New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-05-25
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
Legal Killing.


Legal Killing.
DAY before yesterday Eno' @. Dudley was nonS
=, B.verbill, n H. This morning at O'CLOCK,
Warrington Goode is 10 be hung Al Boston ana
in different parts Of the country are otner cF'Hni
n.l. awaiting the same end. This year the gal
Iows i. unusually busy
The hanging which takes place at Boston tni'
morning is private, only limited number OIL per
sons being present by special invitation
generally admitted that the ordinance sboii'hiog
public executions 10 a good one, and that Is moon
better when the law has man 70 hhi' 'ns' 'ne
mss. OF the people should not behold tne e"iui
soectscle. The reason Of this IS that experience
has shown open exhibitions Of legal killing 70
have 40 disastrous an effect on public feeling and
morals as 70 render nugs,ory one great purpose oil
the law 10 Furnishing, namely, the prevention Of
rhine. Even the most obstinate advocate OF Cap
itsl Punishment would not wish either 70 revive
the losthsorne scenes which attended its infection
when the whole country round Aocked 70 every
hanging, or the evils which thence resulted to the
community.
But on the other hand It Is absurd that an act
which it is claimed has a beneficial effect on me
public, should be performed in secrecy, or It's ben
fts confined 70 a small number Of privileged indi-
vidssls n the gsllows be really useful instt1-
ton its usefulness cannot consist with ia beng
hidden. II it eleystes the tone Of morals IN a
community, If it increases good and binders eva
that the lives Of certain offenders should be taken,
ithe fact that murderers are sure Of being pat 10
death prevents murder, surely that fact should be
made known the most widely possible, and the
greatest possible number Of men, women and
children should be collected 10 see them slam. Is
IT not then plain that the considerations when
forbid Capital Punishments to be public iorD'd
their taking place at all
i, 10 the right and duty Of Society TO preserve us
own order, even at the sacrifice OF NE "hen 'ha'
necessity occurs. And # il can be proved surety
necessary, for the orderly growth and develop
msnt of Society that murderers or other great
criminals be killed, we shall for the time cease TO
,,o,e.t against their death and accept It, though
s.a Temporary practice, which must disappear ss
men become more fraterns snd enlightened. II
IL be necessary, wo will not even bring against II
the papsble fact that criminals do not educate
themselves 10 be such, but are trained to depraYty
by a thousand unfortunate and perverse Influences
for whose action Society is often more truly respon
sible than they Though Society IN an imperfect
state. produces criminals it still has the night 70
use such means OF restraining them as may be
necessary for the preservation OF its own exist
ence-and death may be one Of these means
But in the present state Of things aud the
present direction Of opinions the necessity OF legal
killing must be demonstrated by something more
efectual than gloomy assertions and theological
Arguments OF doubtful soundness its practice Is |"
be continued. The gsllows is no longer regarded
asa benehcent machine because 1t has been Ia
nae from time immemoria In asserting that
other and gentler means Of restraint are and ever
will be found more conducive 10 social virtue and
security no man is now in danger OF being alone
From the time when trihlng offences were pun.
isbed with DEATH and when even that was IRE
eeded by torture, TO the present day, great adj
vance has been made Of which the world will not
willingly 20 backward a single step, nor IS the
course OF progress yet ended. One OF the strong
est indications OF Improvement in the social condI-
ton of mankind is the less vndlctive and severe
treatment Of criminals and unfortunate persons
He ia a bold or n blind man who now contends
with any hope for the perpetuston OF the eibbet
or the guotne' They will ere long be consigned
to the obscurty in which molder the thumb
screw. the rack the wheel and other similar IN
ventions Aud at last it will be understood that
the duty of Society toward offenders IS not only to
restrain and prevent butte cure educate aud reform
Tho hanging Of Washington Goodc this morning
will do more TO effect the abolition OF Capital Pun
ishment in Massachusetts, than any amount OF mere
argument could do. 1t is probably the last exc
cution which will take place in that State