New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-08

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ure. If new punishment were 70 be adopted by
the Legislature, and should prove imperative or
pernicious il would not render the administration
of justice more inadequate than it is at present.
Mr. s. here dwelt on the idea that Capital Pun
shment was one Of the earliest institutions Of So
ciety, adopted in the infancy OF the world and
stamped with the crudeness and imperfection OF
its origin. Its true character is retaliation legal
ised But retaliation is a principle on which no
human government ought 10 rely. The law is
armed with the power of self defence, but the in
Fiction of vengeance is an arbitrary assumption.
So far from crime being diminished by the ex'
ercise of the a,h-penslty, experience shows
that it has only increased with the severity of the
punishment. Ii has been supposed that the spe
tacle of executions served 10 impart q salutary
terror, and thus deter from the commission OF
crime But this is set aside by thetact that every
State in the Union now admits the expediency OF
private executions New-York provides that
twelve freebolders shall be witnesses of the last
penalty, with no other spectators bat the officers
required for the preservation OF peace.
Now how is this to be explained Why is it
that public executions are shown to have no mo-
raj efficacy Why do we instinctivey endeavor
to throw a veil over the gallows, and conceal the
aeonies of the fatal moment from public observa-
tion Because in the case of Capital Punish
ment death is inflicted by an overwhelming pow
err upon an unresisting victim.
Mr. s. then alluded 10 the effects produced
on himself by witnessing execution. Every
emotion was lost in an intense curiosity to know
the feelings Of the sufferer 1t was psycholo-
gical study rather than lesson In morals The
general effect on the community was no better
And if capital punishment is ever inflicted, con-
tinued Mr. S., it should be for a different sort of
crimes from those designated in the statue-b book.
1t should apply only to crimes OF evident delloe-
ration, crimes, which are pinned beforehand,
theft. robbery, burglary, forgery, whereas murder
il of deIib in air min
cases out of a hundred it is caused by sudden
passion, intoxication, what is called moral IN
sanity. The true remedy is imprisonment for
life, without hope pardon
Mr. s. continued his remarks with an allusion
to the Bible argument, which he said proved too
much, the prohibition of eating blood being as
distinctly laid down in Genesis as the command
to shed blood, from which the obligation of capt.
tai punishment, has been inferred he then
closed his speech with expressing his confidence
that public opinion would soon demand the abO
lition of the death penalty. There was strong
feeling against it at the ireside, whatever there
may be in the streets, and the code could be re
leved Of this stigma on civilization, if proper eff
forts were made, in three years as well as in
thirty.
The hour had now become late and HORACE
GREELEY being loudly called for came forward
and said, that he should detain the meeting but a
few moments, as the evening had so far elapsed
What is the purpose, said Mr.. g., of Capital Pun
ishment To kill q man because another man
has been killed. This is the long and the short Of
it, whatever words may be used to disguise the
reality But this cannot but be revolving to the
most ardent advocate of the institution. Even the
saDguinary Doctors of Divinity who are So en-
ouent in defence Of che sanCtlty Oh tne Bal0Ws,
when IL came to the point, wished to have Web
ster escape, no matter by what bubble. Cheeyer
himself was opposed to the execution of w ebster
though bis case presented one of the most afro
cious instances of murder on record All the feel
ings revolt at the infliction of the last penalty
But, they say, it serves great moral purpose, and
we must get rid of our scruples. Moral purpose,
indeed The purpose is revenge. He ought to
be hung is the popular cry, when a murderer is
detected. That is to say, one man has been
killed and another must be killed toO,-sO much
pain for so much pain Vengeance is the law of
the executioner. 1t is said the text Gen. VI 9,
commands US to kill the killer. Well then, those
who believe So why don't they kill him Why
not take the work into their own hands 1t was
only the other day man was tried for murder
and acquitted. AS soon as the trial was over he
saws killed the man." Why don't you kill him
on the spot Why don't the reverend ministers
of God do their duty, if killing one who has killed
another be the divine command! But they say
this is ribaldy -mockery-insult. But it is logi-
cal, ard you cannot get away from it. lit is the
work Of God why leave it to the unreverend Sher-
i'll Of New York Pray explain. Can this doc.
trine of vengeance be taught by these holy moral
lists to their children Can it be taught to your
children and to mine Would you tell them,
with the law Of Christ your hands. amte
back the smlter, instead OF turning the other
cheek to the blow
] am opposed to the gallows, said Mr.. g. be-
cause it is founded on vengeance, aud teaches
lesson of vengeance. Men GO to the commission
of crime, of murder itself, from the gaows much
oftener than from anti capital punishment
meeting The last execution that took place in
Albany was attended by who had before
sustained a good character, and like Webster,
was devout believer in capital punishment, and
he went home and murdered a neighbor against
whom he bore an old grudge.
But Won saw YOU will have the hangings done
in private, out Of sight away from witnesses,
down cellar, where no one can learn the lesson of
vengeance. You thus set up a school, and drive
the dog on the scholars. The moment you make
executions private, you knock the bottom out of
the argument which sustains them. They are LETT
TO stand upon nothing like the victims you hang.
As soon as this world is civilized, the galloWs
will go by the board. No agitation in Maine,
Vermont, or Michigan could procure restoration
of that instrument. Let the subject be pressed
among ourselves till the thirst for revenge shall
Weld to a nober sentiment. Teach the criminal
goodness, rather than cut him off from all chance
of goodness, and you will act in accordance with
Humanity and with Christ.
The following Memorial has been prepared for
presentation to the Legislature of this State, and
will be circulated for signatures. We trust that
the efforts of the friends of the cause at Albany
may be warmly seconded by the people
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PUNISHMENT.
To me Honorable the Legislature Of the State Of Net0 York
Your memonalists, Inhabitants Of the Town OF
In ihe County of State OF New York, desire to
represent your Honorable Body, their solemn convc-
that ssnguinaTy laws tend to render more frequent the
occurrence Of Sangunsry crimes that they not cal
custed to preserve the proper estimation Of the sancy
Of human life that they demoraizng In their effect;
and such laws rot required by natural ustce nor
ob atoy upon by any command Of the Scriptures, nor
by the precepis Of the Gospel Of Christ therefore,
quest Of Your Honorable Body such enactmens a. shall
Immediately repeal all the laws OF this State which name
death as penalty, and which ensctments shall substitute
Imprisonment life hard labor in the place Of Capital
Punishment