The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1882-03-01
TWO WOMEN.

Mrs. Scoyille, the unhappy sister Of
Guiteau, has written d letter full o.
agony and tears to Mrs. Garfield APP
pealing to the widow for a word OF
mercy if not of sympathy for the con.
demned assassin. 1t is stated in the
papers that Mrs. Garfield declined ia
read the letter, declaring that she did
not desire to be dragged again before
the public in connection with Guiteau
and desired only to be left alone with
her sorrow.
We trust for the glory of true wo-
manhood that, Mrs. Garfield has been
IN one respect misrepresented. That
she does not wish to be again made a
theme of newspaper discussion or COM
ment is creditable to her sense of pro-
priety. But we should be sorry to be
convinced that she had turned q deaf
ear to the pleadings for sympathy Of
that other sorrowing and, in all likeii-
hood, far more sorrowing and suffer-
ing woman.
We have read Mrs. Scoville's pathet-
ic letter. Every line Of it appears to
have been written in blood drawn
from a tortured heart. 1t does not,
indeed, possess the graces Of rhetoric
perhaps it is not in every passage
strictly grammatical; it is not in any
sense logical argument in defense Of
Guiteau's crime nor a fine piece of lit
erary work. But it possesses q vigor
and power unknown to the most cor
rect compositions, force that strikes
us dumb, an eloquence which is never
heard save from out ofthe depths, and
which forces US to answer only with
tears. 1t is vail of woe, the last des-
pairing cry of a crushed and bruised
heart, uttered in the very dust and
ashes of humiliation and misery-a cry
that forces upon US the conviction of
the necessity of Christ with power to
console aud lift up greater than hu-
mainly possesses. @
1t does not seem possible that Mrs.
Garfield has turned away from the ap.
peal of this stricken heart. No one
could expect her to utter word or lift
a finger to save the assassin of her bus.
band from the doom he merits; no one
conld expect her to feel sympathy in
that direction. But for this woman,
more sorely smitten than herself, she
must have sent a word of consolation.
The awful tragedy which has spread
its dark wings over these two women
has not shut out from the widow all
the light of heaven, nor any of the ten
derness of human sympathy. Lords
and ladies, princes and throned rings
and queens have poured into her
wrung heart the balm of consolation.
A mighty republic sorrows with her
and encompasses her with love and
sympathy; the Christian world has
%%i1ed away her tears; her conntrymen
have made her rich and Congress has
violated the Constitution, laws and
presidents of the land to add to her
store, and finally aud above all, she
has an honored and illustrions memo
~ to cherish in her passage through
life and to bequeath to the child on of
her slaughtered husband. How is it
with the woman who has ventured,
through all this greatness and splendor
fot word-a sinnle word-ot mercy I
Not ray of light surrounds her. Not
a sympathetic voice has dared to wills.
per in her ear word of consolation; in
defending her brother against the
world, her husband has ;beeu in,pover-
ished and has now a hostile world to
fight for bread the prets, the people
aud the world are crying for her bro
theirs blood all her race is despised
and persecated; while her ears are dis.
tracted with the language of hatred
and derision, the scatfold slowly rears
itself before her eyes. Darkness, mis-
cry, sorrow-utter OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
rounds her; there is light and hope no.
where on eartn; memory covered
with infamy and scorned of mankind,
she must carry to the grave. And
this woman, with a bruised heart, a
soul humbled in the dust, with des-
pairing tears has appealed to her sister
woman. Has even a hearing Of that
appeal been refused We do not be-
lieve it.
We have no sympathy foa the wret-
ched assassin. He has violated the
laws of God and man, and the good of
society demands that he shall suffer
The penalty.
We think, indeed. that his execution
will be of more than common good to
society since it must establish a prsce-
lent that will rob the pea of insanity
If its murderous powers or brand this
government with the stain of murder.
But for this poor women, who has
been loyal and faithful to her brother