Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-02-25

oue Wy tue HlilltdIy authority, NneD we 90
forth in war. and he had come to the conclu-
sion that as legislators, we are to act and to
leglslate upon human nature, as we find it.
Our very government is based upon the prin
ciple OF the right to take life, in that we have
so recently been called into the great strug-
| gle, through which we have passed, to pre-
serve our national existence, and he was not
willing now, to say as legislator, that we
had no right to take life to preserve our gov
eminent.
1t had been said by members OF the House
that they were not willing to take the respon
| sibility to hang a man, and as far as they were
| concerned, they were willing to take the risk
That was private opinion. Who were they
| representing Individual self, or their consti-
tuents2 He deemed it his duty to lay aside
| private opinion, and discharge the duty which
| devolved upon him. He might be willing to
| risk being murdered for himself, or his family,
but he would not take upon himself the risk
| for others, in these days of murder. 1t is
our duty, first of all, to protect life. Gentle
men were not ready to take the responsibility
to stand up here and say that they would pass
| the bill, the result of which would be to hang
a convicted murderer, for the protection of
| their fellowmen. Yet they are willing to take
the responsibility when the question of pro-
| tecting trout OF Holsters comes up.
| Some say there is danger of hanging an in
nocent man. AS legislators We pass the law
| only TO be executed upon men who are prov
| ed guilty. Since the Goth of last March, up
to the 3lst of Dec, there were committed in
this State II murders, and since this year
came in we have increased the ratio, having
had and perhaps 4. If we go on in the
same ratio, we shall have "a this year, in
stead Of II. Was it the proper time to say
| to these men eve will reduce the penalty for
murder to the same degree of these other
| crimes which he had mentioned?" If the
| bill was passed, the House had got to say
| that men are as much deferred from the COM
mission Of murder by not having punishment
| of death before them as they would be as it now
| stands. Was there man in the House, who
would say that he does not fear violent
death more than any other thing? Not one.
And the very humanitarian argument in favor
of the adjustment of the death penalty, is be-
| cause it is such an enormity to take the life of
| man, even the life of convicted murderer,
that they shudder from it. They acknowledge
themselves, then, that the fear of death is the
| greatest deterrent to the commission of muir
der. Mr.. Talbot continued in opposition to
the bill.
Mr.. WILSON did not propose to discuss
| the question upon its merits, but as one out
of six of the committee who voted in favor OF
the DILL under consideration, he wished to ex-
plain the position of the committee. In a
| committee of nine, after the fullest and fair
est public discussion, six were in favor of this
bill, and three adverse to it. Why the six did
not wish to discuss the matter, to-day was be-
| cause the question of the abolition Of capital
punishment, was one with which all men are
conversent and the subject had been
thoroughly discussed before the committee,
publicly. They therefore thought that
the House had the same light upon the sub
ject that the majority of committed had.
He thought he was justified in saying tina.
those of the committee who voted for the bill,
did not do it upon "sympathstic grounds, but
because they believed that it was for the bet
ter protection of human life. He moved the
previous question, and the House seconded
the call.
| Mr.. kNowLToS stated that Mr.. Cornish, a
member OF the Judiciary Committee, in favor
OF capital punishment, was away at tine time
| the vote was taken in committee, so that
really, the vote stood to 4.
Mr.. PIERCE advocated the bill, and was OPP
posed to the taking of human life under
any circumstances. He doubted very much
whether any man, who would commit murder,
| could be sane, and if a man was not re-
| sponsible for his acts, he was the last man to
think of retaliation. As another argument,
| he said he would not require man to do what
trap which should launch human being into
eternity.
The main question was then ordered to be
| put, which was on the passage of the bill 70
be engrossed, and on motion Of Mr.. KEEGAN,
| the yeas and nays, were taken, resulting in
the negative, as follows:
| YEAs.-Messrs. Aldrich, Bartlett, Erawn, Bryant,
Bursley. Carvill, Cobb, Common, Corthel Crockett,
| Croswell, Crowell, Denison Dowst, Drake, Eaton,
Estes Harrington, Fletcher. Foster. Fowler Gibbs
ton. Hu!chins. Judd. Keegan keene OF Palmyra
Lewis, McCarty. Mitchell Morrow, Mullin, Oni,
kSv fs sss5 ss F rq sen seh sn
Thurston. yittum, WALDEN, Williams. Wilson,
| NAYs.-Messrs. Babbidge, Bailey, Baker. Blodg.
EFT, Bowker, Bradbury of .Oidtown, Bradbury Of
Kingaeld, Burbank, Caldwell, Campbell CARL,
sender. rockingham, Gle, Goodwin, Cove, Hall,
Harding, Haskell, Hatch; Hath9rn, Hunter John
Knowlton. Lamson, Lane, Lawler. Leavitt, Long.
fellow, Lord, Mccartney, McGilvery, Mckinney,
Meserye. Moore, Morse, Moulton Of Porter. Moul'
ney, Pillsbury Reed, Robbins. Sanborn of Wales,
scammon. sherman, silsby, Smith. Snow, Stone,
| Tabbut, Talbot Warren, WATSON, Wentworth of
BnckspoIt. Wentworth Of Kittery, Whitemore,
Wilder, Woodbury., Yates, Young.-1S.
So the bill was refused passage.
On motion of Mr.. WATSON, resolve in favor
of the State College of Agriculture and the
| Mechanic Arts. was taken up.
Mr.. WATSON said:
| Mr.. SPEAKER There are sundry reasons
why favor this resolve.
First, The State needs an institution
where the industrial classes can obtain a
skilled labor education. This proposition
needs not argument, but assertion. Previous
legislatures have passed upon this question
of need, and decided it affirmatively. The
creation of a college, acceptance of congress
sional aid, and subsequent state appropria-
tions are the evidences. Hence, l need but
to reafirm the assertion, the State needs just
such an institution. A college farm of $40
acres has been purchased and thereon build
ings for the faculty, buildings for the students,
and buildings for farm operations have been
erected, all at the expense, and by direction
of the State, to put this institution into work.
ing order, agreeably to the original design to
create an institution to give to Cur young
men, at moderate cost, the advantages of a
thorough and practical education. The hall
buildings, or school buildings proper, furnish
accommodations for l25 students, possibly
$50 students could be crowded into them.
The present number of students is 103,
which is very encouraging show, consider
inn hor oh tbo h,s