The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1861-01-17
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CaPitaI FuMis;z 1.ens, u

I
ME. ED1roR: My second reason
against the Death Ten.ity is that I as
a citizen ,oi'h others an 7csponsii'e f,y,
the act, sort Of larticsps uimiais.
"accesnry before The fact" The Dec.
aloage says "Thou shalt not kill" I
have no right to take my own Life, con-
seqnently have no right or power to
delegate that power to others. Who
killed the culprit on the gallows The
Sheriff you respond. Wrong. He act
ed simply as the Instrument Of the gov
eminent. the government made tie liv
declaring that he should be killed, d,...
.crlbed how and who should he the III
strument. Then comes the qucstto.,
| who, or what constitutes the goversr
ment of State It is not the Cover
nor Legislature, but the people, you az
l. We are responsible for its laws anl
institutions, while the officers are o,'y
responsible for the execution Of the laws.
] Thus then when know Of an exe4t,.
ton IN our State Or country, s.el .-::.i
! know that am responsible for the sct.
and when there is more that do,1J, hf
the guilt Of the cnlprit ana that Ill n
nocent man Is to &c, or has beer hu,.-,
ut comes with renewed force to nv
heart tia! ain responsible. If a man
should murder my child and l had hins
secure in prison, would never consent
to his death, if ! did | would be imitae-
ing his own wickedness, hanging bin,
would not restore my child. Il coy,l
not benefit the criminal 1t would SIM
ply be . work Of vengeance, which ii.
religion forbids. And yet as ci,ize.l
Of the State am made, even agair.st.
ny viii to share the responsibilities !
every legalized murder the State com
mits.
4 large majority Of the host order
loving and Christian portion of the peo-
pie Of Iowa and other States are M
qaestionahly opposed to the Death Pen
atty. Their humanity rises up agains
il. Yet they are under the necessity T..
participating in the act, and feel les5}ia4t s5at. Z
sible for IT'S results I catch Al, IL y. 49,
sin III my house at lniluissht, ,teoale \ Ill
the intention Of numbering ne. ,aenra
him and have lin bound, I, s R.tl.in
my power, and 50 Deliberately ia
work and beat Oft his brains. I ~losla'
es held responsible, because 'a.e a5
authority to derri,. hia1 Of lf4 u'.te
once secure. But then Tie state take5
this man and hollis him far more se1,;ss.-
ly than | can. and -tter rroath. ot' ,,.4.
paration deliberately martless iis.
Now arises the question: ,!h.eee
does The State derice its authos,ty i.r
the deed ? Many good men deny tie
power. The State does it in its ass,
ciated capacity as derived from tllem
selves as individuals, vet as individu:ls
they have not power to do it. But =
am told that the authority is derive.
from the compact.by which citizens ..ct
the State have musnally agreed q s,i.-
render life under certain circr,s,stancos.
| ask then, can a man enter a.ty ecn,-
pact BY which he can confer upon a,Il-
ers authority which he i,!ocs not ar
self possess? Certainly not.
/ close this with MI extract franI ne
writing Of the late Robert Eaato *
man holds his life as tenane viii
not indeed, OF society, who dll sr1
connot give it, or renew it, ~" sts
therefore no right to take it awa.. -t1Gs
Of that Almighty Be;n. who's.
life is, to.whom it belongs, and
alone has right to reclaim his
whenever it shall seem good il
sight. a man may not surreudci NJ
his life till he is called For. May n.
then make contra t with his ncig!lbos
that III such and such a case his Mech.
Dor shall kill him ? Such contra. {
executed, would involve the OH. party
in the guilt Of suicide, and other III he
guilt Of murder
Much more might be said en- this
point but will try and make these AZ.
ticles short.
ANTI HASc. nc
ss#
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