The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-01-15

infiicting death on the murderer, without
assuming any improper power. God,
being the source and author of all life,
and having in his own right the entire
control of it, can and does dispose of it,
as he in his wisdom sees fit. This is
eyinced by the history Of the world. AT
one period, God prolonged the years Of
man to nearly thousand; at another to
one hundred and twenty; at another to
three score and ten. At another time we
see him sweeping out Of existence the
whole human race, by general deluge,
saving only a single family; at another a
nation is destroyed-by fire and birthstone;
at another the first born in all Egypt, both
Of man and beast, were slain; at another
Pharaoh and his host were overwhelmed
in the waters Of the Red Sea; at another
about three thousand idolaters were put to
death by the sword. And we farther see
that nations and armies were indiscrimi-
nately put to death, at sundry times and
in divers manners. All these things are
not 1.-THE Of that which was done of like
character, by the Almighty through agents:
TO all of which we are constrained to say,
Amen; thy will be done, o Lord; believ.
ing that whatsoever the Almighty does is
well done. But now, what does all this
prove2 Certainly not that man possesses
either the right or power to do similar acts,
or that capital punishment may be by man,
or by government, rightfully inflicted.
The right Of the Almighty to take life is
denied by no one; then to whom has he
transferred this right9 When it is shown
that the Almighty has civil code, enfor.
cling capital punishment, and agents au-
thorized to execute it, as was the case un.
der the Jewish dspensation, then will it be
settled that capital punishment is of divine
authority, and should be enforced, and
not before. .,
What is the moral law Of Godl II cor.
sists of those fundamental, immutable
truths, which we're delivered to man by
the Almighty, when Sinai trembled beneath
his tread, and which we're engraven on
tables OF stone, by the finger Of God.
This law is Of perpetual obligation. 1t
was given for the moral government of
man, and adapted to him in all condi-
tons, and in all ages Of the world, from
the days of Adam down to the present
time. Its precepts could not have been
disregarded at any time, or under any
circumstances whatever, without involving
those who did so in moral guilt. 1t is un-
repealed, and unrepealable. 1t is the ba-
sis upon which all law for the government
of man should be founded. 1t was upon
this law that the code of Moses was found
ed, which was given by him from time to-
time. for the civil government of the Jews,
and by which penalties were imposed on
them, for violating it. The moral law Of
God is unlike any and all human produc.
tons. Its observance never did, and never
can, work injustice to man. If this much
could be said of the code which enacts
that, "Whoso sheddeth mans blood, by
man shall his blood be shed," then there
would be some reason for the pretence
that it is Of divine authority, and Of per-
petual obligation. But when it is admitted
that thousands Of innocent men have been,
by law, found guilty Of murder, and
punished, who can believe for
God to be the author of such
law, or requires its enforcement? What
a monstrous idea, to believe that God is
the author OF law, in the execution of
which there could be any possibility of in.
flicting death on the innocent! To show
q law imperfect, as has been done in this
instance, proves man to be its author, and
not God. To claim God to be the author
of a law that could, by any possibility,
work injustice to man, Is but t.. question
his wisdom, and the infallibility Of his law.
All law, other than that which is con-
lained in the Ten Commandments, must
be classed either with the civil or cererno.
nial law, This rule of Interpretation
must be observed to preserve the. consis.
lencysand harmony existing between the
precepts of the moral law Of the Old Tess
lament, and the precepts Of the New
neither Of which enforce the inAiction of
punishment on man for the nom obsery.
ance of,them, linothis life. To disregard
this rule Of interpretation, is to throw wide