New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-29
.... Is solsp p.e.e-,a.;on cheri,hed by the viz

instinct of SefPreservatiou cherished by the VIZ
tuous and ORDERLY members of community
I Now the Punishment. of Death appears TO De
cherished by its supporters, n part, at least as
measure of vindictiye or retrioutlye JUSTICE a.e
to be insisted on quite as much from hatred OF Nd
hor,ence f the offender as from solicitude for the
,reyent;ou of crime. The proof of this IS aetn-
dainty given in the spirit and language in which
the offender is denounced, (and we need not go very
far for an illustration) TO all this am radical
ily opposed / would treat the criminal as one
morally insane-very possibly through others tauif
| quite as much as his own. would remember ever
that most fragrant criminals the victims OF un-
fortunate circumstances and Of defective or vicious
! Education quite as much, at least, as OF especial
perverseness on their own part. would, there
fore, have the felon treated with other severity
than is needfgl to his security and MS suoJectlon
| and would bend every energy of the law to secure
| his lshtenmens and reformation. l would treat
| The criminal at large as at war with Society )
but do hold to killing or torturng prisoners OF
war. While would justify savage tribe in TAX
Ing the life of murderer, matter of sheer ne
cessi,y, would demur to the taking of life by a
civilized community, possessing ample means OF
confinement and support, on grounds which may
be summed up as follows:
L. Because the good of the culpIit is clearly dis
regarded in the inficton of such punishment,
which is in It's nature vindic,ive, and can 8. least
but be repressive or terror-insPirlng
2. Because the taking of life Is deed which can
never be recalled or recompensed, and the victim
may afterward prove innocent, as has eften been
the case;
8. Because the knowledge of the want of abso
lutte certainty in any matter resting on human tes
timony, and the not uncommon impression that the
Punishment Of Death is severe and revolving, dc
induce and will continue to induce, some Jurors tt
hold out against verdict of Guilty, whereby the
culprt often escapes any legal punishment at all
Itis quite aside from the question to argue tina
Jurors ought not to act thus; the fact that they
, do remains, and holds out to the criminal PERM
cious hope of escaping any penalty at all.
4. Because the man once hung is of no moro
use, except to the surgeon; while the imprisoned
felon is life long moral lesson. | wish ever. cit
izen of New-York could walk through the State
Prison once year; are the advocates OF Hangin!
equally eager that the whole public should witness
their punishment in process of inhictionD
5. Because judicial killing has obvious ten
aency to cherish among men the idea and the feel
ing of vengeance for injuries, and to diminish th'
natural adherence of bloodshed. Instances arr
not rare of murders by those who had been in th'
habit of attending executions frequently, ant
cases are recorded where it was committed by mel
fresh from the foot of the gallows. A friend who
attended the execution of Strang at Albany some
years since, casually remarked on returning thai
be should never again feel that horror of bloodshed
that he formerly felt
But this article must not be suffered to
stretch farther. 1t is not intended to bear at all
on the of the Somers. IF Lieut.. Mackenzie
had evidence that the preservation of his ship and
crew from piracy demanded the immediate execu
ton of the rpgleaders of the Mutiny, he fully
justified in consigning them to death. All Judge
uents on this point should be suspended until the
facts are clearly before the public.-And if (as
doubtless, will be the case, articles should here
after appear in The Tribune dictated by differ.
s...;,.;e TO different conclusions from
the foregoing, let it be understood, once for az
Z
confined to the expression or advocacy of the per
sonal opinions of It's Editor that no conformity tc
those opinions is exacted Of others, and that they
were written by some other person than H. G.
% Rev. ABEL C. THOMAS lectures this evening
in the Tabernacle in refutation of MIR. VIM. Mil
ler's theory that the End of the World is te
take place in 1343. Mr.. Thomas has patiently
examined this subject, is able, learned and elo
auent, and has lec,ured omit elsewhere with great
appreciation. He lectures now at the request o.
many who have heard his previous illustrations o.
the subject, and will doubtless give great satsfac
ton to those who attend at the Tabernacle thi;
evening.
lS Prof. POTTER lectures this evening (Thurs
day. at the Rutgers Institute. Subject, The
Object of Education"
D The razee Independence, the flagship ol
the Home Squadron, was moved yesterday from
Buttermilk Channel to the Navy Yard. This was
quite an event in her history, as the only soyase
she has made during the fourteen or fifteen months
she has been in commission was from Boston to
this City.
D Gov. Doty of Wisconsin, having refused to
recognize the Legislative Council for that Terrific
ry, now assembled, that body have, by vote of 80
H. y