Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-10-19
The Psoii,h aud wiekea rppeChc. oi
thp Vermont senator,

CHE Fsuiish and wicked speeches 81
Uhp Vermoni senaloF
The correspondent Of tho BoaioH
Post writing from Washington under
tho date Of Oct, lllh, saysi Senator
Edmunds did not present very pleas
ant spectacle yesterday, lilo pretended
that h. had q grave constitutional qucs-
ton 10 argue, II his position was
sound Il was q grave question, aud 10
should have argued II with the judicial
fairness aud the breadth Of view that
bccomc statesmen dealing with subjects
that affect tho public good, llc was
neither grave, nor diguiIlcd, nor judi
ciul IN any sense, H. was mean, aud
acrimonious, aud unjust aud uutrulh-
fl, lie betrayed all the uurrowncsS
Of his partisan nature, ut Is slrpri''
ing," said locker on, chow u bright
mind can be- linked to 20 small soul, "
Mr., Edmunds knew that illusions Ia
assassination were out Of place, aud yet
kc sought TO throw the odum of the
killing Of the president on the demo-
cratic purity. Mr., Edmuuds Is not u
truly patriotic man, for no one who
believes IN the advantage OF party NJ
the expense Of the public peace can he
yaid to bc truly patriotic. | Ito not
believe that there is another member ol
the scuutc-and do not except even
George +, lIoar-who would publicly
DRAG that cruel killing into politics.
Mr.. Edmunds' mind seems 10 he con-
siruclcd on such wrong principals that
he will resort 10 any device TO make
his political opponents odious. 1t is
bad that n great party should have
such leader in the upper house of the
federal legislature. A bad temper aud
dull conscience seems to have warped
the keen intellect of one who, with II
proper moral training nigh, have been
of much service to the country, Why
Mr.. Edmunds should seek to make Il
appear that the democrats sought pow
or through assassination is difficult to
understand. lie knew very well that
while he did no, utter II distinct I'M
truth, his remark was just rs much q
ialschood us though he had openly
charged that the democrats had con-
niyed ut the assassination of Mr., Gar.
field in order that Mr.. Bayard might
be placed in the order Of succession TO
the presidency. The public uitcWncc
was exactly in keeping with some OF
his private declarations. This gentle
man, whom MOI. republicans consider
cmiucntly fitted for place on the SUI
prrmc bench, was 50 far iorgctllll OF
the public interest as to say in private
conversation that the election Of dem
ocrat 10 he president pro temporc ofthe
senate would be Il iempta,i"n to some
one to murder Mr.. Arthur. Mr.. Ed
mlnds is man Of such large intclli-
gcncc that he must be presumed to
know that in the present state OF the
public mind. such remark should not
be made by one of such high standing
in the party. There is no good in
that sort Of talk" said Il bright rcpuh-
lean who occupies a high place in
official irc." at is not the democrats
who have been killing presidents" In
truth, it eau be much more justly
charged that Mr.. Elmunds' own con-
duct and loose talk are calculated to
iucitc to assassination. He must be
prepared to accept all the responsibility
of his own contempt lur facts and pru-
dcnce. He himself said yesterday
"They who take the sword will perish
by it,