The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-10
LYRIC HALL.

Conscience and Crime-Prejudice
Against the Death Penalty-Thc Prin-
ciPie OF Expiation-Revcnge and Pun
ishment should Never Be Unitcd-Ser-
mon by tho Rev. .. ID. rockingham.
The services at Lyric Hall, in Forty-second street,
yesterday morning, were unusually well attended.
The singing by the choir was, as It always is ex-
cellent Mr. Frothinghams subject was, "Consci-
ence and Crime" This theme has been suggested
he began, by the efforts made to secure doomed
man from the gaows. Cergymen, citizens and
men OF letters have with one voice appealed to the
Chief OF State for the purpose OF saving fellow
creature. The widow Of the slain man adds
her touching request to the petition. She begs
that her agony may not be increased by q second
murder. The children Of the man in the Tombs
will grow up under dark shadow. II we inquire
into the justice OF this appeal II is not to be found
In the character Of the murderer Tor he was coarse
and uninterestng. He was no honor to his kind
no blessing to his family and no ornament to
society. The murder was unprovOked and accom-
painted by an insult to woman. Her protector
an unoIending man, defended her. The miserable
wretch cherishes revengcful fe cling against him
and watches for On opportunity to discharge it,
He seizes the only weapon at hand and kills his
victim. He said he was never in such state be-
fore. II his first yielding to temptation was so
brutal as this what would his second have beens If
even great efforts we're made In a fair trial to
weigh every atom OF guilt IL was done IN
THE TRIAL or FOSTER.
Every representation that the Courts allowed was
seized upon. II was public opinion That inter-
fered. II was not logic nor reason conscience.
Public opinion IL made up partly OF a keen sense
OF justice, q feeling OF pity, a dread OF INJECTING
pain and moral fear OF committing fault. The
prejudice against the death punishment is so
strong and stubborn that 1t can he inflicted only
against vagabond who has no
MONEY TO PAY COUNSEL
and no relatives 10 intcrcede for him. If that man
Is released from his late there 10 no need Of bring
Ing fellow creature to the gallows. new kind
more unjust than for a community to pretend TO
feel towards criminals as 1t does not feel. Every
murder trial Is scene that makes reasonable
man blush. Tile prevarication, false swearing,
deliberate lying and indecent pretence to which
men resort is astounding. IL takes weeks to re-
trial. One thing Is plain, that the arguments In
favor of criminal punishment are repudiated by the
practical public mind. This Is the solemn text
from Genesis In language SO ardent that its weight
cannot he Observation-Disclosures sheddeth mans
blood by man shall his blood DC shed.n If we take
away the galiows we endanger life and property.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
brings page after page Of statistics to show that
the punishment OF death has no weight with
crminality. He would demonstrate that where
death is dccreed crime ia greater, ana when death
Is not the penalty crime Is smaller. Brutality
nSs psrsuadsS Is. ssa..on ssIs sSs's p aTs
crime and punishment grow upon the same stem
that produces society. OF course where crime
ab0unds punishment IS austere. In barbarous
country 10 Is impossible to abolish strict punish
ment. Where crime Is not the rule but the excep-
tion IL Is possible 10 mitigate the law. The pros
pect Of dying at the hands OF justice Is fearful.
Life Is sweet on any terms, in confinement and
sorrow; life, with the deprivation OF every luxury
and comfort, still Is lie. In society there are
people who make trade Of violence and robbery
and who live by crime They nave no fear OF
death.
THE GALLONS TREE
stands side by side with Calvary. The principle oil
cxpiation Is as Old as religion There Is Calvinis
nc clergyman in this city whose whole religion is
lased upon it, what does conscience require
me utter putting away from the idea Of punish
ment the sentiment OF revenge. Vengeance Is
sometimes spoken of as natural instlnct-some-
thlne that was handed down to us. The spirit Of
revenge never prevailed in that solemn antiquity
as we know IT. The crime Of king or peasant was
treated the same Consider what your malefactor
ls-a poor, untaught, uncared for creature; grow
ing up in wee, badly nurtured. wckedness is in
the very corruption OF his blood and in his
tisases-a piece OF the ofscourinQ OF the
earth, living In the mud and mre and becomino
like It, Is such O creature as that nj object 20
take vengeance upon 7 IL would be as sensible for
q child to attack the stone against which its foot
struck. Can we feel vengeance against peepie whe
are only trying get their share OF the things in
this world Nature never innicts punishment II
q child puts his hand in the IRE the consequence is
leg II man gluts himself with food he has dys.
pepsia. Nature dees not burn his house. man
cannot gorge himself and get orby paying nne
or - .f.-s,y--as'
TEN DOLLARS TO NATURE.
Our Whole idea of punishment Ia ont of ion