The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-26
The PRESIDENT is A MAN.
His Office is Sacred, But His
Personality is Not.

Washington, March 19.-During the
entire session of the Senate today the
bill providing for the protection of the
President of the United States was
under consideration. Senator Spoon
er, of Wisconsin, made an extended
argument in support Of the measure.
He contended that the Governmenthad
an absolute and inherent right to pro-
tect itself sfrom assaults made either
upon itself or upon any of it's officers.
He maintained that an assault upon
the President was, in the very nature
of things, an assault upon the Govern
ment, for there never was time when
the President was not in the exercise
Of the duties of his Office. His argu-
ment was largely legal and constitution
al, but throughout was forceful and
entertaining and instructive.
Senator Hoar, in charge of the
measure, elucidated some arguments
he had made previously, and Senator
Teller, of Colorado, and Senator
Bailey, of Texas, spoke briefly upon
the bill. The Texas Senator said he
could not support the measure as it
stands, because he could conceive of an
assault made upon the President as a
person and no t as an official of the
Government. The assailant, in that
event, ought to be punished precisely
as if he had assaulted any other
citizen.
: Replying to Senator Bacon, of Geor-
gia, who spoke yesterday. Senator
Spooner declared that if Senator
Bacon's argument was crystallized into
law this would be an impotent Gov
ernment, unable to protect itself
against obvious crimes, endangering
our Institutions and obstructing the
operations Of the Government. A
legitimate conclusion from the Sena-
tors argument, he said, would be
"that this is the weakest Government
under the sky. 1t is not - It was an
evident right of the Government of the
United States to protect its own Off
Gals from assault or assassination
while engaged in the discharge of the
governmental duties. "If the faction
is Federal one," he declared, "if it
involves the safety or the sovereignty
Of the Government, there are no State
lines.
He asserted that there was no time
when the President of the United
States was not engaged in the perform
ance of his official duties. He could
perform his duties aid exercise his
powers anywhere, day or night. An
assault upon him, therefore, was an
assault upon the Government
Senator Teller, of Colorado, object
ed to the provision giving to the Pres
ident military guard, and suggested
that the guard about him should be
from the civil department of the Gov
ernment.
Senator Bailey, of Texas, main
tained that the Government had ample
authority to protect its officials in the
performance of their duties, but he
doubted it's authority to punish man
who should assault or kill any Gov
enment official merely as a person.
The demand of the people was that
the Government should lay its heavy
hand upon the Anarchist. He was in
accord with that demand and would
hound the Anarchist from one section
to another until he had no resting
pace DuI ue WalHeu tue OeudGolS Ho1
to make Anarchists of themselves in
the effort to protect the President
against anarchy. He could not sup
port the measure as it stood.
Directly in line with the suggestion
contained in Senator Bailey's remarks,
Senator Bacon, of Georgia, introduced
bill for the deportation and exclusion
OF alien Anarchists. It was the bill,
be said, which, introduced by former
Senator Hill, of New York, had been
passed by the Senate, but had failed in
the House. He offered it as sugges-
tion to the judiciary committee. Per-
sonally he was in favor of the "most
extreme legislation that can be devils
ed and justified for the accomplish
ment of the purposes stated"