American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1822, 1822-03-05

his speech, had it not been for certain extraordnar
doctrines to be found in it, which startIe sredul
itself, and may perhaps weaken cause which /
best supported by an appeal to the common sens
and sound discretion OF mankind.
In the first page Of this pamphlet we are struc
with the following passage; how astonishing is til
effect OF habit and familiarity our childhoo
the SatiozOS The 7chffng post and The fiilory hav
been he familiar objects Of our sight. In our day
LOT youth and thoughtlessness ne toued fhem III
execution, public stecface Of noe, are objects To-
janrGctfoe for yo'h 10 turnhis back unon they arr
perhaps the first cause of strong sensation in thu
heart; and a strong sensation, no matter u zuha
nature IL may be- it is the destiny of human natur,
Ito love- is this fact, or is il fancy did there eve
exist human being who in the days of youth ant
thong hessness" was in love with the gallows tn,
whipping post and the pillory We have read il
fairy tales oil gholes and ogres who despising goot
roast beef, RECALLED their midnight appetites in thu
lgrave yard, on the bodies OF the dead and we hav
even heard OF men who could devour knives an,
lglass bottles, but never YET did we meet with man
woman child, who could look upon the gaows
whipping post or pory, with eyes of love and al
lection. We have heard too of the loues OF younl
and though'less men; but if the story go arigh
they were OF quite an opposite cast to those describ
"of all the trophies that vain morals boast,
BY wit, by wisdom, or by valor won
The first and fairest in young mans eve
is 1o0ndn's captive heart
The poet understood human nature; and he spok
that which alone can give value to any effort of tn
mind, the language OF common sense In our day
lot youth especially, when nature speaks in the BIO
som, when our tastes are unsophsticated by tn
artificial distinctions of ma'nrer life, whatever
beautiful in nature art, exces our love and ADM
ration; but surely it is not in human nature, at an
perod of lille, to love that which necessarily associ
ates with it the ideas of pain, punishment and ig.
Inominy.
The curiosity which prompts the spectator O
Ian execution, has clearly another root in the min
than mere abstract love of human misery II
behods In the criminal an atrocous volator OF tn
majesty OF the laws; and ii feeling like trump
cross his mind, it is not excited by the agony Of tn
sufferer, but by The consideration that great deb
has been paid to Justice and to the peace and hap
lplness OF society. There is something unchristia
IN this feeling, something like revenge, it is true
but revenge supposes some injury given, and i
certainly different sentiment from that cold blood
led abstract cruelty, that unprovoked love of human
IpaIn which is here so literally extended to tn
whole family OF man.
The doctrine Of strong sensations laid down il
IN this passage is better adapted to the habits of
wage life than to the feelings of civilized commu
nifty. AMI even savage does not iove a stron!
sensation, unless excited by pleasing causes.
savage delights in shedding the blood Of his foe. bu
IT misfortune befal his family his FRIEND he GER
talniy loves not the sensation it produces A Low,
OF novelty is the character of weak or an I'm
cultivated mind but it is that novelty which consists
in rapid succession of pleasing sensations d; anC
not that morbid taste for variety which requires one
day, to be fed by an exhibition at the gaows, ane
the next, at the whipping post or the piliory.
Inc view OF human nature presented III thi.
speech, to say the least Of it, is certainly novel and
unprecedented In page five we are told that the
true secret OF virtue lies in two words 'avcd temp
tation.' In the authors estimation, vice and crimt
are so acinang and attractive that no principle o.
Education or religion, nothing short Of total gnor
ance OF their existence will preserve us from theil
shares. And in the preceding page ne inlimates
that punishment also has something irresistably
captivating in its nature " Sir, the knowledge Of
crimes comes soon enough, why erect The public
finger posts (penal aws) TO teach them to our chill
dren," The meaning OF which is, that children
should not be taught that death is the penalty Of
murder, lest they should be thereby tempted tc
commit the crime. We confess this is beyond oul
We are told by a poet who's,
knowledge of mankind was never questioned, tina
Vice is monster Of such frightf men,
AS TO be hated needs but to be
While We readily admit the propriety Of the old
proverb " avoid temptation we believe that nc
lesson is awful and impressive to youthfu
mind, nothing admirably calculated to check tn,
dawnlng propensity to vice, as an occGlar demon
stration OF the degradation and punishment it en-
tails on its victims. 1t has been said by some wri
ter, that if the strength of child was equal to I'll
vindictive passions, il would commit murder before
lit was year old. These passions, it is the part o
la parent TO check, and every one knows, from tn,
Experience of his own bosom, that this object ii
most powerfully effected by some practical de-
monsra,ion of the mischief resulting from their in
duluenre 'rhe oractice If the SnbrRar Gatl,ar .,