The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-15
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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
WssroS Anril 10

| 10 Wt Eu'tOF " IHt DtWOCTul
One ofthe most pressing aud co ,cnt
reasons with inc for tue adjustment of
the Death Penalty. is tue fact that so
long as il remains on our statute JOOLg,
and is enforced, The INNOCENT arc az
halle 30 Dc pmto deGh as Tie gmliy.
The great and good Lafayette said.
al shall ask for the adjustment Of
the Penalty of Death, until have the
infallibility Of human judgment dem.
onstrated to me- And lie said this
because Of the awful scenes he had
witnessed in consequence Of tho cxecu.
ton Of the innocent. The punish.
mcnt Of Death has always Inspired me
with feelings Of horror he exclaimed.
"since the exCcrable use made Of it
during the former revolution" During
that revolution. the innocent and tho
guilty werO made TO pour out their
Blood upon the block indiscriminatcly
"0h! spare me; for before God !
proclaim my innocence with the
voice Of dying mortal | solomnly de.
clare that l am guiltless - were pro
testatiOns for which the guillu,inc tar.
rivd not in its work Of death. Nsith:r
has the gnllows in Europe aud Ameri.
ca. In England more than 10000
men and women have been executed
who protected most sacrGdly, with their
last breath, that they had no knoUl.
edge Of the crimes for which th.y were
about 10 suffer. And, in tho United
Sites, the number is rising three hun.
bred.
1t is true, that even the dying tcs.
timeny of men is not always to be
credited; bat, out of 80 many, is it
not altogether probable large number
uttered the truth? Some Of them
indeed, a majOriiy-wcrc entitled to
credit, for they had become hopeful
converts to the Christian religion
wore changed from nature to grace"
fitted for thu immer;al spheres, and
were expecting world Of glory en-
passing away from this world Of sin.
So said their spiritual advisers, and SO
said the Christian Church generally.
Hence repeat, they were entitled to
credit among Christians. But they
werO not credited. On the contrary,
every one ofthCm was strangled-yes,
sttangled by the hands Of Christians in
Me rry mitia cfheir protestations Of
innocence !
Here, nothing can Dc done 10 remedy
The erR. The poor victim Las gone
into eternity. It is now too late.
Think of tho long days sud nights Of
suffering Of the doomed man, when in
prison awaiting his trial; Ofhis agony,
when the awful word GUILTY" Is pro.
nOunccd, and lis sentence passed.
Think Of 1O days and weeks Of
wretchcdncss which follow; Of bis soul
on fire with the conviction Of biz own
innocence, when the world will not
credit his protCsiatiouS. Think Of bis
grief when the awful thought comes to
his soul, that lis own parents, his
wife, bis darling children, will ai,rays
believe him fclon; and must always
suffer the disgrace that will attach 10
bis memory. Think Of bis agony us
hi, day Of doom approaches, and he
takes his last farewell Of wife aud
children. lie is innocent, but no man
LeliertS il, and lie has no means Of
proving it. Hi stands upon the gal.
lows, and still protests his innocence,
but 10 vain. For weeks and months
he has lived on the hope that Just
God would not desert him; that 10 bis
Providence the truth would 10 revealed,
aud his innocence proved. But II ow
he Is in despair. Tho fatal moose is
fIedi the minister las commended him
TO God, and prayed that lie will have
mercy on bis soul, when he feels no
the cap is drawn down, and
the hangman is ready to strike tie
blow that will send him into eternity,
aud yet there Is no one to testify 10
bic Innocence. lie must die, and die
= folon! There is no hOpcl Great
God what must be tho agony Of a
sensitive soul! For what would tho
reader take his placer
TnE DROP rALLsl The man dies
lies murderer. His body I. given
'ycr for dissection. A knowledge Of
bis execution Is heraldsd In tho u;lo