The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-11-25
IFOr IHc ItCII " H1p.
The Punishment of Death.

The Punishment Of Death.
| have entertained some serious doubts
about the right of mankind to inHict the pun
ishment Of death, though it was sanctioned
| by the law Of Moses. Has not the sanguina-
ry code of the Jewish laweivcl been, to some
extent, superseded by the modern prcccpt Of
the Gospel! 1t was said by them of old
time, an eye for an eye, and tooth for a
tooth; this was the law Of retaliation, and
though it might have been necessary in GER
tain conditions Of human society, does that
condition of society still exist, that renders
the punishment of death absolutely ncccssa-
ry? This has reference to the cNpcdicncy Of
the measure and not the right.
The first murder was committed when
there was no written law on the subject: in
the very infancy of society, and the Almighty
himself, was the Judge Did he in1ict on
Cain the punishment of death ? Nay, OH the
contrary, he set mark on him, that who
ever met him might not Stay him. From the
latter consideration we may infer that the
untutorcd passions of mankind lead them to
slay the murderer, and the practice still pre-
walls among savage nations; the nearest rela-
tive Of the deceased claiming the right to kill
the murderer.
From whence have the ministers of the law
derived their power to take away the life Of
fellow being? In this government all pow
CT is said to be derived from the people, there
fore every man must possess the right to take
away human life, for lie could not delegate
to others right that he did not possess him
self. yet does every man possess the right to
destroy life in the face Of the express COM
mand Thou shall not kill 2"
Punishments are said to have thrccfold
object--the fermentation of the oficndel--to
prevent repetition of the same offence by
the same pcrson-and to deter others from
crime. 1t will scarcely be contcndcd that
the first object can be accomplished by ta-
king the life of the onindcr-thc second will
be accomplished with q vengeance, for dead
men tell no tales" as pirates say, neither do
they commit any breaches of the law. 1t
was said of a ferocious soldicry in oldcn times
that they never thought their enemy was
completely out of the way, until his head
was off.
And thirdly with regard to deterring 9TH
crs from the commission of crime; the GER
tainty of punishment will probably have
greater effect, than its severity.
The difficulty in finding an offender guilty
where the punishment is death, has turned
many felon loose on society, and this Cir
cumstance is not overlooked by those who
are ready for the commission of heinous Of
fences. If the highest grade of punishment
was solitary confinement at hard labor for
life, there would be more certainty of convic-
ton and punishment, than there is under the
death penalty, and society would be free
from the charge of sending guilty fellow be-
ing stained with blood, precipitately into
eternity. If any person thinks that public
executions have salutary influence in pre-
venting the commission ofcrime, he is mis-
taken. They blunt the finer scnsbilities of
the heart, and do violence to human nature.
At first we approach scenes of carnage and
death, with dread and awe, but these feelings
gradually give way to callousness, and indf-
ference. Children and young persons enter
the chamber of the dead with fear and trepi-
dalton, but by continuing such visits these
feelings wear away; and with what cold in
difference the undertaken handles the dead,
and the anatomist news his way through the
flesh and muscles of the human frame. The
effect of public executions is decidedly per-
nicious, and the morbid desire which collects
multtudcs together to witness guilty fell
low being struggling in the agonies of death,
is at variance with every finer feeling of hui
manty. Some years ago man returning
from public execution at Lancaster, COM
mitted the crime of murder.
"NIay our country long be spared from wit
Messing frequent exhibitions of suffering
guilt; from thronged courts, listening to evil
dence of atrocious deeds, from felons march.
ing in chains to their dismal cells; and from
the long and gloomy procession, attending a
guilty fellow being to the last sad scene ofin-
fanny and doath.' ZIMRi.
"a LUNAR OBSERVATION" In referring
IN tho ,,ooo, prnfoseor philinc remarked at