Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-03-22

punishment may be so regulated, adapted and
nroDortioned to crimes, a: to insure 10 the or
fender and to the public, the greatest possible
benefit. most humbly and sincerely wish,
that the supreme legislatures In this enilghten-
ed country, would begin the reformation, by
rescuing our penal coacs from any future stain
of human blood. By disseminating the prcce-
dents that have been introduced into them by
ignorance or superstition, either foreign or do
anestic. By repeating all the sangulnary sta
tutes for taking away life, or mutliatlng the
body. And BY substituting others with penal
ties more proportionate to the Crimes more
ADAPTED to our advanced state OF liberty and cl-
viiization, and better calculated to answer the
true, and primary ends Of all civil punish
ment Bv SO doing, they would prevent, at
least with US, any future violation of Gods
prerogative of life and death; and secure to
us our invaluable and unalenable probatlona-
ry rights. They would greatly serve the
cause of bleeding humanity, and contribute
more towards reforming our morals and me-
licrating the state OF society, than all the capt.
tai punishments that ever have been inflicted
in our country. "a -.
To conclude--If all Adams race are born
helpless, and are equally dependent on their
predecessors for support and protcction-H
man cannot, rightfully, destroy his own lite,
nor transfer to another person right to take
it from hiln--If delegated person cannot
have more right than all his constituents
II, by increasing the number OF agents, the
right OF performing an act is not increased,
but only the power, facility or IMMUNITY Of
performing it If the, jurisdiction Of the civil
magistrate extends only to things OF civil
pature-If God Is able, without the otiicicus-
ness of nan, to vindicate the honor Of his own
law, and will not suffer one lot Or title OF II
TO pass, till all be fulhIled-Ii the inilict.on Of
a capital punishment beyond the dement's OF
the crime, must be considered as the she'd
ding OF innocent blood: If the sixth COM
manelment, /. Thou shalt not kill" requires
the preservation, aud iorbids the taking away
of our own Life, or the lives Of others If this
moral command Is binding Oh the whole hui
man race # It had no exception, or proviso,
annexed to it when il was given By God and
If men have no right 20 CoiTcc: or alter his
laws: IL the punishment which God inflicted
on Cain was more c1fcctual and beneficial than
a capital punishment, would have been II God
set mark on Cain to preserve his life, and
denounced all awful doom on any person Or
persons who should take away the lite OF the
murderer: Il mother may not exonerate
herself from the charge OF her troublesome,
and, oftentimes, refractory offspring, by des-
troving it (: Ii father may only correct in
mercy, but not extirpate his child: If the most
raycnous beasts Of the forest can teach US, by
their example, to refrain from shedding the
blood Of our own species II more innocent
blood hath been shed by public tribunals than
bv private malice: If the civil sword hath al
ready been stained with the blood of millions
of innocent men, women and children; with
the blood OF prophets, saints, martyrs, apostles
and patriots ard with the blood Of the Lamb
of God IF all these are solemn truths,
think we may fairly conclude, that it is high
time for the civil magistrate to discontinue
the use OF such Obstructive weapon, and TO
adopt suitable substitutes. Lest under pre-
;ence Of furnishing civil crinle--a trespass
of one Man against another; Or under pretence
of assisting the Almighty in indicating the
honor Of HIS LAW they should continue to
slay the righteous with the wicked and bring
upon this enlightened generation the guilt Of
all the righteous blood that hath been shed up.
on the earth
PHILANTHROPOS.
Connecticut. Ea5. 1910.