The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1864-06-25
rhe punish mont Of Death.


community. by throwing such safeguards
around tho violators Of the law, as vii
prevent their doing further mischief
| The mean adoptcdfor thelattainment q
this object are manifold, being shaped 70
correspond. with the magnitude Of the
crime committed. The sovorest Of pun
ishmente is that Of depriving fellow
mortal OF his life. This is called capital
punishment, and 10 only affixed to very
enormous and dangerous crimes. Al, Il
tho right Of INJECTING the punishment o.
death there. has been much said and
written, but now, wo believe, no consider
alto person entertains doubt OF theright
Of State or nation 70 apply means ade-
quate for the projection Of itself and its
citizens in the. enjoyment Of privileges
and peace and TO guard against injury
from foes foreign and domestic. And
particularly in, times Of war is q nation
justified in inficting such punishment as
self preservation demands. II has been
clearly made patSpt by experience, that
the safety Of a nation during war,
demands the lives Of all who abandon
the Aag they obligated themselves before
God and man to support, as well as all
spies and incendiaries caught in our
midst, operating in behalf of common
enemy. We are aware that the seyerest
Of codes is not always, in all countrys,
the most salutary but in a highly pol
ished and cixilized cline, where life is
only exacted for the commission Of the
gravest crimes, the taking away of the
criminal's life, cannot but have the effect
to deter others from committing like
offence.
The manner Of INJECTING capital pun
ishment has varied with different stages
of civilization and countries Quartering
the criminal alive, pinching him to death
with red not iron pincers, tearing him TO
pieces in different ways, piercing his
breast with sharp pointed poles, saving
him to pieces, burning at the stake, press
ing him to death, starving, breaking his
limbs in wheels. poisoning, beheading,
bleeding, &c.. have in other countries
been often resorted TO for the purpose of
example or vengeance. In Prussia it
were customary to break the offenders
limbs in wheel for some offences, and
for the commission Of others he was
burned alive. In England the man gull
ty Of high treason, according to law, was
drawn up by the neck, then cut down
alive, his entrails cut out and burned
while life yet existed, his head chopped
off and body cut into four parts for the
Kings disposal. A portion of the pun
was generally recinded by the
crown. Breaking the criminal on a
wheel was common in France at one
time. Damien, who stabbed Louis XIV,
at Versailles, was torn to pieces by hor-
ses. after being tornonted with red hot
pinoers, to. The guillotine is now usually
resorted to. Prussia inficts punishment
by beheading with heavy axe. Behead-
ing with the sword is common in Germa-
ny. In China murderers are cut to
pieces. In Russia, the knout is used. In
Turkey, strangling and throwing the
in the sea in a bag is frequent. |
Very cruel ppnishments prescribed
IN the Roman code, which we're mitigated
n her prosperous ages. The Grecians
we're equally barbarous in their early |
lays. 1t remained for America toset an
by ENGRAVING in her constitu
Ion that "cruel and unhuman punish
nents shall not be inhioted.' Shooting
nd hanging are our modes Of punish
nent for capital offences. They are mild
nd simple, compared with those Of other
ations, and will be ultimately adopted
y oil christian people for the punish
lent of the perpetrators Of monstrous
nd reasonable acts. The man guilty of
rson, treason, murder, rape, robbing of
40 mail, release Of criminals capitally
onvicted during execution, fraudulent
asting away ofships, and piracy, is by our !
VS., punishable with death. The man
lilty Of desertion commits a capital
ime, for which he must in all countries
Irrender up his life when caught. He
'ings disgrace upon those connected
it'll him by ties Of conssnguinity, and
no longer fit to herd with his fellow ..
ldiers. His execution is essential as
read and warning 10 others who may :
ave hayward inclinations. The evil was
creased by our leniency at the com
encement Of the war. During the past
ar steps have been taken to stop tho in
nous crime. Many have forfeited their +
res in consequence. May their sad and 81
plorable fate prove warning to all u
hers.
A CENoTAFH TO SToNEwALL JAcKsoN.-A 6
ry beautiful cenotaph erected to the !,