New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-25

put him where he may be reformed from the
ioathsome habit we have allowed, tempted MN
10 contract /; but II IS the basest injustice
in the community, first 10 mIslead an individual
to his ruin and then hurry him out Of life Tor MS
crimes Ii was well said IN one OF the petitions
presented to the Executive Of Massachusetts LOT
the communication OF the punishment OF Orlen De
Wolfe
The great reason why ms life should not DC
taken IS found IN the fact that he has been sufferer
to grow Up ignorant and neglected lie j an Or
phan Society has never performed lts GUY 70 lhe
immortal soul, which God committed 10 II caA' q
and row. after society has never sought 9ut III ~.
elected ornhan bow and endeaVOred TO cultivate anu
eunoble the immortal spark within nm shtI II
strlke him down upon the first infracton oil the Jaw
-oter him up a sacrifice 10 It's own neglect, anu
send him unprepared to his final account"
Again: Manv of those, IN all countries AMI IN
ali AGES. who have been brought 10 the gallows,
were regularly trained by the State TO violence
and bloodshed, often, too, against their Will:
thew were soldiers IN the Army or the Navy
men who had for years been subjected TO all the
corruptine. hardening. demoralizing influences
Of the camp or the battle-shlp-menw VINO mao hau
the benevolent affections of their hearts sluu-
ously reuressed--men who had been taught, dy'
compelled. to commit murder ana theh amer
ward were hanged or put TO death lot uoihs vi,
,beir own account the very deeds which they had
beep annlauded for doing at the bidding OF oth-
ers The declaration Is as OLD as MachleFel,
that "War makes thieves and murderers, and
peace brings them TO the gallOws. Now It
seems to me obviously Just that so long as the
State viii teach, tram, encourage, compel men
TO learn and practice the arts and indulge the
passions of the man-killer, so long she should
not assume the right to put to death any one
who NAV so far forget himself as TO DO the same
act 10 CRAFTY his own revenge or cupldlty, that
he has been taught he must DO to crafty the
same bad passions IN the rulers OF his country.
And more than all IN those states Where tne
Government egallzes, and the civil arm would
enforce oppressOn-wheTe one portion OF the
community are held IN slavery to the other, no
individual ought to be capitally punished, who,
goaded TO desperation by the wrongs inflicted
upon him. should wreak vengeance upon the one
that has deprived him OF all his rights as man,
and would keep him in the condition OF domes-
ticated brute. "OPpress'on mdkfh eren u'Se
man mad
" Capital punishment ought TO be abolished
because, although At be the highest penalty the
La,c can ipdict ii IS not denounced against The high
est ofenses Death is inflicted upon hlm who
kills. or with violence defes the body, not upon
him who kills or dehes the soul Yet, need !
ask which Is the greater Oiense W hat parents
would not rather see then sOn-ther only SOIL
pashed all over with wounds inflicted by the as
sassin's knife. knowing that he died IN lnnocen-
cy-than to see his body blOated, and his cOun-
tenance covered with the blotches OF lntemper-
ance-to hear from his lips proianeness and OBJ
scenity. and find that his heart had been filled
with impurity-hls moral and religious prncl-
niles utterly undermlned-i. g., that he has been
seduCed by bad men, and made lbertme or
dunkard Yet those are tolerated, licensed, IN
a community who are working the soul ram OF
the Young cOntinually-those who are plotting
countless devices to undermine their principles,
deprave their appotltcs and mlslead them INTO
courses which conduct TO moral death. Such
men are allowed to 90 al large nay, are licensed
by the State to seek a livelihood by their prac-
tees, to accumulate fortunes out OF the rum OF
their fellow men; and If they succeed, are per-
united to move unquestlOned among the rlch ana
the fashionable Now If we are not afraid to
let such men deliberately prosecute Their work
it is inconsistent, hypocrtlcal, false IN us To be
afraid of them that now and then Kill body,
and after that have no more that they could do.
So too the seducer of the cOnhdlng female-he
who has unsettledher principles, dehled her soul,
brought her by his wies to become the partner
of his guilt, he may escape with paltry hne-but
he who in the fury OF his appetite, has overcome
by brute force the opposition of his vlctlm-has
bent her person but not her Will to his vile pur-
poses, and so has left her morally unframed, he
Tor this certainly less oense must pay the forfeit
of his life For another example, we need only
rocur TO the case OF the slave holders and the
slave Society permits, assists the one to seize
upon his fellow being deprive hun OF all his
rights, make piece of property OF HIM, reduce
HIM to the condition of chattel. work HIM as
horse or an OK, whip HIM, brand HIM, starve HIM,
sell him, mortgage him. give him away-but de-
nounces the punishment of death upon the poor
injured outraged man, If nc raises IN his madness
upon his oppreSsor and takes or attempts to take
his life.
Such glazing inequalities in the administration
of the highest functions of Government not
only renders nugatory the iniilcron OF punish,
ment, but tends to bring the institution OF civil
government into distrust, If not contempt.
v Capital Punishment ought to be abolished,
because II IS rndctire, not r,fornatory II there
be any class of our fellow beings who should
excite our deepest commlseration, and call out
our best efforts for their relief they are they who
have been hurried by their passions to the com
mission of crimes that awaken general horror
and lead the perpetrators ct them to be looked at
as aliens from the human family, no longer en-
titled TO the sympathy and iorbearance OF their
brethren These are fallen men,-hut they are
men for all that There Is something In them
much better that the horrld passion which has
hurried them 10 crime. II II Were, as II surely
was the great distinctive work OF the founder OF
Christianity To seek and to save the lOst-t must
be the duty of his fellow laboreIs to seek, and
try to save, such as these especially. Let not
then the arms of the State InteTpOse TO snatch
them away from the kindly, Christian influences,
which If brought to bear upon them may, and
probably viii subdue, chastcn, change their
hearts,-and bring them into good fellowship with
man again. and into af-ons-ment with God.
Were we indeed a Christian people, the resto-
ration OF the lost would be the work OF love,
which our cooperation would he the most gene
ral liberal and hearty Our prisons and penlten-
,laries would be planned and appointed Ion the
reformation of crlmmals-wOud he committed 10
the most humane the best, the wsest men that
could he induced to take charge OF them and
conducted throughout on such principles and IN
such spirit as should tend 10 soften the hearts
OF the most obdurate, and bring the yllest sinner
back TO God and his fellow beings. We should
not be SO eager to get rid OF our errng brothers
to dispose OF them summariy. that they may
10 ont ~ Slohf and ont AT mind Rut an - quc.