The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-23
Appeals to Mercy Versus Appeals to
Justice.


When the public voice is raised against an
astonishing growth of crime the safety of a
society which is menaced must be respected.
Regarding certain Of our criminals under
sentence of death endeavors are being made
to invoke the power of mercy as against the
right Of justice Mercy, We are told, falls like
the gentle dew from heaven, and its quality is
not strained. tits an appeal which touches
all hearts with single throb of humanity in
them. The life of human being is sacred
thing, and its cutting short by process of law
something deservedly hedged in by grave limi-
tations. The judicial killing Of man, apart
from the awful nature of the punishment
itself, entails such consequences of sorrow
and shame on those near and dear to him
that one would be stony-breasted indeed to
say they had no weight. But it will be re-
marked that, whatever moving power
with equal force to human life and
its entwinings, for which the muir
derer is called upon to suffer. Spare the
murderer because of the pain his hanging will
infict upon himself and those that love him
is an argument that must be placed beside the
fact that the murderer when he slew his victim
was deaf to such thought as mercy or COM
miseration. It brings back in all its painful
force the unworthiness of the slayer to any
consideration on that score. With him alone,
after all, must society deal. The issue cannot
be shifted from the killer and the killed to the
4, fri de Of tho thav Ac
it would be manifest injustice to make man s
crime the greater or the less on account of the
class in society on which he had inflicted o
loss, so is it absurd to think that the man s
social surroundings should influence the pun
ishment meted out. 1t is hard, pitiless logic
But let us see why it should be grimly carried
to its conclusion.
In New York, as we have often pointed out
the crime of homicide has been frightfully on
the increase. We have also observed that in
proportion as the execution of convicted muir
derers became rarity homicides grew in
numbers 1t therefore becomes evident hat
either murder should be encouraged by o.,c-
laration that punishment is thing OF II
past or else that law in all its fore
and majesty must be upheld and the
criminals made to suffer To the latter alter
native public opinion has with single purpose
directed its attention. People the reverse of
bloodthirsty applaud the sentiment Of justice
and ruffianism begins to feel check upon its
lately unbridled career. Now we may feel
assured should public sentiment allow itself
to be stemrned by illogical appeals to mercy,
or should justice halt in the path it has
entered, that rufianism ever on the ql vire
for its opportunity, will take new lease of
life The principle involved in the punish
ment of murderers has its roots in the deepest
secrets of human nature. 1t is the deliberate
condemnation by the better part of the worst
part. The access Of brutality which results in
homicide must need stern repressor, like
I the death penalty, or murder in the best
civilizations will be regarded as of no
greater consequence than other crimes, for
which imprisonment or fine has been thought
sufficient. For these reasons we say that
when man is by law found guilty Of murder he
should be hanged, whatever his social posi-
tons, surroundings or connections. The
sentimental appeal to mercy must be unheard
where the appeal to justice is so grave a
necessity.