
false reasoning to deny the fact the attempted
assassination OF the president Is the natural re-
suit of certain phases of our political life. So far
from having no political significance" 1t IL
deeply significant Of the bitterness and license OF
party strife. Long before the resolution was
formed, the mind OF the assassin had been pois-
oned by the fierce attack upon the administration
and by the political advantage which he supposed
would result from the removal Of the president
The degree of asperity and Misrepresentation
descending to personalities and low invective,
which characterizes our political campaigns, is
didate without regard to the means used, seems
TO be the prime object Of the different parties
No private virtue or public honor escapes the
foul calumny OF the opposite party. By partially
concealing the truth, by base assassination, by
misrepresentation and open falsehood, far too
large part Of the press seeks to further the in
terests OF its favorite party. The accusation Of
"hypocrisy, mpudence and malice" which
one organ brings against another, ittingly Illus
trates the spirit which actuates partisans OF Diff
ferent parties OF different sections Of the same
party. Hardly had the announcement been made
from Chicago OF a candidate to be the standard
bearer Of the republican party when the country
was deluged with slanderous accounts Of the
nominee. So INSCRIPTIONS were the fabricatons,
and 30 black were the representations, that a
stranger to our politics could hardly have been
accused Of insanity II he had concluded that 1t
would be virtue to remove the party's chosen
leader. These ISLANDERS have lately been repeated
by faction which, in reality, stands for the
spoils system and imperial dictation. For years
the great leader OF this faction has been dis
turbing element in our political ife-an insti-
gator Of strife and animosites, debating with
egotistcal impudence to both parties, but never
discussion. A long and bitter attack upon the ad.
ministration has eliminated in the attempted as.
sassnation OF the president. The blow might
have come sooner and from a different quarter.
The wonder is not that it has come, but that some
unprincped partisan did not sooner give express
sion to the spirit which has characterized political
opposition.
That Guiteau is fanatic, no one doubts Az n
matter Of course no association recognizes any
connection with the perpetator of deed which
has so Mortified the American people. The moral
responsibility Of the stalwarts does not, as has
been falsely affirmed, rest upon his claim OF con-
nection with them. 1t rests upon the sef-evident
fact that the fierce warfare upon the president ex-
cited the Unbalanced and unprncipled mind of a
disappointed oflice-seeker TO his atrocious deed
| Parties and factions are not legally responsible
| for the deeds OF their fanatical adherents but
they are morally responsible for the intensity and
bitterness Of feeling which leads to crime When
an individual wages wanton and unreasonine
warfare upon another and, by honest and dishon
est means, draws others to his support until somt
excitable and hardened sympathizer resorts t.
the crime of murder, who Is morally responsible
| The people at once refused to believe that tn,
i hssasslndllOn was tne Work OF an insane man
They will certainly refuse to regard the ASSASSIN
as alone morally responsible. Everything which
has been learned with regard to Guiteau indicate,
one Of those desperate men whose disordered in
tellect renders them susceptible to visionary pro
| iects, and whose moral obliquites make then
capable OF any wickedness. Russia has many
such engendered by despotc rule, and the agita
ton OF extreme and vicious principles. We have
some tlet us hope only few the fruit of per
nicious party spirit One Of these has just at
tempted the life of the president. To ignore it
| significance and to attempt to represent it a
merely the deed ola half-crazy adventurer canno
fail to encourage factions II 1t does not repeti
ton Of the deed
We are people of high nervous organization
OF intense activity, but too easily misguided b.
unprincipled leaders and very slow to learn b.
experience. When the lamented Greeley wa
brought to an untimely grave by the exctemen
and abuse of presidential campaign, all partie
| joined in praise of his pre-eminent abilities an,
virtues, and in condemnation of the abuse whicl
had been heaped upon him But each succeedin!
election has been marked by equal heat and vic
lence. We shall expect to see similar result
now. Not until the people refuse to follow thu
leadership OF selfish and extreme politicians
whether north or south, and insist the election
OF honest, liberal minded men, can they hope 70
| political harmony or security from the assassin
| CITIZEN