The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-06-15
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THE DTSP A L & "
w,n. s r, : MOANING n.... JUNE Is. ,sss
w.,,~,.. If he scafyeid.

ReIIgtea Of The scafJeid.
Two fugitive slaves were recen"y ns
in Canada for mait-robbing ana "","e'
ing. The Canadian papers give 80 I've
account Of the execution, al w",oh ''"
s.nd nersons were present, aud namoc'
- c,.,rvmeu. a. usual, ofiiciated. A'.er
a.. .,;n,;nsIs had taken their places on the
.eaf,,,d and it had been ANNOUNCED 'na'
,hax had nothing to say, as they had made
A full confession Of their crimes, which
would be published next day, some in
cn;s,ivo saint 10 the crowd inquired 'f'
their souls were all right with God ?" They
answered eyes" Al the end Of their con-
s.ss;ou of murder and robbery is the follow
nc postscript: 1--WE, Robert Oven ana
John Moore, do confess. for tear that some
innocent person should bs taken Tor the
fence that we laid the obstruction on the
Great Western track on the 18th Of March
last We now feel that We have discharg-
cd our duty to God and man, and hsre
hone Of a REGARD in future in better 9orld
than this"
NEGATIVELY CASSuAtOu AhC1 HihSC
in this country which does not witness q
similar mockery. The four men lately
hung in Baltimore oil expressed the most
gratifying assurances that they were going
TO a better world, two Of them dying with
a palpable lie in theis mouths. The pre-
vailiug idea seems to be that ruffian, who
has committed crimes which make human
ity shudder, can be converted npon the gal
lows and 20 to Heaven a. easily as il he had
always lived virtuous and pious life;
that, in an instant, the leopard can change
his spots and the Ethiopian his skin II
all this DO true, the good and innocent be-
ings of Paradise must be continually emf
grating to some purer sphere, and the per-
lieus OF that blessed region be no safer than
the darkest alleys Of Baltimore.
The example of the thief on the cross, a
wonderful exception, . miracle Of mercy,
is made the general rule, and every thief,
every mail roober, every murderer, is taught
by the Religion Of the Scaffold that, after
he has Contaminated career of crime, and
glutted himself with plumber, he can repent
of his sins as soon as he il caught and con-
victed, aud by the ladder of the scaffold,
ascend to "a better world" The scoun-
drels, just executed in Canada, had the HUI
m;lity not only to expect forgiveness, but,
to use their own language, "a reward in
FUTURE whether for mail robbery and MUIR
der, or fer confessing it, they do not explicitly
state. Whilst no man can deny the mercy
or the justice Of God, whilst it 10 right and
proper for clergymen TO use all possible
means to bring men, about to die, to repen.
lance and confession, ought not this to be
done in the most quiet and unostentatiou:
manner, and is not the least said about il
the better2 1t ID very easy for any man,
under sentence Of death, to deceive hmsel,
8 as to his spiritual condition. At all events,
the proclamation from tho scaffold that here
is man Of crime, who has become Chris
tian by being caught and hung that the ha.
bits Of q life time have been changed in q
month; that il is but step from the gallowi
to Abraham's bosom, is calculated TO de.
grade the character Of religion, which no.
where gives warrant for such nonsense, and
TO injure the public morals. The Pulpi
constantly and properly admonishss it.
hearers against putting of repentance to a
death-bed, but Of what avail is such adno'
milton, when every scaffold proclaims that
the worst criminals may repent and be for
given after they are no longer able TO COM
NIT crime?