The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-02-16
THURSDAY::::::::::::::::::::::::FEBRUARY l6.
The Death Penalty,

y few weeks since, in the legislature of
New York "A bill was introduced for a change
IN the law In relation to capital offences
This billproyides that no person, convicted
of a capital crime, shall be executed until
the expiration of one year from the time
OF such conviction, and not then, unless
the Governor shall issue his warrant direc-
ting such execution. In the meantime, the
convict is to be subjected to SOLITARY confine-
ment and hard labor until the dav Of his
execution. While the bill does not pro-
pose the immediate abolition of the death
penalty, it would, nevertheless, should it
become law, practically attain that OBJ
Ject- similar statute has been in force
In Maine, since the year 1914 and during
that time--a period of sixteen years-not
solitary execution has taken place under
the law of that State We have not no.
ticed what action has been taken upon the
bill introduced into the legislature of New
York, but we trust it may socn become
the law of that State, and shall then he
glad to see our own State emulate the
example
If there is but one black spot upon the
escutcheon of our glorious old Common
wealth, Its cause may be traced to the fact
that our laws still sanction the inAiction
of capital punishment. We regard this
Pecuiiarity in our criminal code as un
worthy of our people unworthy of the
age in which we live; unworthy of anv
Christian community. 1t might do in an
age of barbarism indeed, for nothing bet
ter could be expected from brutalized hu-
manity; but in this land of Gospel Lib |
erty and Civilization, ii is monstrous.
The history of Pennsylvania proves
that she has done much to bring about |
enlightened criminal legislation, not only |
within her own borders, but elsewhere
1t was In Pennsylvania that improvements |
IN the penal laws of England first origina-
ted. 1t was here those improvements were
tested, before their adoption in Europe |
with such signal success 1t was under
the enlightened humanity of our own Viii
lam Penn, that the dcath-penalty was
biotted out IN all cases but nlurder-and
tins, too, at period when the laws of the
neither country punished near two hun
dred offences with the taking of life
fmu!atinS the example of Penn, our leg
ISlaiure IN 1874 restricted the death-pen-
atty to murder. in the first degree, kaving
all inferior houicides punishable only bv
solitary confinement at hard labor: and
some years later was abolished the revolt
ing practice ospublic executions At this
point our Legislature stopped-and it stop
ped too soon. Since that period, philan-
thropy has been vigilant and unceasing in
Its efforts to secure the total abolition Of
capital punishment. But those efforts in
good cause have not been successful
The death-penalty remains. That one
i-i-eous deiormity-that one ugly, DISCUS
s.fes excrescencc-yet disgraees our Grim
inal aede. The barbarous relic is still
preserved the dannablc warrant of blood
Tor blood is stil perpe;uated and at this
day-in the middle Of the nineteenth cen
tury-Pennsylyaui;s ssill offers u2 her (
trembling victims upon the spectrc-haunt-
ed scafold