Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-08-12
Death Punishment.

EDITORS OF THE SENTINEL: Gentlcmen-As for
mer number sought leave TO 'add a few lines Occa-
slOnaly" as this mOmenous question is discussing we
hope are not out of order in doing the
stage "Mr s has gone ahead with his four produc-
tons, IN the second of which he upon the grant
ed premises 'Ihat the Author of the Universe has right
10 govern 1t sand that the Creator has a right govern
The human race aud that he will exercise that right"
And upon the argument based upon the conduct of the
Deity IN respect to Cain aud the food of Noah In hs
fourth production he propounds the question: Should the
municipal law prescribe and nfict the punishment of
death on the murderer We propose noticing these in
turn, and
l. The argument based upon the conduct Of the Deity
in respect TO Cain.
We frankly acknowledge that were greatly misla-
ken herein, IN atbuiing argument to 'Ar. $ - for up
examination find that he honestly comedies the
whole ground, and openly acknowledges that God him
self prohbited capital punishment and declared that
seven-fOd vengeance should be taken on him who
avenged the blood of Abel" Now is it not strange that
after making this frank concession and in the face of
terrible hreaning denounced against the avengers of
Abel, friend and his should have the hardihood
10 harbour for moment the idea of taking the life Of
Cain Ii is even and to themselves from the
awful guilt would mpue ignorance and mHtaby the
Fountain of wisdom, and HIM who sis the yeser-
day, to-day, now, henceforth and forever In the idea
of trial, both ignorance and muaby implied and
trial is charged 10 Almighty God for, says friend in
setting mark CAM lest any finding him should kill,
Gle iOd) tried what you and those who stand on your
side Of the question, wanting get back now -
Just as IT he were unknown 10 the result OF such
pertinent and subject to changes in the event il should
N
hand shows clearly that not only did God himself with
hold taking the life Of CAM but that he also declared his
vengeance against him who would do II that believe
IN the wisdom, the toreknowledge, and the mmuabty
of the Great II will be seen by reference to No
of the items in said second production that the propri-
ETY. of setting mark upon Cain, lest any finding him
should Kill him, is called in question: because orsooh
the reasons given and because finite inteigeuces
the Lord fit 10 do Why, we cannot tell Over
powerng argument indeed We should like to know who
AMIR. s" is.
2 In respect to the food Of Noah
Here again find mistaken in our expecta-
lion. The FIRST thing notice here the admission
that there other murder committed until after the
hcod, period of some 1000 years and that system
prevailed during that whole Time ''and that pro-
hied from infctIng capital punishment the murder
err Now this proves any thing, proves concusIvey
that capital punishment Increases only increases
murder, but actually il iEasmuch as during that
long period Of 1910 years when the system unknown
single murder occurred, the one already
mentioned Another period Of like duraiion 10 which
murder strangers the annals of history are unable to
furnish Capital punishment with all its horrors can
never point a period like that. TIE Bible however
says, that al the end Of that period The eurd filled
acifh riOleace but not sMr. >" would now have H.
changing from his first admission. that fhe cutting Of
ihrOats, and the beating out of brains universally pre-
vailed aud that the whole race Of mankind chad be-
come murdeFers, through the long prohibition Of capital
punishment Now the truth Is the scriptures say, The
earth filed 9th Ui0ace that he UctcdnesS Of man
great az the earth and that e5ey gRaiOa of the
thoughts Of htS heart cGS O1tH erI continually cc &c.
Not word OF murder mentioned, and although
friend has been learning for forty years, pesal
will tell him that cutting hroas, and knocking brains
are not mentioned among the crimes for which the old
world was drowned. Now let view his conclusion,
that the Deucalon food the capital punhment in
ficted by the Deity himself for murder. Il is said that
after a trial Of system for the long period Of 1000
years, land which think would be a long time for
blunt mOTa! 10 consume IN testing experiment.,
much less Infinite wisdom) that God discovered that his
hitherto lenient government would answer and that
capital punishment must be Instituted, which then
inflicted by the flood every eight souls. Ii
will be born IN mind that murder Is not charged TO
the antediuvians and tina; "Mr. s" made this admis-
sion but suppose il implied in their catalogue OF
crimes, there also multitude Of other wrongs
and misdemeanOTs, of various grades, Of greater,
some OF less aggravafon also implied therein! And IL
so, what is the conelusion' Why simply, and always
will be the when out upon falIacious aud
roneous premises that if the flood Of Noah is to be taken
for precedent for death punishment for MURDER II also
precedent for death punishment for every kind and de-
gree Of wiekedness; thus the whole world should be
hanged We ask impartial people il this is not fair
conclusion from the premises And will it remain
n conclusion until Mr. s can show conclusive
" that every that drowned, had been murder
err This prepared to show utterly impossible,
by and ask the question that IT,
tins world shall be purged with fire. shall we did the
Antediluvians patiently await the ways Of heaven,
o. shall take the whole into hands and burn it
I'd? Or shall attempt TO cleanse u Of all sin
10 along, and thus leave nothing for God 10 do In
word would hwar the ways OF heavens eternal des-
tiny man All these questions incident 10 The
premises Of our friend We shall notice Of the
absnrdiiies Of This second production, the
BEFORE declared that capital punishment did really
exist during the whole 1000 years. Without another
word leave this No inviting those concerned 10
read for themselves
punishment Of death on the murdereri" This IDiefIo