The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-08

go aloft take in sail was very touching He con.
Guided very eloquent speech by saying he was sure
that the appeal of the sailor to the heart of the Chris
tian would not be made in vain. God had already
done much for the sailor but stupcndous work still
remained to be done.
The Rev DR.. BEEcHER of Boston, next addressed the
meeting and with his usual ability, advocated the
rights OF the sailor He spoke of the necessity Of edu
cation for the sailor and remarked that if the working
classes to be educated let sailors by all MEANS be
the first to receive attention that ground Let their
friends entertain high hopes and by that means they
would float in the Of Gods heart Why should
not sailors be educated, and become the most intel
saSr 'A'A III 'n' community Let 'n'n make inc
The proceedings Of this truly aud splendid
meeting were appropriately concluded with benedic-
tion On the platform were men eminent in divinity,
literature and commerce. and all seemed highly graft
hed at the imposing demonstration which the society
had made
New York State Anti-CapitaI Punishlnent
Society.
The Minerva Room was crowded last evening by
large audience-among whom were numerous ladies'
in attendance on the annual ceremonies of this So
cety.
The President introduced the Rev. W. S. BALcu to
the audience who read the report of the Execu
tive Committee The committee, although they can
not congratulate their friends the entire of
their liberal and Christian enterprise were happy in
the conviction that their labors not in vain but
had wrought great change in public sentiment. that
must eventually produce the repeal of the of blood
and the substitution of penal code, which would bet
ter promote the objects Of good goyernmentthc refor
nation of criminals In the Legislature of this State
although it was believed that majority was in favor
of such law yet owing to the lateness Of the period
to which action was postponed there had been
no full vote or final decision on the subject.
as necessary to be adopted for the next
sion Progress had been made in other States. Ia
Michigan restoration Of the gallows abolished three
years ago, sought but intellectually there
increase Of crime exhibited the consequence. 1t
committee thought to the death penalty In Circuit Of
twenty miles four murders had been committed within
few weeks after the execution Of man Similar in
stances adduced in other sections of the State
showing the pcrncious influence of the death penalty
1t had become proverbia also, that murderers were
generally acquitted, and turned forth on the commu
nifty to repeat their deeds Particularly this the
fact in regard to those who possessed the means Of
ployng able counsel Abolish the death penalty and
there would be no difficulty in empannex jurors
curing convictions During the last year. there had
great ameioration in the system of prison dcipn in
this State and the universal testimony was that
been productive Of the most favorable results in all
cases. The men improved in conduct, and did also a
greater amount of labor. The committee, limited as
their Of action, had distributed thou
sand pages of books and tracts among the people and
especially legislative bodies, embodyng arguments in
favor Of the abolition Of the gaows and they be-
lieved with the most beneficial results This had been
done only by expenditure of little labor
pense. II DESTROYS to continue these labors and
the committee hoped for the active cooperation of the
members Of the society," and the friends generally Of
this great reform. The report concluded with con-
graduation the brilliant prospect whcS opened, of
the speedy abolition of the gallow for ever from the
Thereport was then adopted mem. con.
The President then said he had the pleasure to in
troduce to the Society Mr. WENDELL PLLIPs of Boston
NIP. said that his remarks might be considered as
report of what they had been doing In Massachusetts,
in the good The general subject he would leave
to those who followed him. The question Of the aboli
tion Of the gaows was to some perhaps trite sub
ject, and which, locking the familiar faces col
lected in that meeting might be supposed to have made
very little impression on the community at large He
could congratulate them however on the fact that
subject. He had just harmed fact which had just
transpircd in Massachusetts, which was illustrative
fhn INN pf nphl Lie anti mt
there this subject within the last twenty
years. Until within third of that time, its agta
lave reform Of the penal CODE in which, however de-
spite eloquent speeches. logical reports and convincing
miserable coored saor washington Goode was conn
victed of murder, and sentenced to be hung. When q
few undertook to rouse the public sentiment Of
Massachusetts to grave and solemn protest against
his execution, in seventeen days 900 sent
in to Governor Briggs circumstances against the
cution Of anybody under the laws Of Massachusetts,
And it Of any consequence three fourths Of them
voters, too. In 1925, Governor Morton act
ing Governor of the State, and he had stated that
one occasion wishing to commute the punishment Of a
sentenced to death he could not n to
support him in it; but on the contrary 5000 petition
urged him to speed the execution Of the crmi-
nal A few years ago, young man named Clark some
sixteen of age was condemned to death at Newbu
ryport, for burning dwelling house. His aged heart
broken father made his way foot to Boston, begging
from village to village, for petitioners for the pardon
that distance Of $50 miles In 1S49 the seed had fallen
in goody places and brought forth sixty and one hun
dred fold and with scarce effort 5000 people had
called upon the Governor to allow executions
Applause) 1t was gratifying evidence Of the change
in the public sentiment. Mr. z. then referred to the
fact that the doctrine Of the necessity Of capital
ishment article in the orthodox creed Of some
Of the Evangelical sects of New York. being merely
a theological and not Christian or Bible one. The
mass he said did not argue, and the preuaices In IA
yor Of the gaows were never argued up, and, there
FORE never would be reasoned down. 1t was to be
fowned down by the spontaneous conviction of the hui
heart. Why was 1t that in all ages and in all lands,
the executioner was regarded as a dsreputabe and
disgraced man-that in Spain he obliged to skulk
into the village and perpetrate the deed the
mon people of the village could lay hands upon him.
1t was that there something in the human heart
that revolted against it. Mr. urged that the agita
ton should shaped and excite this in
nate feeling would be Of great Chrisani
IT, The Bible gave sanction the death penalty,
and he who claimed it being arrayed against the
moya Of the abuses of the past injured its far
than the infdel the habitua scofer
MIR p dwelt this point illustrating by references
tn he Of he nd He