Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-17
The eaIiOws a ssnesoIent na.tlsunon.r

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From the, kichmond fbnes.l 1.E--.s -zrasr
y We have always regarded the Eallows As
benevolent institution, the TalRs of which
has never been properly appreciated in Am
erican communities. Decidedly the best use
to which bad very bad-naan can be
put, is to hang him. Fines and imprison-
Thent do not reform an offender, nor do they
furnish very striking example for the ber-
eft Of evil-docrs. But when felon Is Ainq-
ed, his reformation is complete, and the ex-
ample presented is very striking. In some
Of the States OF this Union capital punish
meat was at one time abolished, but il was
found that society could not get along With
out It; so this useful invocation has We be-
lieye. been rest0rl 10 favor In all &c these
States which were once guilty ofsueh unwiee
humanity as to dispense with lis services.
The iact X, the gail0ws Is indispensable as y
powerful argansnt inhehak Of virtue and
morality, and soeiety is torn by violence
whenever this useful. but not ornamental
sIucture, ceases "a receiEe that patrunsge %
which SIS antiquity and eminent services to
maRkiad Justly cattle it,. ,,.ss4 s..s.a
If the galIows gets its due, and why should
il not, As well as Satan2 there will be creator
demand for it now than ever; for the war, il
seems to us, has spared at Of the worst men
and turned them loose upon the community.
1t will be accessory greatly 10 enlarge the.
empire Of the gallows, and bring under lis
jurisdiction offences not heresofnre eogniza-
bic BY that tribunal; in other words. the
number Of crimes punishable with death will
have TO be increased.
Our criminal code needs thorough reyi-
sion, and the sooner the Legislature appre-
ciates this fact and acts upon it. the more
apparent will be its wisdom and desire to
correct abuses. The penal statutes Of this
Commonwealth answered very well as a
peace establishment, and in the dipping time
of peace" but we have now to deal with
crime in its most frequent and aggravated
forms, as consequence Of the war, and it
will not do to deal gingerIy with il. Society
is badly diseased, and brcad-piIls will not
relieve It's maladies. Nothing short Of the
strongest and most powerful medicines will
avail to affect cure CalonieI il said to be
the Samson Of the drugstore; the gallows is
the Samson of Justice and the laws. and the
former Is not Rsore important in the renrovsl
of bodily diseases than the latter in the cor
rection of social and moral disorders. Con
fnement in the State Psnitentiary. merely
ticlSles and amuses, perhaps, exasperates.
hoary offender; hang him FOR such crimes a.
arson, rape, burglary, pocket-picking and
horse-stealing, and ven seriously Impress
him, and all his "paIsT in his line Of bush
ness = =. q
Immediately-after all great wars and re- .
volutioTs the free and extensive employment
Of the death-penalty, has always been found
necessary TO correct and arrest crime in ftx
Wild and keadlong career. We cannot with
safety neglect the teachings Of History nor
the warning of experience. There viii have
TO be hanging, and an abundance Of 1t, be-
fore evil-doers in this aud other communi-
ties will be brought their sensis and good
behavior. The candidates for the gnElovs
are very numerous, and we want to see some
of them elected. Should hose slerdtsd 10 this
Office dc, it viii be consoling for them 70 re-
feet that they died at Tic post of dslty and IN
ha7Ress-which is the highest tribute tha
that ean be paid to a public serviint When
amaniis hanged, the greatest service which
he can perform for the public be renders in
dying upon the gaLlows. Such a man dies
strictly pro bono Publieo, and such death is
the most unseliish of all methods ofdeparture
from this world, M il il one in whibh every
lone IS interested except the performer upon.
the tight-rope himself The soldier in bat
tie does not ditsso exclusively for bis eonu-
try and people asthe man upon the galIows
for the former is always partial TO the cause
for which he fights and falls, but the latter
has never been known to be partial to hemp
and hanging.
We can rear no ssOnument to Justice which
will possess More tremendous import and
Significance than The gallows. We would
not have it used as the guillotine WIS used
in France, but we would advocate such wise
and temperate employment Of Il as an agent
in the suppression of crime as would insure
a cessation Of evil deeds. li4