Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-02-03
Capital Punishment.

certain cases, is before our State Legis'
lature, and its enactment is urged with
earnestness by a considerable number OF
members Whatever the fate of this bill
may be, the fact of its introduction is
evidence that there exists in the State n
strong feeling that something needs to DO
done toward csseaing the prevalence OF
the great crime Of murder
The provisions Of the bill are such that
there is not, that we can see, the remotest
possibility that an innocent person will
be brought to the gallows under it. Its
operation is to be only in cases of wllul
and deliberate murder, where the crime
shall be clearly proven and its premedta'
ton be made Enthusiastically apparent and
where there is no room for plausible
plea OF extenuating circumstances, And
even when the prisoner shall be found
guilty of murder in the first .degree by
these safe rules, it is not made imperative
that his punishment shall be death, au>
thority being vested in the jury to SCI
Imprisonment for life as the penalty, in
rendering their verdict, if in their minds
such course is best Other provisions OF
the bill which strike us favorable are
that any jury trying a case Of murder,
and finding the facts DO not warran, a
verdict in accordance with the indict-
mcnt, may bring in verdict for any less
ser degree Of homicide, rs the evidence
may suggest; that in case the death pen
ally be affixed, the prisoner shall be sent
direct to the State Prison and there con-
fined for one hundred days before exccu-
ton; that all executions shall be private,
and under the supervision of the State
Prison Commissioner; that the Govern.
or may give respites to condemned crlm-
inals for three months at time, but shall
not commute death sentence to mpris~
onment for life, nor interpose u pardon,
except upon recommendation by IL joint
resolution of two consecutive lcgisla-
lures.
With all these safeguards, there can
be no danger of great evils resulting from
the adoption of this bill We are among
tho,e who believe that the putting upon
our statutes n law under which colds
blooded murderers can be punished will
be salutary, not only in lessening crime,
but also preventing such bloody reigns OF
terror and lynch law as were experienced
in Columbia county but n few months ago.
In another column we publish an able
article on "The Jury System" from the
February number Of Putnam's Magazine,
The arguments therein fayoring the trial
of civil causes without jures, are suih>
cient to convert Us, who have long been
do biting the wisdom of the petit jury
system. Our limited experience and obs
scryations perhaps are not good grounds
from which to clearly judge, butwe think
they are ample as base Tor our opinions.
There is now pending in our State legis'
latare a resolution to amend the Constr
tuition of the State so as to abolish the
grand jury system. As yet we have not
seen the resolution, ana are unprepsred
to discuss it Ineligible. Before it can
become law it must be voted upon and
sanctioned by the people, and ere that
transpres, we shall all have learned
enough of its merits and dement's to be
qualified to vote upon the question.
THE ROADS. ---The session Of the
Legislature Is fast slipping away, and
nothing is being done toward securing
the passage Of any measure to enable
the city of Mineral Point to get in a
position where she can repair the roads
leading into her limits. 1t is high time
we are uP and doing. The City Council,
who were Authorized by the meeting is