The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-07-09
THE PRESS,
Friday Morning, July 8, 1869.


Friday Morning, July b, Ioo0'
Gov. Chamberlain as a Civil mak.ssrasc.
The Bangor Jeffersonian in mentioning, and
we believe approving the re-nomination OF
Gov. Chamberlain, takes the occasion to read
him one of its severest homilies, for having
with wicked purpose, it predicts he will re-
peut. caused the deathof the murderer Harris.
In State where the penalty of death is in
fiicted by law for the crime of murder, it is
hard to conceive of crime of a more atroci-
GUS character, than that for which Harris suf-
fered. Because there was another man ac-
complice or even principal with him in the
crime, who escaped, though morally guilty, it
is no reason why he he should. We have not
yet reached the barbarism of Furnishing men
who are not convicted. Harris was convicted
and that upon his own confession. Verrin
was discharged and that too solely because the
miserable testimony of his associate degener-
ated into prsvarication.
1t is simply malicious to charge upon Gov.
Chamberlain the responsibility of an act
plainly implied by the law, supported by the
action of the legislature, and approved by a
decisive preponderance Of public sentiment
On the other hand credit il due him for his
agency in making the punishment of the
greatest crime specific and certain, and thus
doing much to add to the sanctity of human
life ets i'Hi
Evidently the time has not yet come to aban-
don capital punishment. We think ten years
ago the feeling Of the people Of Maine was
well along in the direction of trying the ex-
pertinent. But an evident increase of crime,
the experienced danger of combining violent!
men in prison, as shown in the murder of a.
warden in Maine and in Massachusetts,, and
perhaps the general hard heartedness begotten
by familiarity with death in our terrible war,
produced reyulsion, and in that time we
have revised our own opinion upon the whole
question.
There are whole sects among those longest
established, who, with their clergy, believe life
for life to be one Of the revealed laws of God.
A majority of men trained in legal studies and
connected with the administration of Justice,
favor severe punishments. Many enlightened
women believe the fear of death haa a strong
effect upon the minds of brutal men to deter
them from such murders as that at Auburn.
A majority of Democrats, forced generally in
to conservative positions, by their long con-
troversy with the radicals, seem to favor Sc
we're punishments. Finally few extreme
free thinkers, like John Stuart Mill, TAX
ing rather sad views of human destiny, and
not finding in the optimism of Universalism a
satisfactory solution of the problem Of provi-
dence, favor the death punishment from an
under estimate of the value of human life.
On the other hand the liberal sects, the rad
ical men, the philanthropists, the CHEEKY and
hopeful men, the sentimental men, the men
who carry the sanguineness of youth through
life, as classes, think capital punishment cruel,
unnecessary and unchristian.
So far as public opinion has found express
sion in its ordinary channels, the former opin-
ion seems to have been the stronger; that is
two successive legislatures, chosen without
reference either to the abolition or retention of
this code, have refused by decided majorities
to abrogate it. A discussion more intense
and specificc would have doubtless found both
sides well reinforced with reasons, and left
them each passionately confirmed in their
original opinions.
This condition of the question is not sur
prising. Massachusetts and Vermont, well
abreast, if not ahead of Maine in general civ
iliEation, communities that mean to sift all
questions to the bottom, and get the right Of
them if they can, have not dispensed with
hanging
Let us be patient Time softens all things.
Manners will grow milder. Better culture
and better care for all will lessen the number
Of men capable of committing great crimes.
Better heed to the laws Of life will prevent the
birth of distorted and monstrous mistakes of
men. We shall feel strong enough, wise
enough and forgiving enough to spare the
lives Of those who most terribly injure us.
Meantime for our own State, we think there
is little disposition to reopen the question. 1t
was debated and written upon in the legisla-
lures and in the press last winter, till its men
ton put all candor to flight, and made every
man put up his back with resolute determin-
alton to stick to his conviction. Let us post
pone the discussion for ten years and mean
time endeavor to make the law, as it stands, as
salutary as possible. Let us not defeat the
wholesome terror of prescribed punishment
and make it nugatory by telling bad men that
no slayer of his fellow man in this State will
ever be executed again, but by assuring them
that the wilful taking of life will be sure to
forfeit their own.