, 1873-03-24

In discussing the question of capital punish
mont, tho New York Nation 1nakoRa strong point
againHt the advocates Of imprisonment for life,
aa tho punishment for murder. by showing that
thore is in reality no Buch thing as imprison~
mont for life. Tho records Of tie ponitentiarios
chow that Rixty-three cases out Of every hun
dred Of those who arc sentenced to imprison-
mont for lifo are pardonod out before tho expira-
tton Of aoyen years from tho date Of eontonco
A percentage of tho romaindcr become ineano
The opponents Of capital punishment, tAero-
foro, bofore they advocate imprisonment for
life, as the penalty for violation Of law
in capital cases, should establish tho fact
TINT thero il Huch penalty. Every
ono lnows TINT, in tho majority of tho six-
ty-threo Cases. imprisonment for life meana aim-
ply imprisonment during the torn Of tho Gov
ornor who haa commnted tho sentence. BY tho
time TINT now Governor comes in, public OK
citement has aubsidel, tho faots in tho caso aro
forgotten, and tho now Governor las little caro-
or interest IN the matter. It is therefore, possi
ble for any convict who has influential friends
and money, md who has maintained MI outward
show Of good behavior in his prison llfo, to bring
such Influences to bear rs will secure lis roleaso
aud leave him FREQ to knock somo-
body else on tho head. When tho advo-
catca for tho abolition of capital punishment can
convince tho public that thoro is any such pom
atty rs imprisonment for life, ind TINT whoa a
murderer ia aont to prison for life, thero il no
possible escape without aatisfying the penalty,
their arguments will make much doopor impros-
sion. Gov. Dix set good example III the Fog
tor case, and Gov. Doyoridgo in tho Driver caso,
in refusing to commute tho penalty pronounced
by tho courts. It shows that in two stptcB, at
least, If man takos another's life he does 20 at
tho certain peril Of his own lifo, and until tho
sentimental portion of tho community can give
society somo guarantee tint tlloro ia Ruch q pou-
atty as imprisonment for life, society will go Oh
demanding TINT murdorora bhall Id hanged.
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Tho london Nc,cs has q valuable and instruc-
tive letter from n tourist i'll tho Southern Btatea
Of this country, wloao vewa mny DO regarded
US impartial, mud certainly bear tho impross Of
Intelligent observation. IIo reports that tho
whole South IL suffering for want of money to
repair Its desertetl plantations and brolton conf
merco; that tho taxcs are everywhere IN arrears,
and that they arc 10 exorbitant aa to ruin tho
small landholders. eDut," he ndds, "capltal-
lists will not carry thor money into communities
whore rascally Legislators Aezo 30 much and giyo
40 littlo iu roturn.' Horoin lie touchea tho
vital spot Of tho whole difficulty. Ho
describes tho nogroos as working, after
their fashion, just enough to keep starvation
from tho door, In isolated settlomonts He pic
turos d woll-knowll woaknosa Of the plantation
hands When he says that " whero toy have no
pigs or poultry themselves, they probably live
very noar somebody who has, and that answors
just us we'll" The Southern Legislatures aro
described AZ 81 duly burloBque upon govern
mont moro monstrous than the oxtrayagancos Of
the Christy Alinstrola." Tie speaks Of tic situa-
tion az deplorablo and melancholy but thinks it
only nntural result Of the great social royolu-
tion, and beliovos that it will 10 righted " as
soon Us the Government improves" Tho ques-
ton Ia, how soon tho Government will improve
at the present rate? Vile Louisiann!
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Tllo Academy Of Sciences, mud most Of our
other public institutions WloBo buililinga wore