Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-02-28
CAPITAL Punishment.


In con sidering this question we are quite will !
ling to place it solely upon the ground of ex-
pedency We consider the abstract principles
of right pyohi bit the taking of human life, no less
than the principles and essence of the Christian
religion, but we know society and law makers
reach these results only by that expediency
winch makes up experience, and there we are
willing to rest it.
We claim that all the statistics show and prove
that the end sought by capital punishment is
better subserved without il. Whatever may be
urged as the reasons for capital punishment
there is really but one viz: the prevention of
crime. No is hung because he has killed
some one else If society could be certain on
the occasion of murder, that not another muir
der would ever be committed in the world, not
one person in fifty would ask demand the
ecution of this last criminal, this proving that it
is only for future security the penalty is requir-
ed Then we say again the statistic prove that
this security is more fully attained without than
with capital punishment, and therefore the ex-
pediency of the case is against the punishment.
The best acquaintance with the working OF
the mind will lead to the conclusion that such
crime in the community that tolerated and en-
couraged it. Indeed this obv ious fact has COM
PEELED almost every state and county to hide it
from view, inside of jail yards and other nacces-
sible places This conclusion as to the effect of
the gallows is freely borne out by the statistics.
The last execution in this state was in this
city. 1t is not forgotten perhaps that there were
more offences against the laws and against the
peace and good order of society committed on
that day than in the preceding six months, and
that we think on the following day, another
man was brought to Jail and put into the cell of
the dead McCafrey, charged with the rery crime
for t5asch McCaBrey rad bee" hang. Let any
man examine the statistics of crime i'll the var
riouS states of this union, and if lie does not find
more murders III those states which most zeal
ously inHic. the death penalty We will aeknow-
ledge ourselves in error; Perhaps no country
in the wcrld deals more thoroughly and severely
with its murdcrers than England, and yet in the
New York Times OF Feb. llth, we find the fol-
loving:
England is this moment supping on horrors
One after another, new cases are starting up to
tear aside the veil aud exhibit the horrid ulcers
cial life i'll England In another column will be
found the particulars of the Palmer posonings,
with all the incidents and disclosures which
serve to throw light on the case"
"Close upon the footsteps of these Palmer
poisonings have followed other horrd reve!a-
tons of similar crimes III Manchester and we
fear that in the inves LEGATIONS which are every
where spriuging up out of the alarm and terror
of the public mind, it will be found that that
country which boasts of standing in the front
rank of the civilized nineteenth century is coverd
with crimes of as deep and dark hue as stained
the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Indeed in
this poison panic the fact seems to be wholly
lost sight of that for years the calendars of Eng
lish Assizes have presented in almost every shire
especially in the mining districts cases without
number of poison administered by wives to their
husbands, and of fathers to children, for the pur
pose of obtaining some small pittance from the
burial clubs so common in England
This is the present history of a country which
more than any other inilicts capital punishment.
Here is another extract:
On Thursday last at Auburn, y. Y. John
Fitzgerald was arraigned before the Oyer and
Terniner for the murder, in September last, in
the town of Sterling of his Father Mother and
Brother! He butchered them deliberately with
an axe and intended 10 kill another of the fami-
~.
And yet in this very county there have been
within two years past no less than four execn.
tions fog murder, and this No douh; viii speedily
make the atth. 4 few weeks ago, recoIlec;
Of reading in the Chicago lribpHs that 3. was a;
the risk Of MANS lie 10 DC out la,a q. light in
that CITY, and later we have read the sane thing
IN substance in the y. Y. Tfib2Re witt .etcrsncs