New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-03-09
Capi,xl Punishment.

Capital Punishment.
The following extracts from work recently re-
publi,hed in this country entitled the Rationale
OF Crime by ". B. Sampson are worthy Q, gene
raj attention. The case Of Russ Just closed : o1s
Of the most perfect illustrations OF the tru'n u VIC
writer's positions that could be desired
Al the present day the infection Of Capital fans'sns
IA mainly confined 20 the crime q murder ana = %
ia, account u a, the chief deuly a presented sssAs'
la Abolition It viii not however take q AZ. ~,
show that If Capital Punishment u rnselI.S.s ~
remedy for other descriptions OF crime u
he most unfit 70 be applied IS corrective u lie u
The naicsion Of death putt the sufferer Out oi LIe
reach Of improvement Il y, therefore es ~ . -
cC,re-ned sarizafsd guHistrsSHf II has been my %
- - .bo- IN Il tbe mere infection d puns -
s.es upou any human being Is an act o. ihherthl -
bsr5sross injustice III am correct in tni' p0;.L /"
becomes nv tack 70 prove ihsi i Il. 81 me s- - :,
-. 10 inslscru,l In producing the result - Tnlch y
ir,s hut tst il actually sgxrzvaies the eFli NllCn
rrofesses 70 cure. This must be tie balars4 Is- -
sny unjast proceeding sinee ne rss - ;,s.s'es
v-ss never vet promoted b the inrleaon Of 'n-'cs
,,ron snv individual The good which n done % l-e
whole produces in It's ultusie e1een sooo 70 e'e''
part -. .--.s... IN the inaieti,r
- - n treatment which = IN Opposition 70 ts
desires Pleasure arises from Toe srsuHs.19 ~
5.;-ss rain 3 the result when they are o1enoeo
,,sn desires above al things 70 s-sy tne seDus-Sy
s.S- -yb;cb results from the activity OF faculty
common 10 bis race il begins Al TIE uHne IL as1e
excitement 90 great ss 10 overnasier ine eieV4.es VI a.
bis other and higher powers sna 70 se' 80! 80 ~
- .efd,syzioz is that which Of Gil others "Ouio %
Least dsfssteful 10 him That under sueh
he might even contemplate i with pressure = ~
~ The large proportion Of eases Of muroeI when are
.,-.-s,.,,d ~ The suicide Of the criminal me Ten
Senrr 70 DESTROY j. Of the bind proPsns4ues "
mans nature absolutely Necessary 10 acapI DIM - 70
-s1s,ion n lie external world end, wnen scung ne
- sba frfc or
,ro5rros only the most beneficial results out "hen
roused 70 unbalanced action Il ezniotslts 70
! - and overpovering tie reason ard the leeAhgs
lu6icb il must 90 before rs posseseoI can Cou.''
7spr5erl nparts Ofientmes IS strong an lnPS-e y
ward he destruction Of is possesfor az u" ai. Vie
tfrrton Of any other ndiToun gives ~ - nv 49,
.,ste an In rdinate tendency 90 violent aCtpH ~
go. ~ ov,roovver restraint Of every kn1 ana -
hreak down fnd destroy III that comes "lllh 's Ieaoh'
To ono theref re who Is laDorng under ihs ieelhs'
the present sanguinary law acts chiefly as sun
~ ,binr That would at all operate with preventive
f.s MOI mind ID this stste, would be, the irnpIes
sion that If the organ should he grarneo up 70 the p
Of homicide 10 would subject lie posseasor 10 nc u
perpetual vcsrrafas- 3d.. Al, --,,Is
from tie consideration Of these views. ~. -
hardly be too much 70 assert hst the present "
nunishueut for the crime Of murder mas eeluaiy
H. -sss NJ large proportion Of those murders WHEN
have been committed and that ourages Of tls nsuIe
,rould become extremely rare II the stimulus |nlTu
This punishment affords 10 the suicidal tendency N"nlSu
% am prepared to chow is always az sccOn PaNle-'
of homcidisl mania were altogether remoTeo. -,
One means of judging Of the eIlctcy OK any sNeu
punishment in lettering from crime Il ~ IN -
fSgree of anxiety which Is manifested by the crinai
10 escape from it, infection particularly a. 70 te ue
g-es Of caution with which be lays bis Plans previously
to the committa Of the deed In al oro1sy 49, =,
crime we zee this caution exhibited hutsSiies az
sadon, executed but upon well metured plans ano Ihe
most senious contyauces are employed 10 escape %
servaiion; frauds are eccomphsned ana secIe,eo ~
f tales and the alteration OF accounts snd even me
common pickpocket acquires he chiel repuhuVu
among his colleagues by the artuness win "hicn ne
contrives to elude detection The Only e1cePuon 20
this rule is to be found in csses Of homlcioe Inc
nunishnoeDt for this crime 10 death and therefore De
comes necessary In support Of my last aSseruon ~ eA
anime into the degree OF snHley "uen - ma ~ ~
nv criminals of this class for the preservation oil the
own lives in connection with the commission Oi Tvs
offence. . .,.. 49,;
opt hv long string Of facts calculated to impress my
.ders with lust estimate of the effect Of the law 80
It at present stands, in regard to hi. crime
space will not permit us to copy these isct' e1-
tending as they do through nearly twenty pages
Suffice 10 say they very interesting aud 50 to
show that nurderers almost universally have dispo'i-
ton to commit suicide In reference to them the writer
proceeds to speak as foIows'l
The above facts are sufficient to show that tue coin
cdence of the suicidal with the homicdal propensity s
not an accidental circumstance but one tha sses
natural law Of the human CONSTITUTION rue 49,
statements which have drawn from the annual reg.
