Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-02-10
Sketch of the Debate in the House.
On the 4th inst. OH ghe Bill 80
abolish Capital Punishment.

.Mr Chiffon spoke al length against The
bill called the bible and ihs church 10
his ad--had the clerk read he Mosaic
law. Said MT C,---Now, gentlemen,
when we wrapt ourselves up in Christ,
we received the Mosaic dispersation. and
il amt never been repeaied--it IS now in
full force in This State al this Pr esent time;
therefore, YOU must render blood for blood
Now that's the ,dee, the question rs, ",s ii
cuuou,iual 81
Mr. King said he did not believe w.th
The gentleman from Lee, that il was sigh;
to hang--he was opposed 10 it---ana if he,
OF any other man. killed his fellow being,
they had moi ought &c be dragged OH be-
fore the crowd and hung fpt it,
MI. Sells supported the position taken
by The gentleman from Lee. Mr.. Clifton,
--madc copaous quotations from the Mo
sale law, which he commended were IN
force. He apoks al length IN 'his strain.
Mr. Bonhans said he was opposed tc
recognizing ths bible as The proper rule
Of evidence n The case He was opposed
to The Death Penalty
Mr.. ~gorion agreed with the eentleman
from Johnson, Mr.. Bonham, ll--.he hoped
gentlemen would discuss The merits Of he
bill, and not the difference Of their creeds.
Mr.. LeHnsrell said tina: they had been
entertained with two OF .hres good aoo-
trinal sermons-and ali that was ,ecessa-
ry, &c have The debate close n COCO order,
was 10 sing hymn, and have one Of she
Reverend gentlemen make q PRAYER this
was required by church isclpine-,and
It the debate was 10 DC carried on 1T this
way. he should move to have the rules 81
church government strictly complied with,
It was remarkable how gentlemen would
cling &c .he superstillons Of The dark ages
with What eadearing fondness !hey
cherished The ianaticlsns and Rugged the
dognas Of their creeds. The gentleman
seems 10 think that the days Of miracles
have not passed away. In olden times
we learn that the sounding Of horn eau
sed The walls Of Jefico &c fall Now, .o
carry his views into effect, he would rec
osnend MN 10 get a rams horn, and trave
round he walls Of San Juan and blow,
and report hcw many Times he had 10 blow
before The walls Began &c totter; and If he
succeeds in blowing hem down, he will
render his country good service establish
his creed and il will be great saving Of
ammunition And, SAID Mr. L., if he
laws Of Moses are in force in this State |
will vote TO repeal them.
The question was Their put, Shall The
bill be indefinitely postponed ?" and decl-
ded in he affirmative Sc he bill was
lost.
Mr. Lef1ngues5 asked leave 10 introduce
a bill.
Speaker: Has the gentleman leave?
Cries of ''leave! ieavei leayei"1
Mr.. L. then introduced "a bill for att
act 10 repeal ali the Laws Of Moses now
in force in this State; which was read
Mr.. Smyth, IF Linn. moved TO reject
the bill.
Mr.. Sells moved thai the usual number
Of copies be printed, with he gentleman s
name who introduced it, printed on the
bill, SC that the people Of Iowa might see
what a naughty man he was.
Mr. Day moved that Mr.. Sells, COM
ineniaries on the Mosaic law, be printed
with the bill, so that the people Of iowa
might see now that Learned diU'ne" put in
his time in compiling q work on The 'old
dispensaLior.
M LeGngyeli said he would vote for
the motion Of The gentleman from Masea