Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-09-20
Letter from Texas.
Cook Co., TEXAS. Sept. 1st.

Cook Co., TEXAS. Sept. 1st, 1881.
| Edltor Of Spectator Thinking a few
items from this land of centipedes, ta-
rantulds, horned frogs and lizards, may
not not prove uninteresting to, at least,
some of the many readers of the SPEC
TAToR, 1 venture to send you commu-
nication, with the hope that you may
| find it worthy of an insertion in the COL
umns of your valuable paper.
The all absorbing theme here is still
the shooting of the President and his
| subsequent sufferings therefrom. In
| spite of Gov. Roberts refusal to give bis
official sanction to Gov. Fosters propo.
sition, the people of Texas, almost with
out single exception, unite in con-
demning Guiteau's horrid crime, in un-
measured terms. 1 have all my life
been an unwavering Democrat, and ex-
pect to die such, but when 1 reflect up
on the atrocity of this crime, calling to
mind the fact that it was entirely un.
provoked, when 1 think of the suffer-
ing it has brought upon the President,
of the heroic manner in which he has
borne those sufferings, and of the men,
tai anguish it has caused his family, I
believe that the hearts of the people of
the United States, regardless of party
affiliations or political predictions,
should, as the heart of one man, throb
with united pulsation of sympathy for
the afflicted family of the White House,
and every tongue should unite in heap
ing maledictions on the head of the au-
thor of the Nations sorrow. It occurs
to me that the fact of the President of
the United States being shot down with
out the slightest provOcation in time
of profound peace, and that act by the
confession of the assassin premedita.
ted one, is significant commentary on
our form of government.
l see from the papers that Guiteau is
being guarded by United States troops
to prevent his life being sacrificed to the
righteous judgment of a justly incensed
people. AS law.abiding citizen am
opposed to mob law, but it strikes me
that this is one of the few instances in
which nothing but Lynch-law can ade-
quately meet the demands of the case.
However, suppose it is right and prop
under all circumstances be vindicated,
and in dealing with even the worst of
criminals we should be governed by the
motto, ".fdt jatstitia rudt cOeluna."
Texas has been suffering for the last
three months from most distressing
drought. There has not been drop of
rain, to do any good Except in few is-
olated localities) since May, in conse-
quence of which stock water has be-
come extremely scarce, the wells have
all all gone dry, the grass is entirely
burnt up, the corn crop almost total
failure, while cotton will not average
more than One-feurth of an ordinary
crop. This is truly disastrous state of
affairs, and the worst feature in the case
is that it is not confined to Texas, for
scarcely State in the Union is exempt
from the terrible scourge. At the risk of
incurring the charge of superstition, I
will venture to suggest that the perihe-
liza of the planets together with the un-
usual number of comets which have
made their appearance this season, have
had something to do with bringing
about this deplorable calamity. Grain
of all kinds is very high here corn,
which three months ago was selling for
thirty cents per bushel, now readily
commands one dollar; wheat is worth
one dollar and half and oats seventy
five cents per bushel. The present will
be very unfavorable year for emigra-
ting to Texas, and my advice to Vir-
ginians Especially tarmers) is to stay in
Virginia. The Old Dominion needs all
her sons. 1 particularly recommend to
all good Democrats the propriety of re-
naming at all events till after the No
| vember election, and doing all in their
power to elect Major Daniel.
GUILLAUME.