Tor show is occurrence in 90 per cent Of the cases
corded during i've years and the experience OF suose
ouent periods goes far to establish much hgher pro
nortion IL wiz De th-t lie Sass % parsons ~
whom the crime OF murder Is committed are mol only
not affected by toe dread OF desih out mar tne so
called punishment is actually regarded ~ mem "a
some instances as desirable infection snd we shAii
,bc-ofre be led 10 the conclusion, that however IN
suifebc punishment may he Tor other crimes -
most especially so for that OF murder. II DC uue
that this class OF offenders are animated 3y oess loi
selCdestrucon TO bold seli destruction es conse
ouepce of the act must be as sure way OF euorong
stimulus 10 its preparation as would result II IN cases
of theft we were 10 punish every offender oy pre-
! senting him with purse Of money lheIe are many
Ss,ances on record" says Dr. James Johnson, where
| the uonomsniac Lacks courage TO commit sulciue oi
cannot make mp his mind rs 70 the means % aooo'
plishing il under which circumstances ~ h1t ooDnx
led oaDai crimes 9Th the reo Of 5etnS capaHy P1r''N
"a . and among the cases which have quoteo tneIe
are several in which the prospect OF this pushmen
anpears 10 have operated as the sole mou'e 70 81
Hence do not hesitate 10 express my uthel tnal e
aarSsbl. Ammunition in the number OF murders BY
which our country annually dsgraced would De the
immediate consequence OF lie aoohnon' L., H.
seek to lay great stress upon me isets "hon use
it'd In his chspter because il seems TO me 70 DC I'm
ro.sihl that they can admit Of any other nterpfethot
man that which have drawn from them and that tne
mus, therefore operate conelusivey upon 'ne
81 cspital PuuishInents. / entreat the supporters
-. nni.hunepts TO weigh them deliberately and WIZ
hst deem sense Ct responsibility which consideration
of the consequences OF proaangatng erroneous
on subject which bears upon Tue S4ls.ehee VI saH"l
of their fellow creatures s calculated % ssne1s'e-
80 6rn, trust that they will not dismiss TIE lrgu
meat row Adduded with the insttentve nss'e OF mos
Who desire 10, TO be convinced because believe tina
the supporters Of the present system or al ess' Una
portion OF them whose innusses Is hkeIy 70 .s,l
society are sctuaed equally with It's opponents y
sincere wish for the general good that they LOOK up9
The existing law as painful necessity and they va
gladly welcome any argument which may eneoie snen
con,centiously to change their ylews II tne puhsn
mept of death be calculated to lessen the number
murders II is evident that the voice oil humanity snou
he raised to demand hs infection those among tn
| ~ -~o,r5 am therefore far from charging tnen
with sny want Of benevolence, and feel some desre
of confidence that shall not appeal to them u tAi
when AK them respectfully TO examine 9r nehs', y,
The result 10 which the above stsienenb eso' WIN "
view of pointing og where the error hes error ne
be In NV deductions OF aiding II sstisned o. me
correctness 10 the call which should mmedlAIey :
founded upon them ioE ne aoohVoh VI ''''
. the last yestge Of ssnguinny laws