The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-12-23
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terance in tho so called respectable news.
papers in regard TO Guiteau and what
should be done with him, arc enough
to lead us to inquire: Aro We nation
of murderers Take for instance the
following from the 0regoaian
Everything in this world may be
abused. Reverence for the saaotity Of
law may, III extreme casos run into alb
surdity, Tho present time affords an in
stance of it. In tho trial Of Guiteau the
country is compelled to witness piels.
ening farce. The trial shows that the
law, in its present state, 10 not fit 10
deal with crime 30 extreme and afro.
cious. In such cases the only thing
necessary should be n motion for gen.
tence Of death, which should be cxoe1t-
cd right speedily. But long "trial, !"
with it's disgusting details takes place
Though there IL not single doubt on
any point, nor single fact relating to
the murder to he developed. Such is
the enormity of this crime. The detesta.
bic character Of the assassin, aad the
fareioal nature of the legal proceedings,
that people and press have very gener.
ally expressed quasi approval Of tho
attempts which have been made to put
an end to tho worthless life Of tho dam
nabls monster. But soino say this ia a
lawless spirit, which cannot bo encour.
aged without the gravost danger Here
then is Quo OF those extreme casea be
fore spoken o., and fortunately rare as
extreme, where reverence for the sane
tity of law runs iEto absurlity. The
taking OF of this aceursel scoundrel,
as his crime is without parallel among
men Cor three hundred years, would be
no precedent for disregard or violation
OF the law in any other conceivable case
There is only one thing TO bo doac, aud
that thing is to destroy him, rs men
would destroy any horrible monster
and it matters little or nothing how,
when or by whose hand it Is accomplish
ed"
The elect Of such ideas, ii they in.
tluence any one, will be twofo.d. /. IL
will encourage tho criminal classes to
commit crime >. 1t will encourage
the friends of law and good society 90
become moro diligent in seeing that
good men are placed in responsible posi-.
tions. Suppose that the man who
wrote the above werc in tho place Of the
man before whom Gmseau Is nos be.
ing tried II such were the case, al-
though violent presumption, there
would DO no enforcing law. Tho most
sacred rights OF the Constitution would
be tramplod upon, brute force would
prevail and the crime Of assassiealion
would be encouraged.
4 judge has but one course 20 follow
and that is a strict adherence 10 the
law. lfJudge Cox could violate tho law
in order that Gui.cau should bu hanged
in that case he could with equal proprie-
ty do 80 in any other. ''Royerencc FOR
the saneity OF Law" n3ycr was and new.
or will be run into absurdi.y. There
arc unrighteous laws, but that docs not
Justify any Court in violating his sa-
cred oath to disregard them in any case.
Il would be far better il Guiseau should
go unhuns, though sane, than tha. the
law ahould be tramplod upon BY a
Judge to court popular favor. The
trial Of Guiteau IL not "a Rickening
farce. Tho EditorS that nro continual
Y bowling about the conduct OF Judge
Cox show that they arc igabrant Of
what they arc talking. The OreJoaiau
SAYS "tbcre is not a single doubt on any
point" Long before tho trial began his
counsel declared tha. Guiteau WAS Ia
sane. II he were insane in point Of fact
when no cemmitted the deed, what sane
man could wish to sec him hungl What
good would come Of hanging an insane
man Would il deter other insane men
from committing crime Not at ALL
The assertion in the above that: "There
is only one thing TO be done and that
thing Is to destroy him" nomatter "how,
when OF by whose hand il il accomplish
ed" only indicates how utterly inSig.
nifcant sone people arc. The thing re.
ferred to has not been done. Tho Court
before whom lac is being tried has thus
far shown himself TO be fair and hon
orabie man. The "takirg oif'-in 9th
er words the martier-of the prisoner
has not taken place and there seems 10
be good prospect that law viii be en-
forced and tho Constitution unyiolated,
Notwithstanding the opinion Of the Or
egoaian. qoute the followisfIiom the
Orcyoniaa of Dec 18th only to show
how extremely wild gomeperaous can be-
come. II may not prove to DO very IN
furious as not ona law.abiding citizen
in the land would endorse it j:
The discovery Is now claimed that
two jurors acting in the Guiteau case
are disqualified, and that this fact will
invalidate any verdict which the jury
may render. The story is doubtful
one; but should il provo true it will
only be the more necessary for the per-
son who is to rid the world Of the
deyilish monster to hurry up the busi-
ness. The only possible thing to bo
done with the accursed wretch is to
prepare his viie carcass for the earth,
and then to inhume it as quickly as
possible How it is done, when, or by
whose hand, matters little. Mankind
has no interest in him but to destroy
him, or to know that he is destroyed.
The law, in its present state, cannot
deal properly with such miscreant,
and therefore is not entitled to respect.
The only thing necessary in such case
should be to bring the detested scoun-
drel before the court to receive the
sentence Of death. A "trialp for such
a crime is burleslue of justice and an
outrage upon mankind. The scenes
'enacted in the court room at Washing
ton are not for enforcement Of justice,