The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-04
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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
WEsrOy FeS. 20.

now enter into this contest with real
pleasure, feeling that with just aud Chris
ian cause to advocate, ! cannot fail 10
win. Irust that my humble Efforts may
be the means Of bringing even my oppo.
aCnt- to the side Of humanity Sincerely
believing that your readers will grant me a
fair and impariiAl hearing, J shall, without
further preface, enter into the discussion.
In common with all who agree with me
In opinion on this question, | oppose the
Death Penalty mainly for several reasons,
as follows:
Isl. Because it is founded IA a
piri Of rctaiiation,-it is a reorE Of
2ud. Because, so long as men are ee.
ccuicd IL he State Of rhish / am a
citizen, |, siM others, arc responsible
for The act 4; soH cfpdrticeps crimiHis
Lctore The fact"
9rd, Because, so long as The Death
Peaaty is upon our statute JoakS, and
is enforced, Ms INNOCENT are liuUe to
Be put to death as lrdl as The gully.
ih. AHo,ier reason lrhy he punish
mtui Of De0h should be abolished, es-
pccially BY all CnmsrlAS governments,
is, that il is positively forbidden By The
Christian Scriptures.
5M Because it is utterly unnecessary
10 pcrsonulOr social protection.
9Th. The DEATH PcHdlty caHHoi b
enforced only IN rars eaSes II treili-
tdies dc escape ofhe guilty IN many
instances, lrhich is another important
reason FIR is GJoliShmeHt.
7h. Hanging, as ga erdmple, Is not
Jmcfciql. Il irM al deter mn from
crime. RisRo ra,Wipg to Tie cGelisr,
but is Tendency IS to d,Ldsl and harden
The holT' to fan he f.me Of hatred,
aud to multiply murierers instead Of
diminishing the nnn'lcr, aud for tbs
rea,on should Dc aJoiished,
Sh Because IN crdy country tsLere
Gc aJ0lishment Of tie Death Penalty
has been tested, Me effect has been 10
lesson crime.
gh. The galiors does not srLscrrc
any ofthc great objects Of punishment.
Of course | cannot this week, in the
space to which an limited. discuss the
merits even Of my first proposition; and
my object in giving all my substantial rea-
sons for the adjustment Of the Death
Penalty now, is to offer to my adversary all
and more advantage than he could ask.
hut, let US to the facts.
Growih, Improvement. progression, seem
a law Of nature, and tue destiny Of our
race Even the earth, itself, is not dcs-
titute of active forces. Zach moment the
old Is passing into ncwhess Of life. The
mass ofmaiter which, in the beginning. l.,
said TO have been ''without form and void, %
has become the beautiful world which sur
rounds us. In this perpetual recreation,
noble forests, luNuriAnt meadows, beautiful
shrubbery and fragrant fiyWcrs az thou
sand tints have sprung into being, renGer.
ing charming the carlh.hOme which our
good Father has given US for brief time
Man, too, Is progressive in the elements
OF his bCinE-iu his intellect and his heart.
Al first he was rude. Ills IDEAS were sim.
pie and his wants few. The bcarwas bet.
ter fed, and the panther better armed, ihan
be
Thus was he thrown npon lis pWn re.
sources Necessity gave him energy. lie
sewed fig leaves and covered his naked.
ness. lie had, too, his brain and lis two
hands with which to labsr; but no work.
shop-no mill, and no steam engines. At
Length he constructed his stone axe, nnl,by
degrees, his saw and sledge. hammer.
Then be fOrsook his caye.homc and dWclt
In his rude hut. But he taIried not here (:
for while the bear is only and always n
beLr, no more and no less, ffom age to age
-boasting only Of his fur coat, lis claws
and his trelh-therc il something divine in
man which prompts him o activity and i'm
provement. and 10 look beyond the mere
supply Of his necessities, and aim at COM
fort, elegance and beauty. Hence therude
hut gradually passed into a habiiation Of
refinement. Simple studs and raiters be-.
came columns, arches and dOmes: and so
1T length, followed out In all illcir detail Of
order and beauty, the p.inth, die, cornice,
base, capital, areaitrave and moullings, TO
give symmetry, finish and perfection to the
structure; and thus architecture became, by
degrees, Cue art. And what have we
howl Lin up your eyes aud behold the
thousands Of magnificent cities that dot the
earth; tue grandeur Of their temples aud
public edifices; cur mills, with their mill.
ions of TpindlcS and laundering looms;
our work shops, with their multiplied i'm.
plemenis for construction our improve
mc1is in the arts Of husbaniry and IN the
modrts Of commerce. Behold oceans
SPAWNED, and nations linked By steamships
and countries welded by iron bars, over
which people Of a thousand realms pass in
ayiBg palaces drawn by fiery siseds
Al men 9fthought, who know anything
Of the past, are certain that the world Is
progressing il learning, philosophy. sci.
rnec, art, political economy and true civ.
iliiaiioa. But all men Of thought are not
certain that the race is progressing in lIu.
manity. On tie contrary, many Alarm
that the world, like patient hopeiessly
sick, is getting no batter, hut worse con
iinually; more corrupt, wicked and op.
pressirC, and less kind, benevolent and nu.
name. Such persons are always donbiing
the modifying influences Of the Christian
religion, and the prophetic declarations Of
the Bible with reference to the growth Of
humanity among the nations. And not on.
ly so, hut they are constantly rcgrctting
that they we're born into the world at 80
late a period. "Ah" they groan, ''the
times are not what they once were! The
days Of cur good old Saihers were happy
days. There was less oppression and more
humanity than now, and a great deal more
true enjoyment So chime the breakers.
Iii strange that while society Is moving
forward with eager speed, that so many
should be flloi with doubt, and, dissatis.
fed with the present, should look back and
with regrets 80 tender, sigh for tRe "good