The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-08-04
Views of Capital Punishment.
The following opinions are embodied
in the book of Mr.. NJ. H. Bovee. en-
titled Christ and the Gallows:"

tlGlcU CuflSC anu Tue OalOWS:
From WENDELL PHILLIPS.
49, The gallows 1 abolish al
together. 1t never could have been
defended except on the ground of alb
sOlute necessity, in order to protect So
ciety. 1t would be absurd to make
any such plea for it now, since we all
know that, with the resources of mod
ern times, we can keep man within
four walls as long as we see fit. That
guards the community; and we have no
right to punish him in order to deter
Others from following in his steps.
The moment a man violates law, he
forfeits his civil rights; this gives So
ciety the right, and imposes on it the
duty Ct subj ing him to the best NOR
al influences it can command, as long
as is needed to make him good citi-
zen; this is all the right society acquires
over him, and this does not justify the
gallows. q2 2AaSlo1 SIS
[From ALICE CARr.]
believe all crime to be insanity, and
that, until it shall be treated as such,
we shall find no betterment in govern
ment affairs. sesares rsst--s
From JOHN BRIGHT. 49,
Barbarism in the law pro-
notes barbalism among those subject
to the law; and acts Of cruelty under
the law, become examples for similar
ats done contrary; to the law. To put
nSen to death for crimes, civil or pOlit-
iSAl, is to give proof of weakness rath-
Ell than strength, and of barbarism
to,
rthl security for human life is to be
fJhhd in reverence for it. If the law
regarded it as inviolable, the people
YPuld begin also SO to regard it. A
daep reverence for human life is worth
more than thousand executions, in
til prevention of murder-and is, in
faYt, the great security for human life.
If the death penalty is of any force, in
any case, to deter from crime, it is of
much more force in lessoning our chief
security against it; for il proclaims the
fact that kings, parliaments, judges
and .juries, may determine when and
how men may he put to death by vio-
lence; and familiarity with this idea
cannot strengthen the reverence for it.
From HORACE GREELEY.
Our Savior is by no means solita-
ry example of the unjust execution of
the innocent and just. Socratees, Gle
ero, Sir Walter Raleigh, Algernon
Sydney, John Huss, Micheal Servetas,
Louis XVI, the Due d'Enghein, Mar
shall Ney, Riego, Macy Sander, Maxi
milan, are among the conspicuous in
stances of victims of the law of blood.
We have recorded instances of inno-
cent men convicted of murder on their
own cOnfessiOn-Of men convicted,
sentenced and hung for offenses where
of they were nowise guilty. would
affirm and inculcate, as widely and i'm
pressively as possible, the sanctity Of
human life. Unlike the French wit,
would have society set its enemies
salutary example. believe that legal
executions incite to rather than dimin-
ish murders. $500
Is it not just such loose views about
punishment for the greatest Of crimes,
which has contributed so much to their
alarming increased If, as Alice Carey
says, s.crime is insanity then our
State prisons, jails and II rus IS of re-
fuge, ought to be turned into hospitals
and medical institutions, or schools
for promoting learning. fgfs gF
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Andrew johnson and Mrs. Surraxt