Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-04-06
For the Vermont Telegraph.

Of " Capital SunnlSumons So'
discussed late by some ofthe New Y ork
ma ners. and among them the n. Y. Evan
pelist, have thought proper to present
YOU an article contained in the last named
paper Of the 18th inst, which l conclude
the Editor selected to strengthen his side
of the question, as he strongly advocates
the right and expediency Of taking d" life
for life !" TO atone fol murder. The article
from the Evangelist is as follows:
.sThe Sword Of Human Government.
Romans xiii. Is "Let every soul be
subject unto the higher powers. For there
IS no pouer but of God. Whosoeuer, there
fore, resistetb the po,oer, reststeM the
ordinance of God, and they That resist shall
rsceiUe unto themselves damnation. For
rulers are not a terror TO good a0orks, but
10 The eviL. Wit thou then not be afraid
of the yower? do that a0hich is good, and
thou shalt haze praise of the same: For
he IS the minister of God to Thee for good.
But ifthou do that aohich Is euiI, be afraid;
fol- he bearetb not The sa0ord IN cain; for
he IS the minister of God, rerenger to
ereeute a0rath upon him that doeM eUiL."
Speaking of this passage, late distin-
guished writer says, 81 never in the course
of my reading, met with so perfect de-
scription of the nature, the duty, the prov
ince, and the design of civil government,
in so short a compass, as we find in the
first six verses of this chapter. Without
reference to any particular country, but
with perfect applicability to all, the apos-
| tie lays down the doctrine of ciciL sorer-
eighty, according to the Christian law :;
and he affords another evidence of truth
which never ought to be forgotten by those
| who consider man in his social character,
that the revealed will of God embraces the
true philosophy of government. Individ-
ual man derives from God the right OF
selfgovernment. Hence the sacred orr
gin of personal liberty. Man, in his col,
lective capacity, derives from God the
right of civil government. Hence the
magistrate in his ordinance-he IS the
minister of God. The design of this in
stitution is the good o. society-he is the
minister of God for good. His province
is the protection of virtue, and the
suppression of evil. Rulers are not ter
ror to good works, but TO eriL. In sup
pressing ecil the national sovereignty is
divinely armed with vengeance-the min
lister of God, reUenger to execute
aorath." D ."~.:- ..:.
| This, we believe, is a sound exposition
of the text, and although the author had
in view different object, it is perfectly
Applicable to our own. The magistrate
who is here declared to be Gods minister
holds in his hand the instrument of pam
ishment 1t is not the rod of discipline
nor the chain of restraint, nor the key o.
the prison merely, but the sword, the in.
strument of death. Nor does he wear il
as mere ornament of his person, OIL
badge of his office, or for the purpose o
intimidation, but for use for the capita
punishment'of the offender. "He bear
eth not the stoord In CAIN" The charac
ter, too, in which he is presented as bear
| ing the sword, shows that it is for the in
Fiction of death. 1t is not corrector fol-
the reformation of the criminal, but as q
"revenger to execute wrath" (2)
Our reasoning from this passage, then
is that with the light which the other por
\ tons of the word of God shed upon it, il
settles all the questions of importance in,
voIved in the subject before us. Do we
ask for the origin of society, the Scrip
lures tell US tina! it is Gods creature
God made man a social being. Ii was
not good for him to be alone. A help
meet for him was provided, and here i:
4 the origin of government the Bible meets
US again and informs US that it is Gods
ordinance-"the powers that be are or
dained of God.'' And do we again in
quire, has God bestowed on his ordinance
of government, the right of taking the life
of the murderer the answer u.s. in the
language of the inspired Paul, "he bear.
eth no. the sword in vain" (3) Why,
then, will Christians, when they consider
| this subject, permit themselves to be car
ried off the sure ground of Gods word, 10
be left to wander in the wilderness of inf
del speculation Why go to Voltaire
and 2eccaria to learn the principles Of
criminal jurisprudence, when they may
have Moses and Paul for their Instruct
ors2 (4) Why De carried away by mis-.
taken sympathy for the murderer, so as to
be in danger of forgetting the crime he
has committed, and the God he has offend
ed In a republican country, like GU.
own, the magistrate is the representative
and agent of the popular Sovereignty
He does all in the name of the common
, wealth. But he should also remember
that he is officially as well as personally
accountable to Him for his conduct. The
punishment of death has an immediate ref
erence TO a future state. 1t brings the
criminal speedily before the bar of God
and 10 its infliclion. the magistrate acts az
the minister of the divine yenrence IL