New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-06
SENTENCED.

I'm DENYING motions for new trial, ana III
sentencing the assassin Guiteau, Judge Cox
once more did himself credit. His decision
WAS not ONLY well fortified by citations and
arguments but it will he heartily approved by
the common sense of the public. The PretcXts
upon which a new rial was sought were not
only very slender; they would have JUSTIFIED
tLe Judge in much harsher language concern
ing somebody connected with the defence than
he thought il desirable to use.
The n crers brother swears that the words
and names written on paper found III the
iury-room were in the handwritings Of several
of the jurors As he had no acquaintance
with these iurymen before they were impan-
elled, and can have had no honest or proper
correspondence with them since. and, more
over. does not even pretend to be an expert in
handwriting. this assertion under oath is
very extraordinary one. There are not many
hank clerks or experts who would undertake
to swear to the handwriting of a signature in
opposition to the oath of the person supposed
to have written it, even if his ordinary writing
and signature were perfectly familiar. But the
members ofthe Guiteau family have done several
extraordinary things. They have tired the
Datipncp of the public in a remarkable degree.
and still seem TO he incapable of perceivlng
that it would be well for them to shrink from
the public gaze. After falsely and indecently
accusing the Government OF uniairness, when
il had given TO a low, vulgar and unspcakahly
odous creature better opportunities and larger
means for his defence than any Other criminal
i'm this country ever had these people have
offended the public nOstrls by their comments
upon the verdict, and have done gross injus-
tice to an unusually intelligent, faithful and
patient jury. This impudent affidavit OF John
w. Guiteau pus on the cap-sheaf. AS the
Judge points ont, the fact that this affidavit
asserts that one Of the jurymen wrote his own
name twice spelling it in two different ways
and both wrong. sufficiently explainsits charac-
ter The less this particular Guiteau allows the
world to hear of him in future, the better it
will be for him.
The murderer also took pains to make an
other exposure of his motives He cried out,
Nothing but good has come of General
"Garfeld's removal, and that will be
"posterity's view of it, Everybody is
happy here excepting a few cranks.
Nothing but good has come to this Nation
from his removal" 1t is quite evident that
this "Stawart of the StalwartS' is still full
dizement of narrow and vindctve faction
must be a blessing to the Nation. He is not
alone in that idea, though no other man proved
himself willingtO commit murderin orderto bring
about the change. But the spirit OF an assassin
is shown in the treatment which many men
and some Journals give to the memory of the
murdered President. Guitcau murdered his
body. but these men are striving continually
to murder his fair name to destroy his repu-
tation for patriotism. purity, and strength of
character; to assassinate the principles and the
friends that he held dear; to murder all that
the dead President valued more than life it.
self. For Guiteau there will he a reckoning
day at the galows. But for the meanrr and
more cowardy assasSins of character, who
show all his malice ami his basencss but lack
his pluck, the reckoning day will also come
not less surely, if the American people are
worthy of the President they have lost.