New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-01-10

in the nature OF things, it is Of Divine -i9nty,
mot az ,s., ,,lirh is inrrinsicaliy ans ABSOLUTELY
be.r nor "a tt,a. which is adapted 20 the highest
o,d nas, condition OF man: but as that which, 7
from constitutional necessity, is developed IN
particular state Of human nature, and the best
which can possibly oo-exlst with that state. fet
the greatest good Of man and all the laws OF GOD
cansti,ntioHalIy established in human nature re-
onire that man shall rise above that state with
which such rules Of action necessarily co-exist.
Il must, therefore, be obvious to every truly eA-
lightened mind that the spirit OF the great pare
mount law of God in relation taking of life, re-
quires man, individually aud socially, shall do ell
in his power TO prevent the destruction OF human
life and the bearing Of this reguisition extends to
all the social arrangements customs and Influences
as well as to ail the individual actions ard circnm
stances. Thus, for instance it is now web ascer-
tanned that a, least three-fourths OF all the hos-
cdes that take place in the United States. are con-
nec;ed with the use of intoxicating substances
and it Is an old maxim of criminal Law that drunk
enness aggravates rather than extenustes the CRIME
" hich 1t causes man 10 commit, But this max m
is egregiously wrong, and contrary to every sound
| principIe OF Intellectual and moral philosophy.
Jus. so far as man is under toe intoxicating iiiiu
eace Of any Intoxicating substance, be Is, Tor the
time, really iasane and, in proportion to me &C.
gree OF his insanity, he is in truth, ne more re-
sponsi!,c for his acts while thus insane, than he
| would be if his insanity were produced by any
other cause; for The insanityis essentially the same
| By whatever cause produced; and in nearly every
| other case, it is equally produced by the cause
connected with mans voluntary action; and IN a
large majority OF cases, by causes connected win
his sensual indulgence Nor in THIS case more
than any other does man choose the insanity which
ID, p de-
srees, and perhaps without suspicion OF his dan
ger, he forms depraved appetite for intoxicating
substances, and that appetite soon acquires des-
potic influence in the moral economy OF his nature,
and forces him 10 be oitling TO crafty H. But
in yielding to the despotic yet treacherous force
of this appetite, he does not choose tho evil con-
sequences but simply seeks 10 satisfy the demands
Of his inpcrious Appetite and, III dong tins, he
takes into MS system that which unsett!es his rea-
| son and makes him mad man. 1T Is SAID that
| htugh he docs not choose the evil consequences,
still he knows they will inevitably follow his IN
dulgence and therefore. lie is cupablc for not re-
| sisring his appetite? This is not true. lie may
know what has followed such indulgenccs, but,
such is the deep dcceifulucss Of the sensorlal oPc
ra,ons of the human system, in such cases, that,
in every instance, when lie yields to the demands
| of his appetite he resolves, in his own mind, to
consequences. But the frst step increases the
force which i.npcls him onward and seop, against
| the better purposes of his SOUL he is plunged into
madness the human avenger Of klood puts him to
death as not only guilty Of murder, but OF murder
| aggravated by his very madness. But God sees
NOT with human eyes and judges not with human
mind; but with exact justice harmonizing with
| true mercy while ho eXenuates IN no measure the
real sin of the individual, spreads the guilt OF the
homicidll uct over the whole of society, and holds
] society responsible for that act, Just 50 lar as II
has, by u'y &c its customs, regulations or ln'iu-
snces, contributed to o-Le the individual druHk.
| ard, or 10 develop in him such character aud
| bring him into such condition as rendered the
actmorally certain; or in any manner failed to do
| ali tha,it could do to develop in him suca char
ac,er and brins him into such condition would
1 render itmorally certain tina, he would neither shed
the blood ofhis fellow man. nor becornea drnnkard,
Tor form an appetite for Intoxicating substances.
And this is all true relation TO the eXis'ence
and operation of both the positive and negative So
cial cause OF every other forms of human wicked
ness Nor let the cavi be raised that, society as
such cannot become morally guilty nor reSponSi-
| BILE. There is bar in the Divine government al
which communities and nations as well as indi-
viduals are arraigued and made 10 answer for then
conduct aud receive according TO their aeeas uiio
always, society ao such, suffers the penalties OF lis
,ransgressions and deinquencies, IN the dePreda-
tons and oulrsges which sustains upon It's inter
ests in the general decay Of its integrity AID cor
ruptien of its morals, and in the difficulty with
which it develops that virtue in its members,
which is equally essential TO the social and iHdi-
yidual well-bcing of man.
But, has not God made it the duty OK man, In
any case, to take the life Of the homicide! an
| swer that God permits as conditional necessity,
rather than enjotMS as an absolute good, the tax
| ing of human life in any case; and his paramount
! acquisition always is that man shall voluntarily
come into that state in which the necessity tor
such permission does not arise from the condi-
ton end circumstances of his complex nature.
Thus, God permits the avcnger of blood vindict-
| lively to take the life of the mansayer, when the
state of man is such that this regulation Is de-
veaped by constitutional necessity and Is tie best
that car possibly co-eSist with that state and,
consequently just IN proportion as The intellectual
! moral and religious natarc OF man rs truly derei-
| oped both the necessity and the Divine pernis-
sion for such regulation pass away, and the Di-
| vine reGuistion rises in moral elevation. Hence.
when the intellectual, moral and religious nature
OF man is sufficiently developed to enable him
rightly 10 understand the economy of The Divine
administration in relation TO mans taking the life
of man, God requires him to act in accordance
with the high and holy spirit of that economy for
Tie accomplishment of the Divine purposes OF be-
| ueyolcnce We know lhe: the taking of the life
| Of .hc murderer, can, in measure, serve TO re-
pair the injury which he has done, to expiute
his guile in the sight of God. There are but two
| grounds therefore, on which, in the light of Chris
tiani,y, We can, with any snow Of reason, claim
necessity and consequent Divine permission fol
taking the life of the murdereri FIRST, to prevent
his, from repeating his offence; and second, to de,
| ter others from committing the same crime. That
The shedding ef blood for blood is, in particular
| state, or condition and circumstances of mans
L. I