Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-08-23
I. Punishment ever neformatory.

Is Punishment ever Reformatory1
This question was proposed by friend,
some weeks since. 1t was laid down al
the time, for future attention, and has con-
tinued out of sight most of The time since.
1t has now appeared and invited attention
just as am about to leave home, to be alb
sent some two or three weeks. Ii must
have brief notice NOVELIST there be the
appearance ofneglect, or ofshrinking from
land further attention at some other
time il necessary.
L answer the question negatively. l
say punishment is not reformatory.-
Whether the first advocates Of endless
burning in fire and birthstone made the end :.
lessness of it depend on the philosophy and
experience which show punishment not to
be reformatory, or on the relentlessness of
the vengeance, the implacableness Of the
wrath, and the unappeasabeness ofthe fu-
ry ofsuch a deity as their vengeful, wrath
full, and furious minds conjured UP, or on
something else, it may be difficult to tell
now, since the present advocates of the
system teach it authoritaiively, as a tradi-
tionary fact 10 be received--and to be re
ceived on the pains and awful penalties
threatened in the assumed fact itSelf-and
not as problem or proposition to be ex-
amined philosophicallv But if there
could have been any philosophy in minds
that could have entertained such monstrous
ideas as the hell torment system involves,
it appears probable 10 me that they may
have discovered that there is and can be
nothing reformatory in punishment, and
that this discovery helped them to their
conclusions. in their ignorance of other
things. Giving and taking quater, they
had no idea o.. Pacifcaton they never
dreamed Of. The deity they conceived OF
being relentless in his anger, and never
having seen the inAiction Of violence pro-
duce love and reconciliation, why should
they not be driven TO the conclusion that
the fire and fury once kindled up, they
must burn eternally2 Their great error
lay in making to themselves such deity.
This was done in their ignorance. Inthe
scantiness of their experience they were
certainly more excusable in doing it
than their successors baye been 10 wor-
Shipping their works.
But to come to The point. | deny that
punishment is erer reformatory. Superb
or violence may overcome. Threatened
violence may overawe. Experienced vi
olence may deter. But the application Of
it never produces love and good will.
The connection Of cause and effect, Of an.
tecedent and consequent, is not in the case.
The means for attaining the end are not
:hore. Like begets like Violence begets
violence. Only love can beget love-
Here lies the mischief of religious teach
ing. 1t is based on violence. 1t begins
with threatening punishment Itproceeds
and continues with violence held over the
heads of mankind. All its tendencies are
10 make men violent and keep them so.
Some of its teachers, amounting 10 a large
class now in the world, have found it very
convenient to put on and wear tho stol.
Fen name of Reformer who. taught love
and good will. Their work is all cheat
Love is only profession with them
They practice violence and hatred. 70
talk of loving men, aud a: the same lime
consign them to lake OF fire and brim-
stone, butcher them, break their necks
| with hemp. or incarcerate them between
dark, damp walls, will yet be seen 10 have
been great piece of mockery and impo-
sition. deny that human being can be
reformed by any ofthese punishments, OF
any other punishments. They all begel
violehce-every one Of them. Reuoayds
ate no more reformatOry than punis6ments
1t is difficult TO determine. in my own
mind, whether the one is more pernicious
or the other. A promised reward is a
bride. Nothing can be more corrup,ing
Inc whole system Of rewards and punish.
men's makes man worse, and not better
Il has all gottO be done away before The
earth can be filled with peace and love
h, A number Of Communications have
been received, all Of which were too Lat,
10 be inserted this week. Samuel Cot.
ung's will not appear iiilthe return 9th,