The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-02-24

cumstances are truly pitiable and ft SUBJ
jects for our warmest and most con-
siderate charity; as it is the imperative
duty of the strong in all cases to bear the
in6rmities of the weak, and to iDflict no
punishment that our self-preservation
does not require.
1t is the duty of all intelligent and NOR
al men to seek rather to reform than to
exterminate our unfortunate fellow men.
We should endeavor BY proper educa-
ton to develope their moral faculties, and
thereby hold in check their propensities
If they are morally educated and good
examples constantly set before them, they
will prove more of restraint than the
gallows. @
By the infiction of capital punishment,
those who have rendered themselves un-
fit to associate with their fellow men, are
often permitted to run at large, simply
because the taking of human life is so re-
voting to human nature, that men are
10th to testify in such cases, and juries
are unwilling to take the fearful respon-
sibility of pronouncing man guilty of
murder in the first degree. They will
therefore, acquit him altogether or con-
vict him of a crime of which he is not
guilty, but which will not require a sac
ri6ce OF life.
The punishments for crime ought to be
made sure, and should invariably be in
proportion to the offence. From the fact
that there are so many persons acquitted
who are most probably guilty Of murder,
the terror Of death to a great extent, is
destroyed; and the criminals fatter them
selves, that if they are suspected and even
arraigned, that the chances are, that they
will be acquitted. Hence the death pen
atty increases rather than decreases crime.
Farther, in evidence Of the demoralizing
effects of the inhiction of death for crime,
let US cite few recorded facts, and then
we will be better able to discover the le-
gitimate results flowing from this inbu-
man practice, and to also see that it tends
to increase murder as we'll as all grades
of crime.
In Blackstone's time, about 1850, no
less than 16O different species of crimes
we're punishable with death, in England.
Henry the 9th, of England, reigned
80 years (from l5O9-l547) and during
that time it is reported, on respectable
authority, that y, 900 persons were exc
cuted. This is at the rate of 1000 eve
ry year of bis reign. But it does not ap.
pear that this immense human slaughter
afforded any restraint to crime. There
are no persons who have less regard for
life, than those who witness the sacrifice
of it. The effect of executions is to render
the destruction of life familiar to those on
whom they are intended to operate as ex-
amples of terror. This familiarity takes
away the terror, and tesches them to
place less value on life, and consc-
quently diminishes the repugnauce they
otherwise would have to take it by person
al violence.
The Rev. Mr.. Roberts of Bristol, Eng
land, states that be conversed with l67
convicts under sentence of death, and
found that l64 of them had witnessed ex.
ecutions. Here all but three had wit
uessed the taking of hum an life.
Men who are guilty of murder are gen.
orally of the lower class Of intellect, and
hence of the most feeble moral percep.
tions; and ministers, who have attended
them in their last hours, have declared
that one of the chief difficulties was
" tiibS thOh ~ COuHcSe toO Puuioumt
they were about 10 suffer with their crimes.
it to be wondered at, then, that men of
this organization of mind should be i'm
PEELED to murder, by talking about, think
ing of, or witnessing the sacrifice of hum
man life
In Bombay, British India, under the
recordership of Sir James Macintosh, cap
Ital punishment was abolished for years,
and the number of murders committed
during that period was six, whereas du.
ring the preceding years there had been
Is convicted of murder. Then the abol-
sbuent of capital punishment reduced
murder in Bombay to one third.
In Tuscany, were murder was not
punished with death. only tire murders
we're committed in % gears; while in
Rome where the punishment of death was
inflicted with great poup and parade 60
murders were committed in one year 1t
will then be seen that in Tuscany there
vas but oue-fifth of a murder year,
while in Rome, there we're go in the same
period.