The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-01-20
For the Minnesotian.
The Penalty of Death.

MESSRs. EDITORS My attention has been
called to a temperate and able discussion Of
the above topic now going on in city paper
AS locker on permit me, without interfering
in that discussion, to set out in open light, if
can, the great principles involved, but lost
sight of, in the pursuit of those eccentric issues
so apt to protract controversy and divert at
tention from the main point. The just limits
of this discussion necessarily confines me to
two great questions only.
LIST, of the. lawfulness I'd, of the deficiency Of
the penalty Of death as a sanction Of human
la,c.
The first question may be answered by an
appeal to Holy Scriptures,-and this appeal
supposes the disputants to adopt this Divine
Book as an infallible; rule of right. 1t is in
the present instance, and shall not, therefore,
widen the field.
The acceptance of the Bible as the ultimate
rule of right, leaves but one inquiry-what
does the Bible say?
But of whom are we to ask this question
and how conduct the inquiry?
Precisely as we should do in reference to
the Interpretation of the constitution of the
United States 60 back and ascertain how it
had been understood to speak from the begin
ming, sempcr ubique ab omnibus.
If then we accept the universal verdict OF
Jew and Christian. from the time of the pro.
mitigation of the scriptures, that is. in the
common sense of believers in the Bible the
world over, we hear but one answer, EN-.
phatic, universal-or with such exceptions on.
| ly as serve to confirm the rule. Every where
the Bible has been understood to give to the
magistrate the power of the sword as one Of
the ultimate sanctions of THE LAW. "Who SC
sheddetil mans blood, by man shall his blood
be she'd" is the broad warrant ct the re-peo-
ping of the earth.
eff thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for
he 1.-THE magistrate] beareth not the SWORD in
cain for he is the minister Tor servant OIL
God and revcnger to execute wrath upon
him that doeth evil.'' This is the New Tes.
lament morality,-an utterance from the same
divine source.
The law gives the sword to the magistrate
III DOLQ OlQ anu rev leStaueuE. lQey are III
harmony
But perhaps the true sense ofthe precepts OF
Holy Scripture remains yet to be discovered
To admit this is to grant all that the most stark
infdel would ask and to adopt the counsel at
tributed to one to whom its precepts rightly
interpreted are supposed to be anything but
agreeable:
If Scripture does not meet your appreciation,
Why, mend its logic in-a new translation"
If the consent of those who have handed down
the Scriptures to US, from age to age, be the
exactest index to the true sense of a precept
contained in them, then, among the believers
in the Bible as Gods word, there is no room
left for discussion as to the Scriptural lawful
ness of the penalty of death for murder.
But the question of committing the sword to
the magistrate may be argued on principles of
erpediency. On this point will add brief
word, by your leave, to- morrow not designing
to enter farther into public discussion of this
subject. Yours, &C., V.
IL - - To-