The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1873-03-29
SATURDAY, MARCH 92, 1878.
Dentla the Penalty orsIurdcr.

The ezxecution of Foster, for the mur.
der Of Putnam, which took place on
Friday, March 2lst, has called forth
extensive comments from the Press
throughout the length aud breadth of
the land. The question which agtated
the mind of the people of New York,
"How to stem the tide of murder" !"
naturally evolved the questions, Of the
moral justice of capital punishment, its
e4pediency and effect. In our last issue
We published an extended extract from
a.1aermon of gifted minister of the
gospel, whose arguments as to the sane
ton and moral, social aud religious jus
tice Of the death penalty were irrefut-
able, Before even the PRONUNCIATION Of
the; iecalogue, the canon of death for
murder was announced from Heaven as
one Of the fundamental principles of
Gods moral government and as a safe.
guard for His creatures from their own
passions. The first divine statute is a
panal one for the greatest Of all crimes.
Heaven, by this statute, has enforced
upsn human society, upon government
this sanctioned right and imperative
duty.
Though depraved morality and
wanton iufdelity may exclsim in their
own iavorite and repeated phrasoology
Han.i ing is played out" yet it's sane
tion remains written the first command
ipeht, in the revelation of Gods will.
The first gseat object of human
punishment is to deter others by terrible
example Can there he any hesitancy
In deciding upon the wisdom and policy
OF this terrible punishment for murder
A siclly scntimentality may shudder
at the retribution Of life for life but
the political philos 'pher, the patriot or
the .christian will have no scrupes iu
ObsJing and admiring this his ceuntrys
and his Gods first law.
Atheism and a low state Of social
purity and morals may incite morbid
ssympathy for the murderer but the law
.Etands majestic and true: "Whoso
9hsddeth mans blood, by man shall his
blood be shed for in the image of G cd
made be man." Marx the reason!
- The execution of Foster, under the
circumstances was q remarkable and
great event, and Dix, the governor of
New York has by the unfinching dis.
charge OF his duty afforded memorable
example for the guidance of executive
officers in the exercise of the prcroga.
ytiTs Of ardon.
'SHiNever was all the enginery of sympa
thy so skilfully arrnyed aud exercised
than in this case va he remained
true othe principles Of divine and hu-
man justice, and quailed not He dis
played subli1aer heroism and truer
emoral courage in withstanding all the
pathos Of appeal, all the ingenuity of
. sophistry, al the influence of wealth,
position and society, than does the
bronzed general in confronting the
b2tteries, the mHltilatioB and death. In
withstanding, he is greater victor.
= ~ The lesson will be most salutary as it
was most needed in New York.
'HA Murder will no longer 10 the brutal
theme Of jest and boast, nor will tho
murderer strut, the hero Of tho ruffia N
y crew. But the sanctity of life, tho
Of law are most nobly illustra
ted and yindicated All honor to Dix F.!
He has done his duty, when most sore
ly tempted to disregard it.
The sublime spectacle of the COVER
saanor, surrounded by the ingenuity Of
'TFgrsat learning, the glitter Of great in
8 !huence, and the most plaiptiye appe,ls