Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-04-06
DAILY Observation-Disclosures
SERGEANT MASON.

severity. The result IS tlat pu5lic III |
dignation is making him hero. The |
circumstances Of his case ares peculiar
that they are pretty sure to be rnisjudsed
on one side or the other. His crime III
attempting homicide cannot be explain
ed away by the fact that the man AT
whom he aimed was deserving of instant
death. All the arguments which urged
patience and submission 70 the slow
justice Of the law, in that errited time
which followed the assassination of the
President, combine 10 prove Mason
guilty of great offense. Not even the
act Of Guiteau could justify private
individual in taking it upon himself to
become the wreteh's executioner. But
there was something more than this IN
Mason's act. He was q soldier, bound
by solemn oath to duty and obedience.
1t was not his part to question the or
ders he received, or even to reason about
them at all. If the private soldier as
sunes the right of private Judgment
with reference to the orders Of his COM
mander, if he is for moment to con
slider whether he ought to obey or not,
he is mutineer-guilty Of the worst
breach Of military law which he can
commit. Once admit the slightest as
sertion Of this principle, and the soldier
is transformed into a rioter; the army
into a mob, furnished with deadly
weapons; and law and order are at al
end. Sergeant Mason, then, was tech
nically guilty upon these two serious
charges. But guilt is one thing and
punishment another. 1t 10 perfectly
well known fact that certain crimes re
cogniZad by the law are so consonant
with the sense of individual justice that
conviction of the offender by jury is
impossible. When man Stays the de
stroyer of Fi5 family honor, his fellows
applaud and pronounce mot guilty.,
though there may have been twenty wit
nesses of the deed. Each feels that it ia
no moro than he would have done him
self if similarly placed. There il
strong analogy between such case and
that Of Mason. The universal exclama-
ton was, "What pity he missed him"
Leaving out of the question the reliec-
ton upon us as nation, every man was
satisfied that Guiteau ought to have
short shrift, and that whoever killed him
would be az little to biamo rs if he had
shot down mad dog instead. Some
allowance must be made for this sent-
mont, because it was universal. Mason
shared with others tho excitement of
the hour. The Same considerations
which would have impslled thousands of
others to the same act, had they had the
same opportunity, overcame i'll his weak
mind the restraints Of morality and of
his duty ASA soldier. This is not only
an explanation, it is ut least partial
extcnuation. He did wrong and
should be punished: there were mitiga-
ting circumstances, and the severity of
the punishment should have been deter
mined accordingly.
From this view OF the case which.
whatever strict law and logic may Say
IL and has been the popular one, the
sentence of dismissal from this army
and confinement at hard labor for eight
years Is not only excessive. but IS cruelty
unjust. 1t il computed by the old ratio
of an eye Tor an eye. II Is Judgment
III cold blood upon a passionate act of Il
period whenfpassion had full sway But
there il something more than this.
Many comparisons have been drawn bs
tween the treatment of Guiteau and
that of Mason, but the really striking
one passes almost unnoticed. The lat
ter had at least as good defense on
the ground of insanity as tho former.
Everything goes 20 show that he is Il
man of uncomfortable mental pn1ar
Ills act of itself elias. ~ him naturally
with the 'cranks." Histreatinent OF all
who Interested themselves in him, his
rude repulse of the physicians who came
to examine him, his logged resolution
to cour; the worst that might besall him,
are indications of unsound mind too
strong to be disrcgarlcd Yet il does
not appear that any expert testimony
was called i'll his defense, or that his
menta! condition received any consider
alton whatever upon the trial. This il
in such painful contrast to the trial OF
Guiteau that il is little wonder il has
evoked a storm of indignation. Very
probably, were an examination To be
had by competent medical commits
sion, Sergeant Mason would DO TO lay mn
inmate of an asylum instead of POM
Tertiary. For these reasons the seq
tenoe of the courtmartial is individually
harsh, and the resentment of the people
Is justified. The severity of tho Judges
IL having the precisely opposite eject
of making friends for Mason every
where. Petitions for his pardon pour in
by the dozen, subscriptions are started
in his benefit, ana not improbable his
sentence will bring him far more gMl
fortune than his hasty shot. Sergeant
Mason, n soldier dismissed for cause.
would have quickly pissed on, of the
public memory; Sergeant Mason, con
vict for an act of which many people
quietly approve, is hero 10 be hoaored
and n sufferer to be sueearel. II so,,la
probably be too much to expect Presi
dent Arthur 10 pardon him until he
shall have worked oat that expiration
which he owes 10 offended law. Rut II
the announcement of tho discovery of
flaw in the proceedings by which he
was condemned be mistake, contrary
To the deyout wishes of most If the IN
ton. !, would be no moro tkta hum IN
isy and right demand to institute thai
thorough inquiry into his meniai re-
sponsibility which ought 80 have ptt,.
ceded his conviction. There is little
common sense in either the invectivss
against military discipline or tho glari
fcafta, ~ A,as.,, ,,t,,k