The Washington times., 1901-09-11

impede the operation of any law of the
United states, or to intimidate or pre-
vent any person holding office under the
government from undertaking, perform
lng- or executing his trust or duty. and
against the counseling. advising. or at
tempting to procure any instruction,
riot. unlawful assembly or combination
whether such conspiracy. threatening.
counsel. advice. or attempt should have
the proposed effect or not. and II also
provided a penalty for any person who
should write, print utter, or publish, or
cause or procure to be written, printed.
uttered. sor published. or should knowing
ly assist. or aid in writing. printing. ut
tering. or publishing any false, scanda-
louS or malicious writing or writings
against the Government. or either House
of Congress, or the President. with in
tent to defame either, or to bring either
into contempt or disrepute. or to excite
against them. or any of them. the hatred
of the people. or to stir up sedtion within
the United States, or to excite any unlaw-
ful combinations therein for opposing or
Resisting any law of the United States, or
any act of the President done in pursu-
ance of law or the powers vested in him
by the Constitution. or to resist, oppose.
or defeat any such law or act. OF to aid.
encourage, or abet, any hostile design OF
any foreign nation against the United
states. their people or Government.
1t will be observed that notwithstand-
ing the somewhat sweeping provisions of
this act, it did not assume to provide a
punishment for assaults upon or indigni-
ties to the President. or any other officer
of the United States, except in cases in
which hatred of the people toward the
President might be melted or or-hmself in
terfered with in the discharge of his du-
ties. This was undoubtedly because
Congress sought to avoid creating any
such offence as lese majeste, but l see
no reason that a similar act might not be
passed extending to cases of assault upon
or lndignities to the President, or other
high officer. because Of his holding his
office or carrying out the will of the peo-
pie in the discharge of his duties | would
go further, and in addition to providing
a punishment of the offender, provide that
after suffering the prescribed punishment,
he should be driven from the country
If such law were passed. as I think It
properly can be, we would be able to
reach all persons who by incendiary
teachings or acts should attempt to bring
about change in either the spirit of our
GERS administering the Government.
The attempt upon President McKin-
leys life l regard as the most atrocious
OF the three assaults upon our Presidents,
because 1t is confessediy the fruit of an
archistic views and teachings, which we
have too long permitted to go uncontrolled.
Surely, we have the right to say to those
living within our borders that their at
tempts to bring about a change in our
institutions or laws should be confined
within the limits of legitimate discussion
aimed at bringing about a change in pub
lie opinion and the expression of such
change in due form OF law and quite as
surely we have the clear right to forbid
rabid and inflammatory utterances
whether of individuals or organizations,
which are calculated to sap the founda-
tions of our system and undermine and
destroy good order. The meeting of Con-
gress is fortunately so near at hands that
the existing universal Indignation and cry
for the better control of seditious speech
will not subside or materially lessen be-
fore it shall have time to act and i be-
lieve ii to be the desire of the people
Wltnout regard TO party that Congress
the desired direction