The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-01-26
A PLEA FOR GUITEAU.
LETTER FROM A RELIGIOUS
CRANK IN THE LUNATIC.
ASYLUM,
In which he Begs for Guiteau's
Life.
ga Fellow Feeling Makes us
WOndrOus Kind.

The subjoined letter was sent to the
STATESMAN by an inmate of the insane
asylum. While there is no purpose to
be served, either good, bad or Indifferent,
by its publication, the very novelty
and strangeness of the document, as
we'll as the source whence it came,
constitute reasons sufficient for giving
II place in the STATESMAN. The au-
thor of the letter is confined in the Texas
asylum for the insane upon charge of
religious lunacy, to use his own Ian
guage, and is of that class of the genus
homo for which the word e'crank" has
recently been coined. Guiteau is called
'crank," too, and it is possible that
Wilson, in a partially lucid moment,
adopted the sentiment which tells us "a
fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind"
The letter is as follows
LUNATIC ASYLUM, AUSTIN, TEXAS,
January Is, 1882.
To the Editors Of the Statesman:
Considering myself a public spirited
man, and whether am or NOT, l address
this letter TO you, and ask of you candid
consideration of its contents, and the
favor of you, if you please, of its publ
cation Ia the columns of your valu-
able, meritorious paper / trust that
my earnestness and sincerity will in
woke your observation and secure favor
able attention. Permit me to state in the
outset, if you please, that l highly APP
preciate the thriftness of thought exhibit
ed in many of your editorials, and as
truth is the desideratum to be gathered
in our endeavors, both in theory and
in practice, l have reason to think
yhe ideas here presented will be appreci-
ated. With these preliminary ideas, l
here state that my object in this
communication is to save Guiteau from
the gallows, and / trust that you will
permit the publication of this article in
your columns for the furtherance of that
object. l scarcely know how to act in
the extraordinary, the difficult task
which presents itself to me. feel my
utter inadequacy for the task, but, trust
ing in that almighty arm which nerves
us for the duties of life, endeavor 10 do
what can, and may God help
me, and may you help me,
and l trust that l will receive
the assistance and the cooperation of
every genuine righthearted man, every
sincere lover of Christ on earth. sorrow
as sincerely over the death of the lamented
president, Garfield, as any person on
earth, were it my own mother slain by
the hand of an assassin and l were to see
the contrition exhibited by Guiteau.
would say, in the name of that Christ
which he processes TO honor, and which
believe he loves, let him be exempt from
punishment. There are many circum-
stances connected with the taking of life,
which it is impossible to grasp.
1t is quite likely that some accident
may have happened which caused the
shooting. Guns and pistols frequently
go off in a strange way, and without
meaning any humor for God knows this
is no place for hNmor, as there is more in
heaven and earth than is dreamed of III
our philosophy. There may be danger
in gun or pistol without lock, stock,
barrel or ramrOd.
However much we may deplore the
death of President Garfield, the
killing or hanging of Guiteau
will not bring him to life or
mitigate the calamity, and l do not
think the condition of the country needs
the sacrifice of the life of Guiteau. l
think he acted hastily, unguardedly,
wrongly, yet let him be forgiven, and l
ask for Christ's sake don't kill him don't
hang him l cannot stand idly by
when see that he endeavors to propiti-
ate the law and gives such evident tokens
of his sincere regard for right.
/ am not an advocate of capital
punishment, though l am not quite
certain that it would be adj
visable for the law to be
abrogated, though will not discuss that
question here.
This boon, this boon L only crave,
To save Guiteau from the gaspiIg grave
Sincerely, truly, lovingly,
THOMAS FRANCIS WILSON.