, 1881-07-10
HE Is NOT INSANE.


The Hon. Emery 4. Storrs discusses at
considerable length the question Of the
| wretch Guiteau's mental status. Mr.. Storrs
holds to the theory that Guiteau was insane.
Many people, for the sake of human nature.
would like to believe the same. In this
spirit Mr.. Storrs remarks: II would much
prefer to believe that Il crazy man attempted
the life Of our good President than that q
sane man did it's It we enter upon all i'll
yestgation OF the subject Of Guiteau's
mental stains with the wish to reach Ger
tain conclusion, we shall, In all human
probability, reach that conclusion regardless
Of the merits of the case. But this is not
what the country wants: it waits to know
the fact, whatever that fact may be. If
Guiteau was insane when he shot the prcsi
dent, that fact robs the lnurderous act Of
much of its significance. But if Guteau
was sane when he committed the horrid
deed, the country wants to know that fact
wants to have it demonstrated. The coun-
try doesn't want to BIZ deceived, and so lnred
to Il false security. Tie country, unlike Mr..
Storrs, does not ''prGfcr" to believe Guiteau
crazy; it demands, at the proper time, q
searching, impartial investigation after the
trntll,-an Investigation to discover whether
the woul,l-be assassin is or is not responsible
for his act.
Mr.. r..Storrs says: at is clear that Gulteau
has for years been laboring under delusions
about himself" III support Of this theory
Mr.. Storrs cites tiuiteau's speech, printed
but not delivered, which he thought was
instrumental i'll securing the election Of
r{ia al 11ttt il o,tiIa,. NIL nF
profound egutisnl, even if Gniteau honest
" entertained the opinion. Numerous Oh
scure persons of only ordinary capacity be-
licve that they exert ali ilncnse influence
upon public affairs. Prominent politicians
frequently Indulge this illusion. When
Dorsey was told that lie carried the State Of
Indiana for Garfield lie did not seek to dis
pei the Illusion. 1t was said that Conklng
carried New York, and he was silent. 1t
was declared that Grant saved the day,
and lie was silent also. Whenever, upon
occasion, !, man is elected to office by o1le
majority, hundreds ot voters claim. by rea-
son Of peculiar circumstances, to have cast
that particular vote. But what reason is
there to credit Guteau with honesty III the
expressed belief that he secured the election
u NAtHclu U1 ttli1t ilUouI IL opcECH :. iIE
wanted an office, made up his mint to apply
for ole, and impudently claimed the honor
OF having carried the election as 4 means
of strengthening his claim. lie is 4
notorious liar, and there is no ev-
dencc that lis assertion that le had
carried the election was anything more
than Ill impudent pretense put forth in aid
Of his ambition. Nor does Ills application
for the place Of Minister to Austria tend
even to prove insanity. 1t is 4 common trick
of mendaci0us oillceseekers to make appli-
cation for Il high place with the deliberate
purpose OF strengthening their chances Of
securing Il low place. Our readers will re-
member the case related by Gen. Jackson Of
the ofliceseeker who demanded from him u
first-class foreign mission and finally offered
to compromise Oil a pair Of the Generals
ancient breeches.
Mr.. Storrs says of Guiteau: "1Iis mind
had been running constantly on himself"
True, but Of what politician intensely seek
ing office is this not true? 1t is proyerbial
that otficeseeking politics leads up to su-
preme scitisness. Egoti>sn may render
man ridiculous, and scltishness may make a
man blind, and cruel, and wicked. but neither
egntisrn nor selishncss is legal evidence Of
insanity.
Gultelu had an absorbing passion for no.
toriety, but this passion Is no evidence Of
the insanity Of him who indulges it. This |
passion is often the banc Of the cIcarcst. |
brightest inte1lects, :md leads them to the
commission of crimes, but affords no valid |
ground for the defense Of insanity. Egutisln, |
-1,t r
tend to create Illusions i'll the mind which |
becUnles a prey to these bad passions; und |
these illusions may lead to the commission |
Of crime.
Guiteau indnlged the illusion that he could |
secure all Office from President Garfield. lie |
followed up the Illusion for months. But |
six weeks ago lie realized that it WAS al ilu-
sion. Had he been insane he would not |
have detected the illusive character Of his
ambition. The fact that lie did detect it Is
very strong evidence Of his sanity. But |
there is better evidence behind. When lie
realized the hopelesness Of Ills pursuit of |
office, he resolved to be reycnged OIL the man
by whom lie had been foiled. lIeresolyed to
shoot the President. Thercupon he ceased
to importune him for office and perfected his
plans to kill him.
In the celebrated case of Hadfeld, tried |
for shooting at the King, Mr. Erskine, in the
course Of his argument in behalf Of the pris-
oner. thus stated the conditions of insanity:
s' cannot allow the protection of insanity to
q man who only exhibits violent passions and
malignant resentinents, acting upon real cir
who is impelled to evil from no
morbid delusions, but who proceeds upon the
ordinary perceptions of t1le mind.'' ..
s. He alone can be so e1nancipated whose dis
ease (call it what you willy consists not
merely in seeing with prejudiced eye, or
with odd and absurd peculiarities, differing