Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-03-28
With Supplement.
GUITEAU AND MASON.

On the second OF July last, d inlsefeolt
pimple upon the face Of sOciety--cnlled
Chss. ]. Guitesu-maliciously shot the
President Of this republic, brought the
people 10 grief. and the government to
the verge of anarchy. At an expense OF
thousands Of dollars. trial of weeks,
was carried on, to prove what everybody
knew, and what the culPrit admitted
tina, be had feloniously assaulted the
President and killed him. Out OF a
mistaken idea Of justice. the country
went to this expense and submitted to
those weeks of insult and moral humliia-
ton. II there had been a shadow of a
doubt concerning the identity Of the prs
oner or Of his guilt, that would have been
demanded BY our laws and institutions
But the bold defiance and confession OF
the murder entirely changed the aspect
With identity and guilt established, there
was but one question in dispute, the san
ity Of the culprit. A jury Of specialists
could pass upon that question better than
any Jury Of women. This established,
short shrift should have been made with
one who would thus ruthlessly take life
and imperil the stability Of our govern
men,. Blu, today this man Is comtorta
oily lodged in Jail, and with the sentence
Of death hanging over him, Is coming
money out Of the notoriety obtained by
foul murder and unSeemly conduct during
the trial. He sells his autograph and
takes subscribers for his hypOcriucal re-
igjous book, and is probably more pros
porous than ever before during his useless
and vagrant life During his trial he
fed on the best Of the land, was accom-
modated with a private dining room, held
a New Years reception, and was sur
rounded with delicscies and sympathy
Look on that picture and then on this
While the villain was in Jail, guarded by
United States troops who kept the angry
people from tearing him limb from limb,
a respectable man, q soldier Of brave
record. with a wife and child dependent
upon him vas placed on guard. Pressed
by the excitement Of the hour, and moved
BY JUS; indignation at the prisoner :
treatment, after he was relieved, he fired
shot from his musket through the win
dow where the cow2rdly assassin was
confined. This man was Immediately
confined in the barracks and deprived o.
his liberty. In brief time Court Mar
tial sat upon his case. No trial Of weeks,
turkey dinners and receptions were part
Of the programme in his case. The hard
ships Of soldier life were meted out 10
him and he was promptly sentenced 10
eight years Of hard labor n the peulten'
;iary at Albany, y. N.-jo which place
he was hurried away-to be dishonora-
bly, discharged from the army, and 10
have his compensation then due confs-
Gated. Brief was the trial, severe the
sentence, and quick Of execution. While
he tolls, the greater sinner coins money, at
ease, and for bis own benefit. Charity
supports the wife of the soldier who for
got his duty, and sentimentality and a
stupidity morbid curiosity pours wealth
into the lap Of the disgusting murderer.
There Is a seeming. in fact, real IN
justice apparent on comparing these TWO
men and their lots. We DO not expect
military men to be very humane. Sen
timent Is s;udiously educated out of them,
and military rules are enforced with
proper rigor. Officers Of the army truly
say that discipline must be maintained,
and all infractions Of law swiftly and
surely punished. An army can only thus
be maintained This Is a correct doc
time, and Is as applicable 10 the courts
as to the army. A good government can
not be maintained unless It's laws are
strictly enforced; unless every violation
thereof Is surely and quickly pushed.
The laws are 70 punish criminals, not by
their techicalities 20 sc, them free; no,
by their perversion 10 make the criminal
a great and notable man. We DO not
wonder the people are so disrespectful TO
courts as they are. They see criminals !
escape and just punishment avoided
through them, when they should be the
channels Of prompt and swift justice.
Men perjure themselves, and escaping in
dic,ment. learn contempt for an oath.
Until the civil and criminal laws are en-
forced with the same even hand and sure |
result which marks court-martial, they |
viii be held in contempt by the people.
And if the loose tendency increases, the
people will become law unto themselves,
Furnishing crimes with their own hands,
until they have taught the Judiciary the
fact that the law is for pro:ec-
ton and punishment, not for ha;r-split-
ting and meaningless technical bubbles
through which criminals may enjoy the
sane blessings accorded 10 good citizens.