Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-07-03
WAsHINGTON LETTER.
Things In and About Washington
as seem by our Correspondent.
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From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., June 80, 1882.
This day that has been looked forward
to by the entire country as the longed
for final scene in o National tragedy
daWned cool with a clear sky. Govern
ment officials walked slowly to theiI
offices and senators and representatives
went to the Capitol impressed with a
solemnity in which there was no sym,
pathy tor the m murderer, but painful
recollection of the appalling crime COM
mitted by him one year ago, and the
terrible days Of suspense, hope and de.
spair that followed. l shall not 90 in.
to the details of the final scene, or de-
scribe the manner and bearing of the
criminal, in his poor and pitiful expia.
ton.
1t is enough that the odious life has
been ended by an odious death and tina
one of the most worthless and unworthy
of men has been forced to the doom of
his despiCable deed. If there is any
moral to be drawn from his life and
fate, it Is to be feared the American
people have not improved it. He has
been given that notoriety which his
haIf.donkey half.demon nature craved,
and no doubt his long imprisonment
and his last moments were solaced by
the reflection that his lEfamy was sub.
lime In the reflected splendor of his vic.
tim and the shock Of the world. He
has glOated over the fact that his name
has appeared in head lines In thousands
of journals, that his photographs have
been displayed in the windows of sta.
TONERS and photographers; that his bust
has been made by distinguished sculp-
tor; and that so.called women have be-
sought his autograph.
tits not too much to say that this
could not have occurred in any country
except the United States, and it should
bring blind boosters about American
civilization to the decency Of silence
and morals, and good taste is not bad
religion. SThe bad taste that has tolera-
ted the display OF Guiteau' s photograph
in groups with the photographs Of the
dead President, his venerable mother
and family, indicates moral obliquity
and justified the accusation that penny
grabbing villgarity is deplorably con-
spicuous in the United States,
On Sunday the second of July, the
first anniversaryofthe assassination, the
corner stone of the Garfield Memorial
Church will be laid by the pastor of the
Disciples Church and Chaplain of the
House, Rev. +. d. Power, Hon A. 7.
PettibOne of Tennessee and Hon. A. S.
Willis Of Kentucky, members Of Con-
gress and also mem bers of the church
to which the late President belonged,
will deliver addresses. The church is to
be small editice, though nearly twice
as large as that which President Gar
field attended, and it will be built on
the same ground,
Hon. Mr.. Hawk who died suddenly
from appoplexy yesterday was also a
member of this church. He was an
upright and rigidly temperate man.
Just two hours before his death he had
received a telegram from his home in
Illinois, informing him of his uDani-
nous denomination to Congress.
1t is now expected that Congress will
adjourn soou after the tenth of July.
The dilatoriness and general lack Of
system in making up and passing the
appropriation bills in the two Houses
of Congress has been again illustrated.
Now at the very close of the fiscal year
when all the appropriations expire and
when the Government will come to a
standstill unless sufficient appropria.
tions are made al this session, several
of the most important bills have not
yet been reported 10 the Senate, and
some of them will be subjected to pro.
tracted if not careful debate before they
can be passed.