The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-01-19
Guiteau's Trial.


Guiteaus Trial.
The trial OF Guiteau, the murderer Of
President GARFIELD, will doubtless have
been closed and the case submitted to the
jury before this issue of the VIRGINIAN
reaches most OF its readers 1t is too late
to speculate now as to the probable verdict.
What it ought to be there will be very little
diversity of opinion. What it will be, will
country relieved OF the unseemly exhibit
tons which have been witnessed in the cap
ital OF the nation, In the most remarkable
murder trial that has ever occurred in this
or any other country.
The case is suggestive of reflection
The wretch Guteau deliberately assassi-
mated the President of the United States.
The country, from one extreme to the 9th
er. was plunged into the intensest conster
nation and deepest grief. One sad wall OF
anguish swept from ocean to ocean and from
the Lakes to the Gulf, and passing across
the waters, the refrain was taken up by
all tongues and by all peoples. The chief
ruler of nation of freemen had been smit-
ten down without moments warning, and
In the act the life of the Republic assailed.
There was no provOcation-nOthingt to pal
late in the least the terrible crime. The
bloody design was the conception OF one
protection of society, or of government,
and even was outside Of the pale of mercy
Yet in his trial, all the forms of law have
been observed. Instead of speedy punish
ment at the hands OF an outraged people,
whose chosen ruler had been slain and
whose government had been so rudely
shocked, the whole power of that govern
ment was welded to protect the worthless
life of the assassin, until fair trial was
instituted, and a protracted nvestigation
concluded. The treasury of the country
was placed at the disposal of his assigned
counsel to pay the expenses OF witnesses
summoned for the defense. Guards were
thrown around the prisoner to protect him
from the vengeance Of an enraged popu-
lace, and every precaution employed to pre-
vent violence to the murderer, as though
his crime were that of an ordinary nature.
The authorities realized that the people of
the United States and their instituti ions
were as much on trial as the prisoner, and
to vindicate our Republican form of govern
| ment it became necessary that the laws
majesty and not the mob's violence should
be asserted. Fifty millions of people have
watched closely the progress OF the pro-
ceedings, and waited patiently for the end
| to come. Passions has been restrained by
| reason. The wronged nation has appealed
to the nations laws for just ice, aad the
| spectacle is presented of miserable cuL
prit, guilty of the greatest crime known to
humanity, being hedged around by the
| safeguards of governm emit and entrenched
behind the courts, until all the forms of law
shall have been observed, and jury Of
the law and the evidence.
| In what other country on the globe could
such forbearance, such implicit observance
| to law, have been the rule of action? Had
else, the revenge would have been quick
and violent. While pretense OF legal
| form might have been simulated, the death
sentence would have been dealt out without
delay and society relieved of monster
whose very name is an offense to civiliza-
! ton and whose crime causes shudder to
| vibrate our common humanity.
| In submitting to the forms of law and
staying the hand of vengeance, Republican
government has been indicated, and the
| fact proclaimed that however cruel and
savage the criminal, our institutions pro-
vide for legal trial and impartial verdict.
| History will record it as the most remarka-
! BILE evidence of nat ions forbearance and
the self-control OF people, whose will had
been frustrated by the hand OF brutal
assassin. thfr the annals of time furnish