New-York tribune., 1868-12-18
AFTER DECEMBER.

The New Year, it gives us sort OF salts
faction to say, will open under the most bland
and beaming auspices and an advance of the
nation in peace, order, morality and brotherly
love for some time to come may be conf
IDENTIFY predcted-that is, if there be any
virtue in hemp 1t will, indeed, be a lively
month, this rather cold and clustering present,
for shcriffs, and for philosophers who think
that to hang q man is to put him to the best
possible use for the benefit of society. A
murderer is to be executed in NewJersey on
the 24th inst. A horse is to be hanged
in Chesterfield County, Va, on the 18th INST.
On the same fatal Friday, in Richmond, Va,
Sally Anderson (cOlOred) is to be hanged for
firing house, and one Phillips for killing his
wife John Hoag is left for execution at
Rochester, NJ Y, on the 18th inst Whalen,
who shot Mr. Darcy McGee, dies in Canada
on the Goth inst Kate Johnson, murdcress,
expires at Buffalo, n. Y, on the 18th. The
execution of Foster in Baltimore, and OF
Grieve in Connecticut completes, we believe,
the cheerful catalogue-although perhaps
little research, if we had the heart for it,
might enable us TO extend the fatal list. But
this will do for the present. December would
be indeed dark month, with so many pay
ments of the extreme penalty crowded into 1t,
were we not assured that an immense deal OF
good will be educcd from this seeming evil.
Imprimis, after the 18th inst no horses will
be stolen in Chesterfield County, Va, and
locks upon stabe-doors will become an ex-
travagant superauity. With two executions In
Richmond, both on the same day, there is
reason to believe that there will be no more
shooting of obnoxious editors from conyen-
lent lOOp-holes of retreat IN that regener-
ated city. If matters work well, not
another wife will be poisoned in Connecticut
for n century to come. Life in Roches-
ter will become prcternaturally safe, and
in Buffalo homicide will lapse INTO an utter
impossbility. That such excellent results will
follow these various executions would, no
doubt, be n balmy consolation to the victims, II
by any chance the thought should occur to
them at the supreme moment but against the
probability of this there are several presump-
tions, and we suspect that most or these
doomed men and women would be Wiling to
live and let the world take its chance OF n
blessed reformation. 1t is simply fortunate
that they are not asked if they are willing to
make this little sacrifice for the sake of their
fellow creatures. for it is impossible to say
how many of them might not decline to die
for the advantage of other people. 1t is lucky
for society that no convict is invited TO chop
logic before he is Launched into eternity" for
now and then, 'shrewd sufferer might ask
why he should die that others may not become
feonious offenders. "Why am to be made
"a frightfu example 2" would be rather an
awkward query. 1t is one, however, which we
in the discussion of the matter are compelled
TO consider. The argument that death is n
thoroughly merited penalty we can compre-
hend. however much it may fail to satisfy US;
but the argument that men must die to keep
other people from killing, we souowfully
admit that we do not IN the least understand.
Then, going back to the position that capital
punishment is n righteous retributlon for mur-
der we are puzzled to know how it can he an
equally righteous retribution for horse-stealing,
because we can by 10 means see how horse
stealing and homicide can be regarded rs SIM
liar oflenscs The formula for the latter crime
if il is to be classed with killing, should be:
"Whosoevcr steals mans horse, by man shall
"his horse be stolen" But in Virginia, the
party bereaved of his steed is not allowed the
rctaliatory chance of stealing the thef's horse,
inasmuch as the thief is hung, and all his horses
become the personal property of his heirs. SO,
too there is no Scriptursl injunction to the
effect that "Whosoeyer burns Il mans house,
"by man shall his house be burned" The
offender might cry upon that Buffalo gallows ::
"What are you hanging me forP Go and burn
"my house! That is the way TO settle this
"mattcr!" To all which, We suppose, the
Sheriff, not being logical would scarcely lend
an open ear.
A few years ago, the speedy abolition of
the death penalty was confidently anticipated.
Now, by sort of natural reaction, society
seems TO have swung to the opposite extreme
and the rope as n remedial agent was hardly
ever in more general use. OF course, if the.
gallows theory be correct one, the crimes
of which death is the prescribed punishment
should numerically diminish just in proportion
TO the stern promptncss with which the
penalty is enforced. But the warning infu-
ence Of the gallows Chat is, if it possesses any
is not very apparent, particularly when it
happens that the more we hang, the more we
find it necessary TO hang; ROr not only does
custom stale whatever is pathetic or terrible
about these executions, but whatever cheapens
human life diminishcs tbs general reverence
in which it is held. Thus We find that for cen
turcs the gallows has been the jest OF the
vicious and the violent, and familiarity has
! been followed by natural contempt, so that
there is no end Of Humorous anecdotes and OF
popular jokes all relating TO executions. One
of the saddest sights which the world can wit
ness il generally mentioned, not with pitying
reverence for human sorrow, but with light