The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-05-17

had it been otherwise The gentleman appears 10
take peculiar pleasure in complmenting and con-
graduating himself on account OF his happy escape
from the tyrant custom, and becomes peculiarly
sublime in describing the stupidity OF those who IN
this sage OF Development" continue to be SUBJ
servient to its mandates He alleges that the just
ness of "lega murder" is predicated upon It's
antiquity. To this have only to say that Know
of no such thing as s'legal MURDER" and conse-
quenty this allegation must pass unnoticed' H.
however, he means by this phrase capital punish
ment we are ready to acknowledge thatlthe custom
of furnishing captally is of great antiquity since
it was one of the first orders of Deity to man
when the world was yet in its infancy, yet this by
no means makes it the fact that its legality or JUS
tice is predicatcd upon its antique origin. Tins
assertion has no foundation, since it Is contrary TO
the facts of the case inasmuch as the law sprung
from and was predicated upon "thus saith the
Lord" which is sufficient sanction, our philoso-
pher to the contrary notwithstanding As it re-
CARDS the origin of the practice, none can success
fully deny that ii is plainly traced to divine reve
lation, inasmuch as all the nations which ever
received il have considered it as sanctionlng the
iuGicton, and, indeed, not only sanctioning, but
enioining il in the most forcible terms. There Is
no profane history giving any account IN relation
to this subject so ancient as within tive hundred
wears after the instructions were given to NOAH
From this we conclude that our friend when treat
ing on this head only wished to strike theme
,lya
suburbs of sublimty. The gentleman should be
cpreful not TO attain TO eloquence at the expense
of common sense.
1t has been asserted with much dignity OF express
sion that this is an cage of deve velopement," IN
which, no doubt alIusion is made TO the devclope-
ments which have been noticed under the head OF
discoveries. Although this be an age OF advance
ment in a knowledge Of the arts and sciences, YET
it is apprehended to be very great absurdity 10
suppose tha; any "developements' are now being
made in the eternal principles of justice, OF which
Deity was not aware at the time he gave iastruc-
tons to Noah and the Israelites on the treatment
due the murderer As find there are some mis-
conceptions in relation TO whom this gentleman
"M." il. in consequence of which he does not
receive that salutary advice which he otherwise
would do, | embrace the present opportunity oi
advising him to be particular in the selection OF
arguments, inasmuch as fallacious arguments are
biohly detrimental to even good cause. 1t Is
always presumed that an abundance OF unobjecllon-
able arguments can be adduced in favor of any
theory or principle which deserves to be establish
ed. Hence, when an individual assumes false
bypotheses, he shows either that his opinions are
erroneous, or, correct that he not in possession
of sufficient reasons for their establishment
have ever deprecated the idea of deprcciatIng OF
treating with dsrespect the opinions OF others;
but in the present case | am constrained to say
that can Jew the position and deductions OF my
friend 'M" as being harmless absurdities. Had
it been thought requisite the matter of the present
communication might have been more argumenta
tive but what has been said upon the opposite side
in nv opinion does not demand it. Men shoult
give attention to the lessons Of experience.
PHILOS.