Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-11-29
From the N. Y. Herald, Nov. 20th ]
THE GUITEAU TRIAL.

THE GUITEAU TRIAL.
The sensational story from Washing
ington in reference to the attempt to
shoot Guiteau will be read rs one of the
incidents of sad tragedy. 1t is diff
cult to form temperate Judgment up
on the incidents attending and following
the assassination of President Garfield,
History fails to show parellel to so
grotesquc, SO unnatural and so despica
BILE a crime. Beginning with the assas-
sinati0n of the President, the homely
domestic circumstances attending his
departure from the White House, the
cowardice Of his murderer, the long
meditated and coolly prepared attempt,
the following days Of suffering and anx-
iety, the awful death, we remember the
affectionate sympathies that came from
the civilized world for the family that
had lost its head and the nation that had
lost its chief. Perhaps no human being
since Judas has had concentrated upon
his soul the just indignation Of civilized
men TO such an extent as this miserable
wretch Guiteau. His character is with
out redeeming trait; without honesty,
mercy, charity, humility or forbearance !;
without the slightest regard for any law,
human or divine absorbed in his malig-
nant, devouring egotism, and living
alone for vanity and crimes We mny
look through the range Of history and
through the still wider range Of fiction
for one who resembles Guiteau. Moth
ing that the man has written or said
his letters to the President and Secreta
~ of State when seeking Office: the
manifestations in the court OF Justice
shows the slightest quality that appeals
| to our sympathy. He stands pre-emi-
nent among the monsters Of our modern
civilization.
This concentration of villainy, deprav-
ity aud hearlessness has generated the
sentiment among kindly people that Gui-
tcau Is a mOnomaniac, an insane person.
Many of those who regarded with the
deepest sorrow the assassination of our
illustrious and and amiable President
were disposed from humanity to say that
the only explanation of Guiteau's crime
would be that he was irresponsible be-
fore the law, and that the deplorable fact
| that his hand should have taken the life
| Of the President was a circumstance to
be regarded even Ms though the Presi-
dent had been bitten by dog raging
with hydrophobia, and to be deplored as
one of the inacrltable DEGREES Of PrOvi-
dence. IL Is difficult to reconcile this
| theory, which does justice to the human
| ity of those who cherish 1t, with the de-
meanor OF Gulteau before the Court
| We have seen him now for several days
| In peril of his life, In the presence OF Il
| Jury of his cOuntrymen, tried by Judge
noted for his courtesy and patience, pros
ecuted by lawyers who perform their
| painful task with humanity, defended by
lawyers who give his case Il devotion
which the admirers of Charlotte Cor
day would respect, behaving with lnso-
lence, depravity and eowardce. How
| far IL this the prompting of insanity or the
reconciliation of II thoroughly bud man
who knows enough of the law to defy
| justiceY IL Is clear that Guiteau knew
| that he was committing crime and that
| he now feels his responsibility. What
ever may be the result Of the trial the
| Judgment Of the wisest men will be that
| this man WIS In every respect murder
or; that he knew the consequences OF
the assassination and that he was driven
TO his crime by the impulses Of n dcprav-
ed and wicked heart.
This being the opinion of those who
look upon Guiteau's case calmly there
can be but one opinion as to the attempt
to take his HE. 1t Is the glory of Re
publican institutions and Of those who
| live under constitutional form of gov
ernment, where justice Is sacred and the
forms of Justice are coneecrated by law
and tradition, that no criminal shall be
condemned except by due process oi law
Even those who deplore the Presidents
death most kecnly have hoped that the
punlshment of his assassin would be
monumental exhibition Of American jus
ticc, II Is 10 the credit of the American
people that, much ns they deplore, tht
death Of Garfield, they have Insisted up
on such n trial Of GHriield's assassin ~
would show the world that the life OF Tho
poorest citizen who stubs his way
through the wOrld-the negro on th'
plnntation or the Chlnaman In The min
Inc ramp - Is As much under The prOtec
t,on of the law as the life OF the Chie
Magistrate. The universal seniiinen
thnt tiuIteall should have fair, ust an'
generous trial Is to be remembered Il
our credit ~ n nation. II the sympath!
of the people could have found hohora
bic expression In M act Of punishment
or revenge Gultehu would have beel
hanged within twenty-I0ur hours ATE
Inc Commission Of his crime. But slicl
n deed, however much It might com
mend itself to our sense of rctrlh ltion
would have been foul blot upon ustice
This sentiment has hen confirmed by tn
patienrc Of the Judge who tries Gilitenll
of the lawyers who prosecute him, oi IN
lury who decree his fate. We catno
loo highly commend the forbearanc
shown by MI who take part In this pros
eculion- and because of this we carno
too strongly condemn the cowurdly NJ
tempt ~ take Gulteal's life. Garfield
memory can have no higher honor lha
that the man who slew him should b
tried as citizen aud condemned undc
due process VI law. II will be an ever
, lasting disgrace TO American Justice,
llagrace which the world VIII not hill :
note, IL an attempt like that Of yestetda
should prove successful. This contemf
tible and degraded wretch should be trle
according TO law. II Insane nen--io