The Portland daily press., 1869-02-26

some gentlemen may possibly say that the
dlfference of time and the ameliorations of
civilization had something to do with this.
The facts in the case, however, are these: The
population of England had considerably in
creased, and the number of crimes. taking
them altogether-those on which the penalty
had not been lowered had arisen from 46 1888 in
the year ending 1929, to 81 ,701 in the year end
ing 1889.
1t might be asked him if he had anv statis-
tics showing what the facts of the case are i'm
the matter of murder? He would answer
that he had all the statistics which the subject
afforded. There had been a certain number
OF OF instances IN which capital punishment had
been aDollshed, and in every one of these in
stances it has been followed by one result He
would read the figures.
Tuscany abolished the death penalty in 1741.
For the next twenty-five years there were only
seven murders, while in Rome, an adjoining
State, there were sixty in three months, with
frequent public executions. OF course 1 do
not claim that the difference in the penalty
alone caused this divergence in results, but It
had much to do with it.
Russia ceased to put to death for crime in
l74l, and has maintained the doctrine for 14S
years, with credit to herself and safety to her
Inhabitants
The Empress Catherine said-and he COM
mended her language to the attention of all
members. we must punish crime without
initiating it; the punishment of death is rarely
anything but useless barbarity." If people
are safe without executions in what we are
pleased to call the halt civilized country of
Russia, why not here?
Belgium presents the following results:-
For the 10 years, ending 1914 there was 800
executions for murder, being at the rate OF 21
per annum for the next 15years the code hav-
ing been somewhat sOftened, there were ia
murders, being at the rate of per annum. In
the next tve years there were 20 murders at
the rate of4 per annum. A decrease from 21
TO 4, is certainly an Improvement
In bomDay, under the enlightened rule of
Sir James Macintosh, a famous name, capital
punishment was not inflicted for several years
And ha hiInsalf sselse1 this asst. Murders
fIom lI56 to 1853, q years) 141; murders from
lSC4 to 1871, "a yeaIs) g. From 1904 to 1871.
capital punishment was disused among a
neatnen population of 100000, with safety and
we have no statistics from the States in the
Union which have already removed the pen
atty OF death from their statutes. They exist
IN their archives, probably, but have never
Deeh puDllshed. The uniform testimony of
tnose states, however is strongly in favor of
the safety aud security of the course which
go backward
The Governor of Wisconsin, and the Secre-
tary Of State of Michigan, unite in declaring
that their States are satisfied with tbe expe
rlment, and find it followed by tue best re-
suits.
AS to Rhode Island, we have it ON the au-
tnorlty OF Mr.. Stevens, that former Cover
nor, (Senator Sprague } declares that preciselv .
the SANG feeling of satisfaction exists there
IN population OF 100000, they have nos mad
SO many murders as Worcester county, Mos
sSaacaqsetts, which has only half the popuaton
He claimed that he had shown objections to
the death penalty, and that there is Ds neces-
sity for it. He claimed, Therefore, that it
ought not to be inflicted. He did not, for one,
propose to take upon himself the execution of
divine DEGREES with such Ellible human in
Sfrnmanf1 10 axxrac n uQa
geance to God. He knew that He would re-
pay.
His colleague, Mr.. Morrs,) had brought to
the HSase o. the opinion Of the assembled di-
viaes OF Cumberland county. Those resolu-
tIons had been published in the newspapers of
that county, in which they declare that capi-
tai punishment alone is consonant with the
revealed will of God.
He did not propose to answer them or the
many texts of scripture which had been quot
ed. He believed there were times when men
wrested scripture to their own destruction.-
Past history ought to make men careful how
they lightly thrust their own crude notions
upon the God of mercy and love, who has no
pleasure in the death Of the wicked
Ever since Christ died men have -Ssvod up
and fought God with the text Of rs own scrip
tare. What hoary wrong ds~.n,ed 3y the wrath
up dung its last years by texisuef
Scripture on all Remember how pnsif ifPaui
0a-5mus bore the bHHsadc bHHsdc the advocates OF in.
: .'...s ~. pcrance. And he (Mr. Reed) challenged
any man to produce an instance OF any reform,
that has not been met by this misinterpreta-
ton, misconstruction and desecration OF Gods
word. Gods laws as given by Moses were giV-
en- to conform to the situation of the peo-
pie at that time. Picking up sticks o. sun
day, was a capital offence under the MOSAIC
Iaw-right as adapted to Jews. They required
peculiar laws for they were surrounded by pc
culiar circumstances. If his colleague insisted
on the death penalty for murder as divine,
why not for the thirty and more other crimes,
for which death was meted out by them OF
oldsn times" Ifhis argument proves anything,
it proves more than he wants it to.
One thing more he wished to call the atten-
ton of the House to- 1t is said that it is nee
essary for US to have a strong government
A strong government is not a cruel or fierce
government, and he thought it would be
very interesting exhibition Of stength for this
State, seven hundred thousand strong, to or
der the Sheriff of Knox county (who Is the
representative of the strength and majesty OF
the State), to march to that prison, go round
behind the buildings, and there in secret
break the negro's neck. 1t seemed TO hlm
that this would not be strength, but weakness
Perhaps sometime in the progress OF christ.an-
ity, we may learn that society owes us crinl- nl
mails something besides broken neck. Inc
onast;on then before us now is, shall we estab-
lish capital punishment, or shall we let II stay
,vbara II lies buried under the condemnation
~ the neonle OF Maine? That is the question
tbot ~, Il really before us, and the only question
&c have 10 decide He confessed he was 10th
W cease talking, because he felt that he might
he at that moment pleading for the life OF some
innocent man, in whose execution the failure
He prayed if gentlemen had any doubts upon
{Ia Ynattar 10 Lot thoaa douhts lead them To