, 1873-07-28
" ENtGMAS OF DEATH"

Sur.
"ENIGMAS OF DEATH"
Capital Punish 1ncnt Assaulted on tho
Ground that Murder il sn1l Error,''
and tho Murderer tim Unfor"
tIlnnte.'s
BATAVIA, ILL.,, July Is, 1879.
To The Editor Qf Tho Chicago Tribune:
Sir can hardly exprosB the pleasure I
experienced in reading m article in Monday
mornnga TRIBUNE III nnawor to your Enlg-
mas Of Death" I have mado tho affairs Of mon
study for years, and havo long boon
convinced Of the cruelty md intuR-
tico Of tho dcath-ponalty for crime. The
prevailing opinion among men sooms to bo, that
hanging is Ill antidoto for crimo; but whore do
mon got this idoa2 Cnn it DO proven that It iB
Docs 1t act as M antidoto should TINT haa my
! efficacy? And Ia 1t not faot that this opinion
Of men IL based entirely upon euppositiou?
What ia crimo What should 1t DO considered
IL it not IN error In mon, although gricvoua
Who is perfocty Clcrgymon tell us that tho
nurtloror deserves to die, md that ,wo should
ahow him no Bynpathy. But they DO not tell
uB why 1t Is Tint man will commit tho fearful
tho condemnation Of law whose penalty ia
donth. Whyisit? Aroal,mon Iiablo, under eortain
circumstances, to commit tho crime Of murder
Or il it only fow? And, 40, why Is it that
inals than others !? What IL tho GAUGE Of this
| strange difference in tho actions OF men? Can
/ mon suppose that crime oxiats without cause,
! that thoy ORC 30 indifferent about considering
| this important question I believe that the
! world can only do away with crime BY
| removing tho CAUSES that produce II. Re-
move the roots, and It is oradioatod.
/ consider tho criminal OIL orripg mortal, and, as
| t1..n1x ia faf l.p
| consider him all unfortunate, and Of the most
pisiublo kind; for, whothor bis crime Is owing to
tho grossnoas Of Ills mind and his inability to
appreciate tho ynlne Of human lilo, tho irrita-
bflity Of his tempor, or his insatiate desire for
strong drink he IL alike unfortunate to be in pos
session OF such q mind anl who would envy him
Who would not pity him? Who're did 10 get d mind
80 devoid Of feeling7 I don not consider 1T poas-.
bio, or at all probable, that D man will commit
murder who is In poBaeaBon Of hiB right mind,
who has sufficient intelligence to appreciate tho
value Of hnman life. and Who H. capable Of cen con
Then, tho fact that the terrible orimo IL commit
tod proves to my. mind, eithor TINT tho person
! waB insane; or had taken stinuaans that had
Ills reason for tho time. was colipHol by his yio-
lent passion; or that the Grossnoss Of his
mind prevented his appreuipting the vaiuo
Of human lifo, and rendered him unfit
In u word, the man who docs not appreciate tho
value Of human life las not q proper regard for
ileath and this il ono reaaon why the death-
penalty fails III it's object and tho gallows-spec-
{acle loBos its torror.' ..
And this likewise shows US thogreat Importance
OF oducating men in tho relations they boar to
oaoll othor and to society. / bo1leyo that tue
object Of law is justice to every Individual; but
thom in taking his life? What wrong has tho
wife of tho criminal done that ahe bo nude q
widow, or his children tlat thcy bocome or.
phans Are thoy not aesosvlng of sympathy :
~ ufA Ind for* *F1aiF
suroring? And is not tho onormity Of 9 crime
, eatimntel by tic amount OF injury done? And,
again, to whom should restitution be giVon ex-
ceps to tho injured party7 And can 1t bo
murderer suffer death7 Who, thep, docs it con
aolo7 1a it consoling oithor to You or mo tt
wituess tho dcath Of tho crirninaa7 I think Il
! must DO evident TINT tho practice Is malicious
. same malicious propensity that il so mucl
I dcspisod in tho murderer. And It does not Soon
, consistent with tho sentiment of this On
get6s tooo ago the thas nraoteo Ms is carry
o!d Mosaio law, that q man should suircr equal
. ly for tho amount Of suffering ho has caused,-
eyo Tor nn eye tooh t dof a. 1oosm H1e 10
i, tho wrong principles. We should work for til
T. good will OF men. This will Insure persona
h aafety, with pence and tranquility to sooiet,
i We cannot oxpoot to have perloot pence as ION
i and how aro we to secure tho good-wll of mo
except by practloing tho procoptB Of tho Goldo
Rule? It is right that We troat oil mon as y
il would bo troatod In tho practical affair
!. OF everyday life; but III thiH done
!. Tar from il. Mon conduct their busines
|: nirairs soloiy for their own Individual inorost
: to tho uttor disregard Of the wants and feeling
of others. Crime, strictly speaking, III tho RI
suit Of tho Infringement Of the great moral la
OF equity botwoo1l man ind man and, in or
sense, / think 1t might be called rotribution 4
:. oppression. Men, III thoiz morbid cravings e
w wealth, have tra1nplod boneath their faot Il
NJ Divine law. The poor have boon wronged {
nj nj thoir Just portion. The history Of mon
81 ono continued Aceno OF oppression tro
9s the most remote ages, Children born OF paren
y III oppression como into tho world with dlI
85 855 poBitions to rob aud murder. America to-day
az az suffering from tho inroatH upon her doInnat
IS rs poaco caused by tho immigration Of tho @
IA lnonoy, from want Of ulouoy. hlonoyod 1nonop
50 lies arc tho lot-bets Of crlmo, and to strike
100 thom would e1act moro real good to tho natit
oo than oil tho measures takon for tho puLiAllne
~ ~ nf crime. II tho money that waB expended
IN building State-priHolB, calabooaoB, and jas, al
10 In paying and supporting tho yaat army OF =
iO0 cemen, Ind boon expended in ages paat for q
rs relief OF tho poor and destitute, and diytd
Ito among tho hard rorkipg aud deserving, Il
oG 'o0 opinion IL, that wo would bo enjoying mu
@ loo moro peaceful tilnes to-day. II. 7. ANT1sT.
- Tho Fourth Of July tornado which visit
tho WoHt came upon q marriage ceremony
.. Wisconsin, aud killed tho preacher Just AZ
no calne to tue words =" I now pronounce yoll-
The couple arc In aomo doubt % to tho prcol