National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-21

orally, they ought to have as much time
as can be spared That would be about
one hour on each of three days of the
week, and it should be in the East Room,
and for hand-shaking alone. Any al
fusion to Office ut that time, unless by the
President, should be held to be an inn
propriety.
The President is but human, and cam
not endure beyond certain amount of
nervous strain. To press him beyond
that is to endanger his health and life,
Shall the pressure go on because he does
not cry aloud under the torture2 We
have no information as to his feelings or
desires, and what we have said is only
what is obvious to all intelligent people
who have been to the White House.
Another Assassination Letter in the
"Tribune."
Seven years ago Whtelaw Reid adver-
tised in the New York Tribune that the
assassination of President Grant would
be "a great blessing to the country"
Now that an assassin of later President
is on trial, the New York Tribune of yes
terday prints the following infamous
letter, which we reproduce entire as u
companion piece to the other:
sCovILLE ON THE sTALwARTs.
| THE ATTACHMENT OF CoNKLING, GRANT, AND
ARTHUR.
| To the Editor of the Tribune:
SIN: Mr.. scovillc has tried to prove too much. If
| the jury in any way strongly impressed by his
earnest arraignment ofleading Stalwarts the Inn
preston should logically be very different one
| from that which he desired.
| Mr.. scoville declares that ex-senator Conkling
| ex. President Grant, and President Arthur are
morally responsible for the hideous crime COM
mitted by "a stawart OF the Stalwarts" under
the influence of their teaching Their most UNI
lust assaults upon a President whom they now
| laud to the skies Mr. Scovillc AYERS persuaded
Guteau that the removal of that President was
necessary for the welfare of the country. Hence
Mr.. Scovile says they shall not be permitted
TO escape the responsibility for an act which
they really caused rather than the passionate
creature who fired the murderous shot. These
declarations produce deep impression, as is
natural. They have force, because the common
sense of the millions recognizes the fact that they
contain truth. OF course, Mr.. Conkling did not
mean to cause physical assassination of the Presi-
dent. But he did mean to assassinntc the character
and reputation of President Garfield and so far sue
ceeded with one passionate follower that Guitenu
was moved to put the President out of the way. so
of General Grant and President Arthur; accord
ing to the measure of their zeal in making unjust
war upon President Garfield they are responsible
before God and their counrymen for results which
they never contemplated.
But this does not tend to prove that Guiteau wRs
insane on the contrary, 1t tends TO prove that he
was Just as sane as Mr.. Conkling himself In both
passion ate anger and the fierce spirit of faction
passed all bounds of reason or decency. But Mr..
| M inc n insane whom he labDrp1. week
after week to assassinate the character of the noble
and heroic President whom the Nation loves
| Neither was his admirer Insane when, with pre-
ciscly the same fury of faction the same greedy
biton, and the same insuferable egotism, he slew
, the Presidents body. In each case the immediate
cause was stupendous vanity which made a
man utterly reckless in seeking its qualification
In each case there was q frightful wrong com
mitted but the crime of the assassin of character
was at least MS great that of the cheap imtaoi
who, incapable Of using intellectual weapons with
hope of effect could Stay only the physical man
} If Mr. Conklng was not insane in his attempt &c
stab a great and good mans reputation, in hi:
, frenzicd wrath because his dictation had been III
vain in his suicidal rcachery to his party and his
constituents, what reason is there for supposinl
that the more vulgar crime was an act Of an ire
sponsible mailman?
Neither was General Grant insane when ht
came back from Mexico to take part in q warfare
against the President. Yet he did what he coult
to make people believe that President Garfield wa!
an unworthy and dshonorablc man and danger
GUS enemy to Rcpublicanism. II It was not ire
sponsible madness in him to say such things wa
Guiteau insane because he believed them
3 Neither was President Arthur insane, and yet h,
laborcd for weeks to cause brand Of dishonor Il
DO fixed by the great State of New Yorl
upon the President elected on the SAINT
: ticket with himself. He took part in
| ind nf nnlitipnl NEnrfarn from which thar
can be little doubt, he now wishes most keenly HI
had kept aloof That the Vice President of thi
} great Nation took part with two defeated poll
5 ticians in an attempt to cripple and dishOnor til
Nations President-surely this was far NOR
, strange than that creature of the stamp of Gui
: teau should translate deadly words into deadl
deeds. True, there was no Jaw forDidding the at
tempt to disgrace the President by There. election
I of man who had accused him of personal dis
honor. But the stab TO the heart would have beef
l greater wrong to pure md patriotic statesman
4 and would have been harder for him to bear thai
o the shot in the back,
Guiteau was swayed by the influence of thos
leaders, but that is no proof of insanity. He wa
fired by their desperate spirit of faction, but tina
e does not prove him Irresponsible Both com
q mitted great wrongs, each after his own nature
. The coarse dead beat md habltuRl breaker of al
laws resorted TO vulgar and brutal crime
S wreak his Vengeance aud gain his ends. The me-
b of intellectual power sought to Stay i'll NOR
n | refined and far more cruel way To eac
President Garfield was an obstacle. Tn
y stalwart leaders tried to sweep him fror
i the path by the use of their honore
names and large influence by their skill In politi
@ cal management, by ranking insults or poisone
shafts of SANDER. The Stalwart follower, lackin
! their weapons and fearing that these would fai
Y loaded II revolver. If he was crazy to belicv
their accusations they were crazy TO make then
He was reckless enough to shoot at the maj
G They were desperate enough to stab the presi
j., dents honor, and to aim deadly blows at hi
rightiul official influence. The fury and despern
10 ton of either will not stand as proof of insanity
l. Nor will the people hold either free from respons
Q blty G. NJ. W.
" NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 1882.
i The Tribune of July 8 editorially dc
nounced Guiteau's act as the crime of
n faction" 1t declared shat adverse crti
= cism tended to the assassination of tn
@ object of such criticism. This, too, ate
v its own failure to procure the murder @
f General Grant by base and calumniou
, attacks, ending with the direct PROPOSE
4 ton that he be killed as Brutus kille
n Caesar.
The Tribune and its &c. NJ. W." bea
# the air when they rave about " Conklinl
Il Grant, and Arthur" The truth will nc
"a die, and when these men, or either {
a. them, can be shown to be answerable &c
@ the unhappy disturbances Of last sprinl
q then Abel will be shown to have bee
N killed by Cain in self-defense.