Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial evidence book. People's Exhibit 42.
The Alarm (Newspaper) article, "Assassination," 1885 Apr. 18
2 p.
Introduced into evidence during testimony of Eugene Seeger (Vol. K p. 627-634), 1886 July 29.
Transcript of article.
People'x Ex. 42.
THE ALARM, April 18, 1885.
ASSASSINATION.
Assassination is stigmatized as barbarous and cowardly. This is sometimes true, especially when one government employs assassins against another, or when one person adopts this course against another. But there are instances where assassination is both brave and humane, and wise also.
The effort to abolish government cannot be done by the accepted methods of warfare, because it requires the organization of a government to abolish it, stronger than the one abolished, thus leaving a stronger government in existence than before. Such a method is literally foolish, for all the blood, treasure and effort has been worse than wasted.
The moment the abolition of a government is suggested, the mind pictures the uprising of a hundred little despotic governements on every hand quarreling among themselves and domineering over the unorganized people. This fact suggests the idea that the present governments must be destroyed, only in a manner that will prevent the organization or rise of any and all other governments, whether it be a government of three men or of three hundred million. No government can exist without a head, and by assassinating the head just as fast as a government head appears the government can be
destroyed; and by this same process all other governments can be kept out of existence.
This is the policy of the Nihilist of Russia, and the moment it gets any popular support throughout civilization all governments will disappear forever. Those governments least offensive to the people should be destroyed last. All governments exist by the abridgement of human liberty, and the more government the less liberty. He alone is free who submits to no government. All governments are domineering powers, and any domineering power is a natural enemy to all mankind and ought to be treated as such.
Assassination will remove the evil from the face of the earth.
Man will always have and always need advisers, teachers and leaders in all departments of life, but bosses, jailers and drivers are unnecessary.
Man's leader is his friend. His driver is his enemy. This distinction should be understood, and the parties should be dealt with accordingly. Assassination properly applied is wise, just, humane and brave. For freedom, all things are just.
G.