Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1846-03-07

Are We left in doub. on hi. ~.
from whom we derive ali on,.. 's''er By
m W., we shall certainly find !, a 'pi
dlihcols to settle the matter bv ,,. !" sonss
selves tho effect Of difiereu, fo,m mae'ng 70,
mens upon society. Have Wa ny, Of puu
plain indication Of the D;,;,. "J ~ hoss,,
somstimes said that The wo,d. ' MIND!
the second fa.he: Of mankind. . saa'e''ed
dstn mans blood. by man shall Es;aG =
she'd" are = mere prediction Of .s -: alao
his Providence, wilt always ,... ~oas Ga
case Of murdersrs. Doe, ,bs s,,. -! il
Must nos The penalty which la6n; l. '1 -! :.
adopts in lite Pro,iden,ial Go,. ""''e Win
which il il wisest for 10 10 .mn b
civil code! Itis true, ,ha, . .%I0lass 10
no more direct indications ". " . We
reason and judgment, taking ,h, h.. 70 ~
condition OF society teaches az . s, winch
dica'ion Of The Divine Mind p sume'M
act with the same confidence on ~, bu' can
onr own reasoning as on spec; s ' u is'ui
Can we not read our commission I ssn !,
preme Ruler with sufficies, nla a ron The
we are told "whoso shedde,h ma",' es,
maa shall his blood be she'd sh 0oot
told Of a reason equally applic,h, .' !; y.
Of the world, in The image Of God N MAJ, !,
man'-and when. in addition IL HI; a'as
informed that He inserted this n NJ uan,
code Of laws which He framed rfs f., y. 70
peculiar people. He has told n ~ ms
man tina, doeth violence to The :" b,. ,s,ae,
person shall fee 10 the pit; le, I no ~, o.
him." If human government w;,h laa
hand from the life Of a murderer. ; anu y
around him the protecting arm If s' y. !, "a
were well to inquire if it is no, lhus y" ia
the express terms Of its commissiou WI
The Divine authority Of eoyernmsD,; :.
1t with the Office of punishment IT,.
mere association for selfdefence IT,
again my political ex.-bock, i, il ia, ~ =
er to execute wrath upon him lha, aos,hs
1t is robbed Of its efficacy when hi, a..
its office is taken away. We all L,, NC
the man whose life is taken bv III. ~,
capss the chief severity of his usna ma "a"
can convince the public ofhi: inuocenss
whlch gives the penalty its proper force
conviction that il is the fit expression ofh
desert Of the crime; not, indeed. in alI.s.
trespass upon the laws of God, BUM,
pass upon tho rights ofman. One fin.
objects of punishment is 10 expires, and
tain the moral sense Of the public. liza,
ing 10 the dictates of our moral ,eDs.
bs the proper penalty of murder, then h.
al sense Of community is blunsd upI
finds lis expression in tho death Of The Off,
It's said that this penalty is an evid.m,
wan. OF refnemen. in the feelings Of NJ
We need 10 cherish all our moral feJr
our detes,ation Of crime as we'll az opr
olence. One Of the greatest defect. in
ty is the want Of a proper balance bswss
two. We see the public sometimes dem
ing the blood Of men without process, Of
and for comparatively trivial offences;
sometimes revolving a, the legal infc,i1
the penalty which the Divine Mind ha
scribed for murder. The proper balance
be best maintained, if, while we throw d
the accused all the protection which tho
Of law afford, We insist upon the proper
~ when the crime is ascer,aiaed.
l, is conhden,Iy asserted by some TIA
time is drawing near when The law 81 c.
Punishment will be regarded in the same
as the execution Of witches. 1t msy b
but if the time does come when The
sense Of community can discern no diff.
between the grea, law of Heaven uqa
life :or life. and the hanging Of witches,
be. in my view, downward rather lh,'
upward progress. JUSTlTl