The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-01-07
WHOLE No. 2,O39

Il fool. WHO had been q free lover at
Oneida 4 man divorced from his wife, n
lniseraht" tramp i'll New York. a would
be politician who had no claim upon his
party rnt wandering printed speech in
favor OF Garfield versus Hancock. most
of which he could find no opportunity to
deliver, applies for the American mis-
sion. and failing Of that. for the post Of
consul at Paris. Treated as harmless
creature. he determines. if he cannot
have the litter place. to destroy the Pres
ident. This he viii do mauitestlv be-
! cause the President will not give him the
desired position, and yet. with singular
/ inconHcquencc. he debates it to be the
will OF God that the President shall die
for the gnnd of the nation. Is he insaneo
Ii so. where shall the line be drawn be-
tween =" medicar' and legal insanitvo
f"ltn la.riE. We are not called upon to
answer these questions; the subject is in
c"np"tent hands. and VIE shall soon have
solution. But. apart from the muir
dcrou> liand. there are some who claim
| 1t t" be IT," direct work Of a faction in
the nation. responsible fur the spirit, if
not for the deed. This is unjust, unless
| the stigma is tn be attacked to all Dart,
Vi"isEce. Ill a country where party viu-
| 'fnce has been the rule rather than the
exception. Others propose new means
! for the protection Of the President: /
BY guards and escorts. II. By relieving
INN "i the appointing power to Il great
degree. III. BY declaring it treason to
take his life. or to "compass his life"
None of these would be cflicacious.-
With regard to the first, let us hope that
1t will he long before we Shall see the
President "i cur free republic riding our
surrounding with a Gordon of troops. %,
shutting himself up against dvnimit,
like Russian Gar. Such a course
w"uid be an invitation 10 aSsas>inat
him. OF the second. it may be said tina
civil service reform would much di.
mlni>h the ugly and plniul responsible
ity Of appointments and the danger from
disappointed office seekers. The t!liru
means proposed seems at first sight /.
demand more consideration but it wuuld
in our judgment be equally inefficient.
l. w"n'h be, besides. departure from
our rcpuhlican practice. Few who won!,
attempt the Presidents life would e.pec,
I" fail; they confront death by the yer,
act. and why dignity such a crime BY tbs
name "f treason? Might not the mex,
step be an 1tttia3fr, to deter man on,
of consideration for his familvo An.
then as t" the vague phrase. compass,
ing tie life Of the PresiIeutr What
diaboical scrutiny there would come q
idle speech, which could only issue in
worse "Sedition law than that of job,
Adams administration
No. When party spirit ceases to rag,
under some new and better system t.
elections; when a civil service. appoint,,
on the claims of merit and fitness. j,
open to all honorable aspirants; whrl
politicians strive, not for sorlid sci
aggIandizement. but for the good of til
country; when virtue and intellircrc
are recognized as the only sound con,l,
ti,ns Of a trne democracy. the danger q
the assassination of men in power wi
becnme less and lass.
And yet. even then. there are tida
waves Of such evil which. starting in on
country. sweep over to another and in
nation of 30. 600, 600 inhabitants. here an.
tn re some man. imhrutpd and vile, wi
commit murder for the love of it: O.
some wild diSoriered brain will work !.
such purpose for the reason whic'
prompted the amhi,ipnS youth to fire H.,
Ephe>ian dome. that he might '.oui
live in fame the pinus fol that reare,
it,
However great t, he dep'o ed, his
tory teaches us that such things wi,
happen, even il the best regulated IT
publics.