The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-20
THE LOSS TO THE NATION
FORMER MINISTER DENNY on THE
KILLING OF THE PRESIDENT.
His Eminent Character as Man and
cian-Nindictive Side of the Law.
.harles DENLY. in Chicago News.


1t is a personal loss and sorrow and HUI
initiation TO every American that the chief
magistrate, who was performing kindly
function in aid of a great exposition of the
progress of all America in the arts and sci
ences, should have been stricken down.
The attack came to the gentlest of men. No
one who ever enjoyed the society of the
President left it without kindly feeling
for him. He was the quintessence of unos-
tentatious and friendly courtesy.
| was with him once when the doorkeeper
stated that an English tourist and his wife
had gone over the building and desired
greatly TO be presented 10 him. lie imme-
diately acceded to their wish and himself
received them at the door and spoke TO
them few cordial phrases of welcome lie
did not even know their names and had
never heard of them, but they went away
charmed with his condescension. L was
with him once again when a lady sent in
word that she had seen all the Presidents
since and including President Polk, and she
wanted-tO be able to say that she had seen
him also. He Immediately suspended his
business and received her and chatted with
her some minutes. He was once asked what
was the most important qualification for
President. lie answered, patience, pa
thence, patience" lie said he had often TO
see several hundred men a day, and he had
to listen to them, to hear their stories, 10
understand their demands and to find out
what to do about them, and it required
never-ending supply of patience. Did any
body ever see the President out of temper?
doubt it. He had the most marvellous
knack of putting his visitors at their ease.
When he knew that they smoked he rarely
failed to offer cigar. He was the most
curiously observant person in the world.
In matters of business he mentioned minu-
tiae which had escaped the observation OF
others.
There is no dispute in Washington that
the President completely dominated his
Cabinet. He was among those distinguished
and able men facile princeps, and they ali
admit it, No man who has ever been en-
gagged in affairs of state with him has failed
To observe that he possessed the power OF
accurate judgment in the most eminent de-
gree. 1t is wonderful how, with SO many
great affairs TO engage his attention, he
was able TO consider and determine accu-
rately many small affairs. There was "A
Three of them were in Washington and
they selected secretary. When the Selec-
ton was reported to the President he sug-
gested that the two absent members should
be consulted. This was done. one gentleman
said he had no objection to the nominee
but the other answered that he would not
have him under any cOnsiderat On-Whlch
put an end 10 his appointment as secretary
Nobody thought of consulting the two alb
sent members except the President.
He had an almost instructive knowledge
of the opinions of the people. Men of all
views approached him and argued with him
as to the policy of his contemplated action.
He listened to them all, but he came To a
determination from what he heard from the
masses. / am not going to discuss whether
he was always right. The assassin tried to
kill the President. not the man. | am writ
BTRSl-
dent.
MASTERLY POLITICIAN.
What politician he must have been in
Ohio, this private soldier, major, congress
man. Governor and President! How the
hearts of the people must have warmed
as we all know they did-to this genial,
] kind, forgiving mani Look at how he has
won the South. Not yet from the South has
come the brutal remark, "He was served
right" Among all her people there was un-
mtigated sorrow and horror, and nowhere
was the report that the assassin's purpose
failed received with more gladness and
cheer than among our quondam enemies
of thirty-tive years ago. Indeed, the South
may claim him /as Il benefactor. He has
put her on her feet again. He has made
patriotism respectable, honOred and glori-
Gus. In the Spanish war the South divided
/ honOrS with the North. 1T had its HObsOn,
we had Funston; it had Schley, we had
Dewey: it had Joe Wheeler, we had Law
ton. We are together again now, and Nc
Kinley was the intermediary of the reunion
the union this time truly cemented by
4 common blood. This is the man they assas-
4 Sindte. No wonder that the blood bOils. No
wonder that a cry for punishment goes up.
! No wonder that we chafe at conditions
\ which make murder possible and even to be
praised by Il certain class of people.
We are a law-abiding Nation. We rever-
Z ence the Constitution. 1t is idle to expect
4 that anything will be done which antago-
! nlzes the liberty OF the press and OF free
speech, but the Constitution Is elastic. Ii
n expands and it contracts on occasion. 1t
was made for u.s. and not we for 1t. 1t will
4 not antagonize the punishment of those
who treat murder as a fine art. IL will not
d protect those who instill horrible venom
|; into the minds of boys and defy the basest
Il criminals. We must find a method to ex-
h clude Anarchists from our borders. No man
d doubts the power of Congress to exclude
whom it will from coming to our shores.
Il We exclude the Chinese coolie. We exclude
4 criminals. lunatcs and idiots. We are no
more bound to receive Objectionable people
8 as a Nation than we are bound as indi-
n viduals to receive them in our houses. The
a difficulty Is not going TO be in exclusion OF
newcomers, but in rejecting the Anarchists,
( whether fOregn-bOrn or native, who are al
q ready here: but as a Nation, when law
has been declared constitutional by the
courts we almost universally abide by it,
Z There is difficulty in framing a statute
. which shall punish the utterances of senti-
Il mentS which favor the preparation OF muir
4 der. Under our laws, they stand, a man
I who threatens his neighbOr with personal
4 injury may be bound over to keep the
peace, and there is law called the pro-
& woke law in all the States. The old alien
and Sedition laws need not be revived, but a
Z law devised TO protect the persons OF high
officials against violence would be almost
n universally approved.
II In whatever court such offenses are tried
d let the penalties be severe. OF course there
Will arise in the path of the legist who in
PRODUCES new measures a great antagOniSm
q but the argument will be with the reform
s er. We would be degenerating into barbar-
4 ism if we did not make every effort TO pre-
h vent the assassination of our officials mere
~ because they are officials. Another rene
dy should be applied-the punishment of the
attempt to commit personal injury should
& be heavy as it is when the attempt Is
/, successful When a man shoots another
Il with homicidal intent he should derive nc
II benefit from the fact that surgical skill and
Il good nursing saved his victims life. 1t is
n known that if the President had recovered
8 his assailant could only have been confined
I ten years, which is the limit of the punish
Il ment for assault and battery with intent &c
commit murder, though sensible mar
Will deny that the criminal would have
4 been just guilty as if death had ensued
Z Even in Japan. however, the assailant oil
81 the Czarowitz received as punishment only
il confinement for term of years. The mar