The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-11

bem We say all unnecessary punshments cruel; and
Now why should we hang man? For himself? Is he
dangerous! We can put him within four walls where
we need not fear him. and where society would soon
forget him Is for the sake example that should
hang maefactor. MIR. Phillips then reviewed the
religious preudices Of the opponents OF the reform
Some say that nothing but death will deter people from
crime but why not restore the ancient instruments Of
torture! Why not cruelty him-why not use the tor
cruel to restore any one of them Well it is cruel
to hang man. II you have descended one foot in
and painful means Of dsprving your fellow creatures
OF life, you can discard another by saving the
alive (Appause) Now we summon those who repu.
date the one method to prove that the other would
not succeed In reference to the religious prejudces
Of portion of the people he said that when the AL
mighty tried the experiment Of frightening mankind
into love and obedience and humanity speaking, fail
ed he then tried love- which has succeeded much bet
ter He then argued to show that society should by
moral culture and education train the children Of
the land that when they became men, they would be
incapable OF committing crime. Society has nothing to
property destroy property, but that is not sin;
1t is injury, which society repair God alone only
say what sin is.
Mr. f. A. BUCKINGHAM of England, was then intro
duced to the meeting In responding to the invitation
extended to him to speak on theme bearing on vas
alterations IN the national poty OF this country,
had timidity stranger AZ he was, in stating, h,
would, some Of the grounds on which he and his
coaborers in the cause of anti-capital punishment
rested in advocating their views One Of the obstacles
which they meet the religious feelings Of the people,
which connect Christianity with the gallows A few
days since he in Of courts and saw there a
poor trembling wretch, who had been driven from his
native land by oppression and bad government-he
this poor wretch, whose countenance vice had set
its stamp; into whose ears perhaps mothers advice
was poured This man had committed atrocious
DER and while he standing there he heard the
bodiment Of the majesty of the law declare that
certain day to arrive, he would be hanged till he
dead could not help thinking said he, what is the
fine distinction which makes the killing in
murder and in the other justice, Christian
duty Looking at the ease as it stood there certainly
seemed to be difference in the two. In the case
a man had been brought up immoraly while in the
other case those who condemned him were vrtuous
intelligent, and educated. But looking further he
could not help thinking that whereas in case
the murder was committed by man, in the other,
millions of his fellow commit the same crime on
him This law, therefore, is nothing but the record
of the wills Of many men; and why is it that If
can! This the face Of 1t, must strike you in
justice If the law is nothing but the will of your CT
tzens, and individual has the right to take life
This is caed-as is everything in advance of the age
an infdel doctrine. Now, our opponents logical
surdity They leap from premises Of description
to conclusions Of another. They take for grant
ed the divine prerogative Of the Legislature.
Our opponents say no man has right to take his
own life. On the same principle, he cannot imprison
himself and therefore he cannot concede to the egs
lature what he does not possess This Is the redo
absurdam. Now, conccde the legislature has no
power to do this without ultimate object
believe that society has right imprson the crmi.
nal for the purpose of reformation, man has the
right to do the with himself This Is one of the
arguments brought against us and it covers one Of our
grounds for opposing capital punishment He then
examined the grounds on which the friends of capital
punishment rely for continuing it, First, the right of
sedefence which they say society possesses On the
Fart Of individuals however, there are in many cases.
conscientious scrupes against taking life in self defence
There who think that would pc better to die
a violent death rather than mbrue their hands in
human blood but concede this right of elfdcfence
and apply the principle. There is in defending
murdered man. for he is beyond it; but society is to
be defended the murderer may again take life.
And how is il to be done! Are to put him to death
because we have no alternative! when we have the
iu,ira lvpifh walls In we moi
prevent him from committing murder again! The
Mosaic law too is put forward Ms for hang
ing Our opponents think that this law being ofdivne
origin must be good, and must not contradict 1t.
In regard to this law his opinion that the ground on
which punishment inflicted in that day IL alto
gethcr different that which it is visited in this
day The end to be attained under the Mosaic awthe
cleansing Of the land from the dehlement of the sin
the expiation of the sn-cannot be smplished by
our modern legislation Again. our opponents say
what God has declared to be lawful can't be
lawful Dr. CheevSr not OF the principles of the
Mosaic law has been abrogated by Saviour but If
he take up his New Testament he will find that seve-
raj of them have been The next point of the Scrip
tural argument is the yery citadel of the argument
II is the text, "whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man
shall his blood be she'd This is the citadel Of the ar
gument of opponents, DR.. Cheever terms it, He
denied that this a command but only sacrifcia
dispensaion. and not mandatory Now take it as 1t is
The command az they term 1t, does not make ny ex
ception and therefore the who sheds the blood Of
the murderer, must himself suffer But opponents
say that their version OF this passage was the ana
the words by man, it loses its whole force
argument In the vulgate, in the Latin these words
are not inserted In the septaguint, which is much
older than the vulgatc those words not contained
We might stop here, and not further But we will go
TO the brew too and there will find the absence of
those words the Hebrew the quotation according to
the beet critics Is, Whose shcddch mans blood that
in man, his blood shall be shed " What perversty
stronger term does not therefore actuate
opponents in maintaining this quotation from Scrip
turo ground of argument for continuing the gal
lows. Again. Dr. Cheever says, the man who doeth
violence to the blood another shall fly to the pitt"
and that the pit means death. Now the only way in
by committing suicide But if look mt the vulgate,
shall that this is incorrectly quoted t.o The
speaker then at length argued from the original vul-
gate that the text says that the who doeth vio
ence to the blood of another shall prevent
him. even II he flee to the pit After reviewing another
position taken by Dr. Checver he said have
found that the Mosaic law has passed away but the
decalogue remains. That says. thou shalt not commit
murder and therefore, it against our duty to God to
take the life of another. We have also to perform
duty to our fellow The Christian religion teaches
to all for the prevention and reforma
ton of sin In conclusion he said that the arguments
Of the gentlemen Of the association based the
principle that man has no right kill
The following Offices were then elected for the ensu
ing year President, Geo NJ. Dallas. Vice Presidents
Hon, VIM. 7. Mccoun, N. Y; Henry s Patterson, NJ
Harscn, NJ. D., N. Y. Corresponding Secretaries,
Freeman Hunt, N. Y. Jno. +. Gray, NJ d. Recording
cutive Committee, wendell Phillips, Mass; Hon Chas
s. Adams. do Chauncey +. Cleveland Conn; Chas.
= LOOMS Michigan; VIM w Chase, r. Il Isaac U,, T.
N J.; Judge Strong. Palma, Pa; VIM Kelly Pal Robert
j. Walker Miss; 4. s. Scranton, La; Aaron " Brown,
Ten; Richard NJ. J ohnson, Ky; VIM. Riley, Md;
Oliver johnson. Ohio.
Fifteenth Anniversary of the American Fee
male Guardian Society.
The fifteenth anniversary Of the American Female
Guardian Society celebrated, on Wednesday
ing last at the Church Of the Purtans of Broad
way and Fifteenth street.
The ceremonies opened with an invocation by
the Rev Mr.. Cork, after which appropriate hymn wa
sung by the choir Prayer then offered by the Rev
MIR. Sedgwck, and the following hymn, composed for
the occasion, sung by the choir -
O God who wandering Israel led,
And when the host by hunger driven,
Unto tho prophet cried for bread,
Didst feed them with the dew Of heaven;
Behold our purpose now and bless
The work feeble hands would do
Help to succor in Distress
The child Of poverty and wo.
n