The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-25

3
may die. Thine eye shall not pity
him, but thou shalt put away the guilt
Of innocent blood from Israel, Lthat it
may 60 well with thee We know
that some writer's against Capital Pun
i,hment have construed the two pas
sagcs first quoted in the light Of prOrh.
ecy, aud not as 4 command; but the
last one will certainly not admit Of such
a construction. It may be said that
the fact that the avepger Of blood (thc
nearest kinsman) was permitted to
punish the murderer, proves that the
punishment is Inflicted in spirit Ofre-
yCngc, but the latter part oil tho pas.
sage gives us a better reason, viz {:
"the putting array Of he guilt Of limo.
eent L6od." We again PROFOUND the
questiOn.-Can it be true that this pun.
ishment is only aetuated by r'yOngef
And again We say, No. "beath is or
dcrOd TO be punished with death moi
because one is equivalent to the other,
for that would be expiation, and not
punishment. Nor Is death always an
equivalent for death. The execution
of a needy, decrepit assassin is a poor
satisfaction for the murder Of a noble
man in the bloom Of his youth, and
full enjoyment Of his friends, his honor
and lis fortune, Rut the reason upon
which this sentence is grounded seems
to be that this is the highest penalty
that man can inaiCt, and tends most to
the security Of mankind, by removing
one murderer from tho earth, aud set
ting example to deter others SO that
even this grand instance proceeds upon
other principles than those ofrs,llia.
ton. "-Chitty's Blackstone, volume 4,
page 0. When God created man He
made him free agent, gave him His
commandments, warned him net to dis.
obey, aud made known the penalty in
case he disob0ySd. Can man say that
Gods punishment is actusted by q
spirit Of revenge? Oh no, not that.
He has made Ills laws, and lie must
enforce them, inaictiug the penalties.
and BY so doing preserve enc Of His
attributes, Truth. Just SO with hu-
man laws; they must be made and
enforced. To preserve life, tho law
presCribci Death to the murderer. lie
knows what will be his fate IL be vic.
latCs the law; aud reason aud the loss
Of bis own life call upon him to refrain
from murder. If be Ofends he feels
and knows that bis punishment is just.
With reference TO the examples
given by our worthy opponent, We have
only to say that he must not judge the
multitude BY the expression, Of the
fer that he must not select few sx.
ecutiops as q criterion by which to
judge the many; that be should no.
overlook the numerous ordinations Of
pity and SORROW that are given vent to
by the persons who witness the poor
wretch, no matter how guilty be may
be. when suffering for bis crime.
In this connection we will also notice
tic modes Of punishment cited BY
"Anti.Choker." Revolving and dis.
gusting as they may be, and arc, to
this enlightened age, the fact that men
once so far forgot the great end Of this
punishment, is no reason Why IT should
DO abolished. Still recognizing the
principle tia, murder is, only properly
punishable with death, we nosd no,
select the most excrusiatiug mode, bu.
''in the midst Of justice, reusmbSr !
mercy
Anti. chOkcr" quotes several Of
the sayings Of our Savior, and rery
rashly, as We think, concludes thew
meet and support his side Of the cues.
ton. The first quotation is, Father.
forgive them. they know not what they
do" Why does He in.erceds for
them? The reason is given, THEY
know not what they do" Jesus
knew they did not recognize in Him
the promised Redeemer I; that in their
ignorance aud blindness they did no,
know and see Him as He was. Hence
His compassion. Blu. will any on. be
rash enough to say that the murderer
knows not what 10 dsesi Again be
quotes: "Ror the Son Of Man is not
come to destroy mems lives, but TO
save them" Are these words 10 be
literallyi We think not.
They certainly have a deeper meaning
To view them in thcii proper light, we
must take into consideration our
SayiOr's mission on earth. He cane TO
offer Himself up as Precipitation for
BUR sins" to save our souls, not to save
Us from temporal, but from spiritual
acatb. This bsiug His mission here,
The words are made plain when He
spoke of saving mems lives, He mean,
ito save them unto life etsrnal.n
CnoKEK.
[NOrE hr rHR EDircR.-"Chokero
continues his argument fully another
'olumn 10 length, but owing to the late
,car at xhichit wa, received, there
vas no room for it, and We are com.
,ellsd to defer its publication until