Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-19
CaDftaI -Pautsbment-

EDrToRs LEADER: Gentlemen: A CORES
pondent Of the Herald, "sennex," in answer
to my article on Capital Punishment says
"My thoughts are based upon assumption,
which, perhaps, after sober second thought,
the writer will reject" 1 would say in re-
ply, al shall not be very likely to reject
thoughts and ideas founded upon laws and
principles supported by demonstrated facts.
We are getting to be a matter of fact sort of
people, and cannot accept of secondhand
testimony supported by tradition and com
ing through q very doubtful channel"
1t comes with a bad grace from that cor
respondent to charge me with "assump-
ton" when that alone constitutes the basis
of all his argument. He say the death
penalty was ordained and instituted by
God, and has never been repealed or an
nulled. Of course it has never been repealed
for the all sufficient reason that such an alb
surd and outrageous law was never made or
ordained by the Almighty.
That correspondent appeals to Moses for
authority to sustain the justice of this relic
of barbarism hat has come down through
the dark ages to more enlightened times.
If Old Testament authority is to be appealed
TO in this controversy, the only case that is
directly applicable to the point is in the &C
count of Cain and Abel after the murder.
Cain was cited to appear before the Lord,
who in those early times served as judge
and jury. After sentence was pronounced
Cain says, my punishment is greater than
l can bear, and it shall come to pass that
every one that findeth me shall slay me-
And the Lerd said unto him, "Whosoever
slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on
him sevenfold." And the Lord set a mark
upon Cain lest any one finding him should
kill him. And Cain went out from the pres
ence Of the Lord and dwelt in the land Of
Nod. Il had always supposed that God was
omnipresent.) Gen. iv, Is, IA, Is, and I6.
Not satisfied with the evidence obtained
from Moses, my worthy friend passes on to
the New Testament, and then vainly at
tempts to construe the spirit and teachings
Of the Man of Nazareth into a supper of the
doctrine of i" blood for blood, retaliation and
revenge" If the New Testament teaches
anything that is clear and plain, it is the
abrogatiOn of this pretended law of Moses
and in support of this position 1 appeal to
enlightened christians throughout the
civilized world. l can hardly think nv
friend sincere, and yet l nave no evidence
to the contrary. A law of SO much import
ance to mankind could not have been over
looked by the clear perception Of right and
wrong which characterized the sayings and
doings Of the gentle Nazarene.
Read the 9th chapter of Matthew, and
then tell me if the law of Moses is endorsed
and approved by the Saviour. How did he
treat the woman, taken in the act of adul-
terry, who, according to that law, was liable
to be stoned to death? Let those who sit
in judgment and are so free and ready to
pass judgment, consider well this burning
rebuke ! "Let him hat is without sin cast
The first stone" Again, how did he treat
tie Mosaic law in regard to the Sabbath ?
Did he order any one put to death who
should be found guilty Of the least infrac-
ton Of that inconsistent and unnatural OBJ
legation? The answer is clear. He not
only repudiated this law, but the law of re-
t~aliation and blood as well. He took that
plain common sense view OF all those mat
tiers which have came down to us clothed
with that irresistible force which character
lied the depth and sublimity of His teach
ings.
and now as regards the controversy in
question, / re-sfirm what l have before
stated, that l believe "reform and not kill
ing a nan according to law, should be the
aim, object and purpose of the law. This is
no assumption, but a well defined policy
thai has been fairly proved and tested and
10, 1 verify believe, the only doctrine con-
slstent with the advanced and progressed
condition of the age and the principles OF
immutable justice and humanity. l submit
this matter to the intelligent readers of the
LEADER. l believe the foregoing views are
in accordance with the spirit and teachings
OF Him whose precepts and example ought
to be more universally observed, and which
| regard as fully sustaining my doctrine, the
opinion of the aforesaid correspondent TO
the contrary notwithstanding. D.A. E.