Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-11-23
For the Herald.l
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
By URBAN c. cREAMER.

which is attached to any law. It is
the taking of life, which cannot, by
human hands, be again given; and
FROM the nature of these important
considerations We should, as people,
be particularly careful to look into its
advantages, or disadvantages. It
seems that there are two motives
which always exist in the infietion
of the death penalty The first, is the
protection of society. The second, is
revenqe.[~Any one who will take
tbought on the subject, will readily
perceive that these are the paramount
reasons for the infiction of capital
punishment.
That society must be protected. is
very apparent But the important ha-
tHre, or more definitely, the RESPONSE
bility of taking into our hands the
right to deprive a man of his life,
should lead us to consider if there is
not a more proper and expedient way
of protecting the rights of the peo-
pie.
The laws of our country, which are
founded in justice, are not partial--fa-
voring one man before another-bnt
their object is of being the greatest
good to the greatest number. And all
laws which are worthy of the name
of laws, should be so framed that the
crimes of our country may be dimin-
ished. and the rights of the people be
maintained. II q man becomes sub
ject to penalty of the law, the most
efficient means should be made use
Of for his reformation. and certain
punishment be meted out TO him, if it
is thought that it will be efficient IN
way Of reformation. But when expe-
dients are resorted to for makirg the
mans moral character better, when
they will only discourage and dis
hearten the man and render him worse
than no was before such means were
made use of, then they should be
thrown aside as inhuman and un-
worthy.
But how often is it that men are
punished only to crafty the re-
venge of the million, as is the case in
the infietion of capital punishment
If man, when he commits murder,
forfeits his life in the commission of
the crime, then he should be executed.
But can a man give his life away vol
unfairly? 1t is evident from reason
and experience that man has not a
moral right to commit suicide. God
has revealed his potent law to man,
and who will affirm that the laws OF
God are more futile than the laws of
man? Now it is certainly a natural
sequence that if man has not the right
to take his own life, he cannot, by any
overt act, forfeit his right to live in
the sight of God. Is it a privilege
which belongs to man, then, to takt
the life of his fellow man under any
circumstances whatever He certain
ly takes q great responsibility upol
himself when he takes the life which
he can never give. 1t is tamperins
with the best boon which God eve
gave to man.
In this age of the world the resonrr
es are sneh-tlses4 Il man can be confin
ed in the penitentiary and kept as lone
as it is necessary. Now it is certainl,
evident that a man cannot commi
murder while he is in the penitentiary
Society is therefore protected; b
still possesses life; he can. be put t
work, and his labor will benefit TIL
common world, and men will not hav
taken upon themselves the feSrful re
sponsibility of numbering an innocer
man, as very often happens.
The ends of Justice are very fir,
quently not secured from the circum
stances attending the trial. A ma
, whe~is possessed of a great deal o
! wealth, ca9b1y his way through th
mesbe legal difficulty. Andespe
n ciAiEy may he buy the mitigation {
his crime and its penalty, in case {
murder, to Imprisonment for life. B,
J. the unmoneycd man has to suffer, if /
commits murder. He can't justly e.
4 4 pect anything short of execution
q Now, who will say this is prop
u method of procedure Since it's 4
j which has come under the 0
: servatiOnef every one, almost, VII
justice and equality sa--therc in th
partiality; and how, hardly, are m,
honored by practicing such principles
Men are the creatures of circul
stances. Our natural and moral
velopment depends largely upon t
things which surround us. If we ha
been schooled under the benign inf
ences of that which is moral, we W
practice virtue, rather than vice. B
IS. if character be formed from the exaI
pies of vice and fnfamy, we can expc
the person to become tainted by su
influence, and its development will
exposed to US in the conduct of the
es 3 dividual. His daily conduct will
Sn m the exponent of his education. No
nd we all know that men are brought
under circumstances over which til
have no rule. Their minds are