The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-07-07
A BLreHrEp Anniversary.

a
Never was our national anniversary celebra-
tion mingled with sueh sorrow, anxiety, ana
doubt, as the Fourth just past. Last Saturday,
throughout the length and breadth OF the land,
preparations were making everywhere for les
tivities on an unusually grand scale; for all was
peace, prosperity and plenty, and all had ocea-
sion TO rejoice. But on that morning came the
horrifying news that the President Of the United
States had fallen under the bullet of assassin,
while in the act of walking to the cars IN rail-
road depot, to proceed on q visit of pleasure ana
friendship to New England, and to participate
in the exercises Of ono of her favorite institutions
Of flearning. Throughout the day, there was an
alienation of messages of hope and despair, the
night closing in with an announcement that the
President was dead. Happily, this was \ MS
take; but the situation was such, that prepara-
tions for rejoicing could not go on In many
places, the celebrations were abandoned ID
Others, they took quiet and snbdued iorin;
while in others still, they were changed INTO
assembiages Of supplieation and prayer for tine
recovery of the President.
The news of the attempted assassination was
the more astounding, because there seemed 10 oe
no conceivable cause for it. When Lincoln was
assassinated, the country was closing up bitter
civil war, and the partisans Of the defeated
cause might be expected to seek all manner oi
revenge. But now the country was III the midst
of profound peace. There n better feeling
between the sections than for many years past
party strife had died out, except a miserable
faction wrangle in a single State; there were not
even signs of labor troubles. 1t was the general
g.aIfo 81, 81 l.oI Iaa ra aefO Of a
at least a monomaniac upon some particular sub
ject. Then came the announcement that the
assassin was n member Of the Presidents own
political party. His expression, 81 am Stall
wart; Arthur is now President of the United
Statesr Il very unfortunate one for both
Conkling and Arthur, under the circumstances;
and il has created belief in the minds of thou
sands, which it will be difficult to eradicate. We
have no idea that either COnkling or Arthur
dreamed of such a thing, but have an idea that
the news astonshed them rs it did everybody
else. But were they clear of all responsibility
in the matter' They were engaged in dirty
scramble for political patronage, and they and
their followers have denounced Garfield as a
traitor to the party, simply for appointing one
man to Office who was distasteful to them. COnk-
ling, just before his resignation, made the re-
mark, that il it came to q question of murder or
suicide, he wOnld choose murder. His reference |
was to political murder, not physical murder |
But have not some of his crazy followers given |
a literal meaning to his words Here was a
characteress tramp, who had been besieging the !
President for Office, and received attention. |
lie had the same grievance that COnkling had. |
He readily believed COnklngs charge that Gar
field was traitor to the party; and he, too, |
would choose murder, if he could not get Office.
lie would rid the country of this traitor, and
make Arthur President, who would favor the |
"Stalwarts" He carried the Conkling war to
its legitimate result ard while Conkling and
his friends did not advise or intend this act, it
was the natural outgrowth of their disgraceful
course.
There has another evil taken root in America,
TO which many attributed the assassination. Ii
is the thing called Socialism, or Communism;
and il was thought that this poor brute had been
seized with ambition to initiate the assassins
of European rulers. The Gar of Russia was as
sassinated, who was the best friend the United
States had in Europe, and who one of the
best rulers Russia ever had. Yet, in New York
and other cities of America, meetings were held
and the assassination was publicly applauded
and glorifed. Even in the Capital of Kansas, a
conclave of temperance zealots from this State
and Others, held a meeting at which the assassi-
nation of the Car was applauded. If such
things are allowed in America, under the guise
of free speech, is it any wonder that a fanatic
should be tempted to seek applause by murder
ing the President of our countryi And if the
assassination of a ruler is justified, whenever an
or faction becomes displeased with
him, where will it end, and how long will gov
ernment exist : Murder and attempted murder
should be punished with the utmost severity. 1t
is now almost impossible to punish murderer,
except by mob law. The man who commits
murder, becomes a hero. horse thief is hanged
without mercy; but when n brute of n man sleeps
his hands in the blood of a fellow-man, the
preachers, the women, and the press unite their
powers to screen him from punishment, and be-
siege every avenue with their opportunities for
in his behalf. Such men as Garfield
must run the risk of suffering for it.