Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-20

me- as a preventative OF murder, than dozen
hangingS in the eastern states. They think
that course other than the usual one should
be adopted in the punishment of Guiteau for
ms crime. in order to satisfy the feelings of
an injured nation and serve as an example in
future to curb the baser passions of all who
aspire to become notorious by aSsaSsinating
theruler ofthe nation. The avengers have just
unanimously resolved that one of their number
be chosen by ballot whose duty it shall be to
devote his whole time and energy to carrying
into execution their proposed plan. and while
the one chosen must act at the risk of his life
it must be with the consciousness that his life
is not too dear to sacrifice in order to punish in
just manner the dastardly coward who has
imbrued his hands with the nations best blood
1t is understood that the person selected to
murder Guiteau will be unknown to his fellow
members, except those Of the executive COM
mittee, who, it would seem. have absolute
power.
Law and Order.
GEN. SHERMAN APPEALS TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF
THE UNION.
The following card from Cen W. T. Sherman.
addressed to the editor of morning paper,
was published to-day:
my Dear Sir: You and have been COM
rades in civil broils and strife in California when
vigilance committees assumed rule. and we
know, or think we know, how good. honest
people have done some acts of violence under an
right thing, and we believe that time. the great
physician, will cure all things to the patient
l have occasionally and recently heard the
same arguments on the streets. the same
scraps of wisdom enunciated, and even at this
dread hour, when our noble. brave President is
lying in the very agonies of death at Long
Branch, and the cowardly, miserable wretch.
Guiteau. is covering in his cell at the public jail.
it occurs to me that you and | should, in our
respective spheres. make profitable use of our
r1nC ,.@1, IL,
higher esteem the noble qualities of James A.
Garfield than myself. | was on the point of
starting for Chattanooga tonight to do honor to
the heroes of Chickamauga, of whom he was
one OF the most prominent, but was stayed by
the unfavorable report from his bedside at noon.
and l shall remain here at my post of
duty till the last moment of hope. At
Chlckamauga, eighteen years ago, Garfield
was Chief of staff to Gen. ROsecrans, whose
right wing was broken back by the
vehement charges of Bragg's forces. and was
carried along with the broken masses almost
into Chattanooga, when he begged for the privi-
lege of returning to join Gen. Thomas whose
guns told him that that heroic man still stood
fast with his right wing. Gen. ROsecrans gave
him leave, and he did return running the gaunt-
let. joining Gen. Thomas and serving close to
his person till night enabled them to fall back in
good order to Chattanooga That was Gen.
Garfield's last fight, in which he felt especial
pride, and know that he intended to be at
event. But it is ordered otherwise. for he now
lies by the seashore On his death-bed from a
wound inflicted by the miserable wretch Gue eau
For this man Guiteau l ask no soldier
no citizen to feel one particle Of sympathy; on
the contrary. could l make my will the law.
shooting or hanging would be too good for him.
But do ask every soldier and every citizen to
remember that we profess to be the most loyal
nation on earth to the sacred promises of the
law There is no merit in Gbeying an agree
able law. but there is glory and heroism in sub
mIttinS gracefully to an oppressive one. Our
constitution reads: No person shall be held to
answer for capital or otherwise infamous crimes
unless on preSentments or indictment of
grand jury; and in all criminal prosecutions the
accused shall enjoy the right to speedy and
state and district wherein the crime shall
have been committed This is the solemn
contract of government binding on the con-
sciences OF all. Should our President die the
murderer is entitled to speedy trial by jury,
and hope he will have justice done him. But it
is not any office of yours, or of anybody except
the regular courts OF thissDistrict. which are in
undsPuted power. Violence in any form will
bring reproach upon US al-on the country at
large and especially on us of the District of
Columbia.
All the circumstances of the shooting and
of the long, heroic struggle for life. impress me
so strongly that | would be ashamed of my
countryme1 If they mingled with their feeling of
mine, saith the Lord l trust the public press
will exert its powerful Influence to maintain the
good order and decOrum which have prevailed
since the saddest of all days in Washington,
July 2, 1881"
The Fund for Mrs. Garfield.
MR.. FIELD MAKES AN EXPLANATION AND AN
APPEAL.
Mr.. Cyrus W. Field last night had the follow
ing telegraphed over the country: The death
of the President has led>to inquiries i'm regard
to the fund raised for the benefit of Mrs. Gar
field. The whole amount subscribed at present
is $157. .5993S, of which every dollar has been
paid, except single subscription of $1,000
which was made on condition that S245 600 was
first raised, and may be withdrawn should
not that amount be secured. The money, as fast
as received. was depositedwith the United States
Trust Company, and as soon as q sufficient
amount was paid in the Trust Company purchased
500, 600 four per cent registered government
bonds to which has since been added @25, coo
more. Owing to the high premium. this S125. 900
in bonds cost $145, 2S1.35. The bonds remain on
deposit with the Trust Company for Mrs. Gar
field, the interest of which, 5000 year, will
be paid to her quarterly, as long as she lives and
at her death the whole amount will be divided
equally amongst the surviving children of James
A. Garfield. There is a balance in cash of
$7.3l0-13, which, with whatever may be added
hereafter, will be applied in the same way. There
Wculd seem to be reason for expecting con-
siderable addition to the fund now that the Presi-
dent is gone. Individuals have made liberal
promises of what they would do in the event Of
his death. Some even felt there was an impro
pfiety in the attempt to raise subscriptions while
he was still living with hope of recovery; that
the gift would create a feeling of personal obi |
cation that might prove embarrassing hereafter. |
Some were restrained from giving lest there mo
tiyes should be misunderstood That objection |
is now removed. No one need fear the imputa-
tion OF unworthy motives, for which there is no
longer place. Our dead President has no fayors |
to give, no hOnOrs to bestOw. He cannot be
touched by tokens of public sorrow, even by a
whole nation following at his bier. But there is
a practical way of showing respect for the dead
by kindness to the living He is gone, but his
wife and his children live to carry through |
all their lives the burden OF this great SORROW
Mrs. Garfield Will soon leave the capital. in which
her husband was lately the head of 50,OO0 600 of
people. to GO back to her distant home, widowed
and isolate Only once before has there been
anything SO pathetic in American history. That !
the country will deal generously with this
stricken household no one VIII, doubt but great
bodies move slowly, and it is.loHg<to wait. We
have preferred to do sometIis rosc asking only
the privilege in this first HAsh M grief of show
ing our sympathy in practical way. and SO in
some slight degree, If we cannot soothe the hid
den sorrow. Of relieving anxieties that must