Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-01-31
For the Tribune 6 Telegraph.
The Death Psnaity.

SEoullu thtt can De, CONSISTENTLY, taheA W tHoSc
in favor of the law. First, we have no right to
take the life of man, except for the crime ofmur-
der, and this right rests on the command of God.
For proof he plants himself upon the Noachic
covenant, which he calls the Sevastopol; from
which he argues-ifthis command, whose shed
deth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed,
is not from high Heaven, and if it cannot be
proven to have descended from this to the Mosa-
ic, and into the Gospel dispensation, he win
abandon his opinion.
The question: then, which most interests US,
is not whether the so-caled Noachic covenant
was a command from high Heaven; or, whether
it required man to take the life of the murderer;
or whether this descended and was grated into
the code of Moses; but whether the law of the
Gospel, under which we live, requires us to hang
the murderer by the neck, until he is dead, dead,
DEAD! If so, then have no controversy with
it, but if not, then adopt the language of Mr.
Gridley-"we have no right to inaict the pen
atty"
Mr.. Giidley quoted a number of passages from
the new Testament to favor his position. One
found, Rev. CHI. Is, v l0-"He that killeth with
the sword must be killed by the sword" con-
TESS am at loss to know how to interpret the
vision Of seven heads, ten horns and ten crowns
which is found in this Chapter but see that en-
ncrt authors treat the text as prophecy, that
those who are opposed to the Church, will be-
come strong and Cypress the church, and drive
them with the sword. But the Churches ex-
horted to be faithful with the full assurance that
they will ultimately triumph, and will! be able to
drive back their enemies i'll like manner as they
were driven.
Another passage is found in Acts CHI. 25, V. ii
For if be an offence, or have committed any
thing worthy OF death, refuse not to die" Paul.
in this passage, simply acknowledged his willing
ness to be held accountable to their law, with
out saying anything for or against the justice Of
those laws. Paurs mission was to preach Christ
and him crucifcd, to the people. How could he
have had access to the people, short of being ODE
dent to the laws under which he travelled Ev-
identity he could not Now, il Paul had said, your
tended any of them for which you punish man
capially; then it proves too much, for it proves
it to be right 70 put men to death for many other
offences, besides that of murder, which was held
to Re wrong and wicked
Another passage was quoted to strengthen the
foundations of the death penalty; Matthew, CHI.
%, V. 52-"Put up again thy sword to it's place,
for all they that take the sword shall perish by
the sword" This the language of Christ to Pc
ter.a the time Of his arrest nthe garden. Christ
had just asked his disciples, when ] sent you
YOU out two and two without purse and scrip OF
anything for your defence, lacked you anything
and they answered, nothing" And now he tells
Peter, he that undertakes to defend his life by
| those metal instruments, is IN greater danger OF
losing it. My kingdom is not of this world If il
was, then my servants would fight Tie Gospel
| Kingdom is not TO be defended with swords OF
steel, but o! TIE Spirit. We are not to put life
against life hut as demonstrated by the Apostles
if need be, for the gospels sake, to lay down oul
, lives, st the hands Of our enemies, and in iinita
SION of Christ to breathe out our last breath in
prayer for their forgiveness.
Peter evidently let go Of the Divine promise,
when he saw the enemies of Christ, and then lie
WAS ready to take life, deny his Lord, curse and
swear, as says the record
The next and last, reference made by Mr. Grid
ley, is found in Romans, CHI. -. This chapter
treats of civil government fthe many duties we
owe to government, in consequence of the many
blessings We receive from it, and finally. our du.
ties to one another. TO owe 10 man anything
but lovc-love worketh no i'll to his ncghbor-
thou shalt love thy neighbours thyself. And in
order to invest the government with right to
take life, he assumed that man has the right
to defend his own life, if need be, to taking that
of another. Having this right, he has the right
/ to delegate THIS power togoyernment. Suppose
/ a man should attempt to take your life, (by the
argument he would forfeit his own.) and suppose
/ you should overpowcr him and bind him hand
and foot, and hold him helpless in your hands
Would you not be 4 murderer, t. kill him in this
/ heI pless condition. Most certainly you would
! How, then, can a government be innocent, that
| leads from the iron cell, the helpless, trembling
criminal to the scaffodl Here we have all
the proof that can be found in the Gospel to US
tify our taking human life 1t does not seem to
me to be enough to warrant jury, in bringing
in verdict against ncighbor of petty theft.
To take the life of fellow man, when there
cannot be a certainty Of his guilt, is an awful re-
| sponsibility And it would seem that every man
would decide, before such a responsibility should
rest upon him, that the law of the dispensation
under which we live, should be so explicit and
plain in its command, that waytaring man, tho
fool, need not err therein We are all viola
tors of Gods law and all cninently OF that class
for whom Christ died We arc all brethren IN
a trembling hope of a common salvation Ought
we then, as christians so far as in our power to
cut off that hope, or to strengthen the foundation
of that hopei Should one candidate for Gods
mercy, hang his fellow candidate? Would 1t be
consistent with our obligations as christians, to
to pray that God would forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against US
Ny heart feels like adopting sentence from an
eminent author.
"If this earth be the only praying ground for
fallen man, in the universe; if it be but a narrow
raft, floating on the shoreless ocean OF eternity;
from which alone, souls shipwrecked by sin, may
be taken into Heavens haven Of salvation; Oh,
let us leave to the guiltest of our kind, place
and breath to pray as long as God will hear
Let Him, who aIone can kill and make alive de-
ter,,,;-a tio bot,r ,vha, Time shall be more.