The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-05-11


On Wednesday evening large and respectable su-
dience was assembled in the large room Of the CO.
lseum. Benjamin ELLIS, ESQ., one of the Woe Presi-
dents ofthe Society in the absence Of Woe Chancellor
McCoun took the chair.
Mr.. Trus, Vice President Of the Society, read to
the meeting the part Of the Executive Committee,
series Of resolutions, as follows
z: Of late r,s
individuals have the their sonal
sss S.: that SS &.
sned With which cannot be sS. Sy tax
I'll take !: e. Il
sSs. III may S' be taken ai IN self dsfsnSs
s.s ss1 IN the ri, n IL the
and e. only x:
qsssOn H. Which d the two shall exist assrsssor
Che party this a on a. H.. or
Il Is no longer sef-dsfenee and right enjoy
s 1
Just and therefore Tat the tight 70 death :ssss but
11i' ,Ss .
A. Of f,Iss life . sas
simple reason thisis the only which
can be lane and IL which III.
wSs q. to Ss and aA hi:
the prcservation Of existence"
s sssIs M i y IL
he cannot consoience By
n. ,.f a
FIT The ss ssrs the Ssss
tsr necessity for the defence Of the
penalty Doe.
~ ss :.s 81 ss & the
sontray whenever and wherever for life has
*
.Sss i0r IRE rssi a. Ss1ss o. p.rds1
.as a% ss 5 Seen by
s,s 81 and
bearing the subject o. capital and
to , Ss through our at that That the
documents which have in reply to that app
Mr. Tires stated In reference to the last resolution
Shat the application above referred to made in the
drst instance to the Governor Of this State He sent
the communication to this Society Mr. Titus after
wards in consequence thereof sent to the British
government, via Mr.. Abbott Lawrence, our ambassa-
dor to St Jamess. variety of documents, pamphlets,
statistics addresses &C., upon the subject Mr. Law
renee has politely replied. and enclosed note from
one Of the Secretaries Of State Of the British
ment, returning thanks for the valuable documents.
Mr.. BUnLEIGH, of Philadelphia, then introduced
and addressed the meeting.
[This person drew much attention upon himself by
his singular appearance. He came into the room with
large bundle Of books in his hand which It was after
on the subject of capital punishment lie wore long
beard and his long hair, parted on each side fell
in carefully curled rnglets each side of his face
We were informed by gentleman in the room, that
some had told him he resembled in features the
Imaginary
circulated among the vulgar, and that to make the
resemblance more exact he has suffered his hair to
grow in the described, forming head such
the aforesaid pictures are drawn aud In truth, not
unlike those fanciful sketches.
He said the arguments in behalf Of this cause
many the reasons against the barb.rous practice
numerous that he felt difficulty where to begin
That tho practice OF death punishment should have
continued in Christian country like this where there
are other of punishment well perfected, was
matter OF surprise Where do you find the warrant Of
strangiing the life out of your brother Surely you
cannot say is in self Defence but if it is 1t does not
apply in capital punishment You are not repelling
assault but you dealing with one unsrmed and
ehsined In your dungeon i h .ns =,
ardce base poltroonry to say you are In terror OF
your lives by single chained, unarmed, imprisoned
man. IL you to dissrm robbcr, you have no
right afterwards to murder him. Why not come out
boldly with Thomas Carlyle. and speak honestly and
say wchang the man because we hate him" As to
the exemplary force the arguments is this-swc hang
the fear Of the possible offence OF snme other
man" If this is good argument You ought TO Kill
the who possibly be going TO kill manant not
hang anot hyr man instead of him, to prevent him
QIesr hear) There plenty of men Of whom you can
be sure they would soon commit murder IL would be
wrong however to hang him Therefore 1t Is wrong to
hang A for going to commit murder; II Is wrong
to hang d. in order to prevent from commit
prevention at ALL Murder stalks through the
land. spite Of the gallows trees and stains the
gallows posts with black blood. Murder tresds
upon the heel Of murder In Connections, as soon as
they have hung one they have more murders i'm
media tey multiplying. and more men to hang. The
multipication OF in all the States shows that
fhe experiment Of the gallows is failure But II Is
said n with the terror the crime is stll committed
what would Il be without, II terror T. adopted to
check crime Il ought to be sure terror but TINS ter
uncertain, for the least aw In the evidence or
the In dictment the penalty Is cvaded For eighteen
hundred wears You have been told TO lore your neigh
Dor as yourseif-to be mereful to your offending
lrothcr This Is the principal and basis on which
your criminal code ought to be founded. As you do
not XIII those who bodily diseased so you ought
not to kill those who are morally diseased In one
case as much in the other you ought not to violate
the law of II your wise legislators and
culied men cannot make for you better codes than
what you go to the farmer and the blacksmith to
hammer out better saystem. (Applsuse) ahyour-
selves Pagans-dont call yourselves Cnristians-u you
win not carry out the principles o. ohris,anmy
pcrmi- sion 10 speak and sadIt Is rather bold step
IN TO address youi would save life by hanging Tor
murder, that gentleman would saw ellie by encouraS-
ing murder lie a. OF the Webster school i do not
sgrce with him have done. (smies)
Mr. Pasron SoALE. from Hartford. CONNECTICUT, read
an extract from the message of the Governor OF Con.
necticu proposing Ito blot out that relic OF psroa
age" viz the penalty OF death rom the CODE OF
Connecticut Mr. 3 read some statistics To prove that
in Michigan, where the penalty hsd been abolished,
murders some less frequent than In Connecticut,
Mr. WtNpyL PmlIrrs, Of Boston, was then intro
duced and spoke follows:-Thc comparison made
between Connected ut and Michigan may be well sp-
plied 10 Boston aud the county 81 sunolk In Msssa
chusetts III the gallows deters from crime, Boston
ought TO be remarkably clear OF In sven mon.h'
there were capital la the jail than had
been known for thirteen years before during which
IL Is not the want of argument that prevents the abo-
uon Of this barbarous usage but dogmas resting like
= IN incubus for ages the human heart which pre-
vent the doing away Of the death penalty IL y this
doematic darkness which shuts out the light OF God
Thirteen years ago the Governor OF re-
CONNIE ndsd the abolition of capital punishment on
The ground Of the prevailing objections in the minds
OF Jurors put the laws In execution and the con-
seauent acquitia Of guilty persons Some are
surprised the church does not lead the van In this
question But none Of the institutions OF society
can ever lead in the Improvement Of society-
They represent the stcrcotyped opnions Of the past
srrs they are anchored In them and sustain
them Ecclesiastical or political Institutions will
never lead in reformatons. Reform gpes into The
desert and C from henceit l. voice which cries
sherc t the people hear " The great reforms In bug
land Catholic patton and 9th er reforn.D never
came ircm any party leaders or public institutions
OConncl created public opinion, anu tn-n tne ~
form took place When other men have toilcd and
made coed road. then the political aud other leaders
will be clad 90 walk Il In their pumps and siis
stocking Humber agents. and generally dcspised
men work in the hrst and act upon the public NINA
then Afterwards the leadcrs when they can resist M
longer step in and profit BY their lsbors IL Requires
something which comes home to them 70 move th'
=. 49,