The examiner., 1882-03-18
Will Guiteau be Hung

Latterly we have come to the conclusion that the power of prophesying is no longer an especial or divine gift, that can only be exercised by chosen few, but that it has become science, and that any person of ordinary ability may acquire sufficient knowledge of that science, to enable him to forecast events with tolerable accuracy.
 In other words, we believe that the thorough student of human nature, the careful reader of history, and the reflective observer of passing events, may know, and very nearly fix the time when certain things will come to pass.
 Entertaining this belief we are not surprised when we hear different people predict that GuSte0u sOiU ,aOt be hung, for there are many reasons favoring the pre- diction.
 When Guiteau said, "I am stalwart of the stalwarts," we do not believe he was indulging in mere bombast, but rather that he knew something of the true inward ness and purposes of the stslwart element of the republican party.
 When he said .''Arthur will now be president, we do not believe the assertion was prompted solely by disappointed ambition, but that it was the outgrowth of assurances of certain benefits 10 be received in the event of Arthur becoming president. in short we believe that Guiteau was a mere tool in the hands of wicked and designing men, whose ambition knows no bounds, and who would not stop at the commission of any crime in order to serve their unholy purposes.
 We know that the public press (whether as a matter of expedieney or not, we cannot say,) have secuted this idea and have written down Guiteau as 8 reckless enthu- siast, or desperado, who has become half crazed by breeding over his disappointed hopes, and who either to achieve notoriety, or as a matter of revenge at not receiving some anticipated appointment, shot MT. Garfield.
 Looking at the matter from our stand point we arrive at a very different conclu- sion. If our recollection of the evidence at the trial is correct, it did not appear that Guiteau had ever received any prom ise, or encouragement. or had ever passed Q single word with MT. Garfield in relation to any appointment. We believe however that it did appear that he had spoken with Mr. Blaine about the matter, and that Blaine treated his claims with coolness ol indifference.
 Now Guiteau we'll understood the fact that Blaine was Lr. Garfield's chief advis. CT, that he had the ear of the president and that he could at any time advance his (Guiteau's) interests therefore if Guiteau had been angered at not receiving ar appointment, and desired to revenge him self on the person who had baked him oi his purposes, he would have shot Blaine and not the president.
 It does not seem to us then, that tht shooting of Mir. Garfield can in any man ner be attributed to 8 desire for revenge on the part of Guiteau. On the othel hand it does seem to us, that the frs words that fell from the lips of the assas sin after the shooting, and before ther' had been time to concoct plea of divine inspiration or divine agency, when unde the impulse of the moment he told thu simple truth, clearly indicate the req cause of the act and show whose agen Guiteau in reality was. "I are q stGts0ar 0fthe stolwdrts'' are words which to oul mind show from whence he drew his inspi ration, and had he added, "tsis Ss the Gc of the stols0Grt8,' ,' we have no doubt th' whole truth would have been told.
 But what has this to do with the pre- diction that Guiteau will net be hung Reader it has juet this to do with it:-I Guiteau in the assassination of Mir. Gar