Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-05-10

GTWe would say to the individual 1--WE know
views of the " Reverend Junior Editor" Of this
paper on the subject of capital punishment, that
it is possible our article he quotes will bear the
differences he draws from it, but if so, it by no
means expresses what we designed to express.
We think we have quite much regard for hu-
man life as any one who is willing to have it sa-
crifced on the gallows, and never meant to ex
press any other opinion. There is a purpose in
our existence here, and the premature termination
of that existence, of course, initiates against the
high purpose of life, but so far as the punish
me'u by infiicting death is concerned, we do not
think it quite equal in point of severity to pulling
TOOTH We place high value upon human
life not from dread or fear OF physical dissolution,
but from the high purpose of life, and hence it is
not only painful to US to see it violently taken
under any circumstances, but we look upon 1t as
the assumption by man of prerogative which
belongs alone to Deity, for he gave life for his
own purposes, and no one man or number of men
may rightfuly seek to thwart those purposes.
But as we said, the punishment by violent means
Of Death, amounts to just as much as the physi-
cal pain accompanying its infection, and nothing
more. The dread Of it never prevented crime
and never will. When it was inflicted for sheep
stealing, sheep were nevertheless stolen; and
for all the crimes it now stands as the penalty, it
seems powerless to prevent them. Men encoun-
ter it for the purposes of gain, to avenge fancied
insults, to achieve empty and temporary honors,
and in the most frivolous pursuits of life will it
be supposed then it will prevent men in the blind
ness of fury, revenge, avarice, or what not, from
accomplishing their ends. 1t will not. We
would have our good friend, in his criticisms,
bear in mind the distinctions we make. When
we speak of the death penalty, we mean simply
the physical pain thereby occasioned, and that
we look upon as next to nothing land were the cr-
minal the only person interested, and the ques-
ton only as to the mode of his death, we should
scarcely deem it worth troubling about. But as
we said, although physical dissolution is nothing,
there is high purpose in life, and to achieve
this purpose and realize its blessings, men must
have, not fear of death, but regard for life,
and to cultivate and cherish this regard in the in
divdual, society must exhibit it in its conduct to-
wards, and teaching of, its individual members.
This will not only instl into the common mind
that regard for life which will prevent its being
violently taken, but it will lead to more sacred
regard for it in his own person, by each individ-
uai, and tend to the abolition of the thousand Vi
ces and tolies by which the whole human fami-
ly now shorten and violently terminate their lives.
Let our friend then, understand our position 1t
is because we attach high value to life, both
with reference to its present purpose and pros
pective destiny, that we hold the principles we
do and if he finds an expression of ours which
seems to conflict with this idea, let him do us the
! charity, fine is sure he is not himself mistaken,
to believe that we have not succeeded in clearly
expressing ourself.