Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-10
or HUMAN LLFE-CAPl
TAI PUNISHMENT.

To the Editor ofMs Kennebec Journal
In looking oyer the cmanations OF the opponents
Of the death penalty both at the hearing before the
legislative committee and through the public
prints have been led to question whether at least
a portion of the sympathy so lavishly bestowed
upon the murderer does not by right belong to the
community in general and to the family and
friends Of the victim. l wish to say to these very
tender hearted, benevolent gentlemen who are
ready to lift up their hands in pious horror at the
thought of taking so sacred thing as human life,
and talk so abhorrently Of Judicial murder and
"choking man to death" that the sacredness Of
human life is just what demands that he who will
fully and wckedly, with malice aforethought takes
the life of peaceful, law abiding citizen should
pay with his life the penalty of his crime. man
retires to rest at night after the labofs and cares
of the day feeling that he has discharged the du-
ties incumbent upon him as member of society,
feeling and justly too, that he Is entitled to the
protection of the laws, that the whole power OF the
State executive judicial and military Is holden to
defend his rights and protect his life, and with this
feeling surrounded perhaps by wife and little
ones, with plans laid for months and years Of life
BY the improvement Of which he is to rear and
educate his children and see them settled comfort
ably in lfe his business to be enlarged, bis farm
improved, works of charity and benevolence to be
accomplished and himself to grow old axd die
quietly in the community that he had blessed by
his life, he falls asleep.
When all is hushed in quiet repose the assassin
steals in with bludgeon or knife takes the lives OF
the unconscious sleepers, piles up their mangied,
mutilated corpses and with their household gods
for funeral pile seeks to destroy the evidence OF
his guilt. Is there no sympathy for the victims {
Here is no priest to shrive, no minister 10 impart
the consultations of the religion Of Jesus Christ, no
loving hand to moisten the rarched tongue. wipe
the death dews from the marbled brow, close the
dying eyes, compose the lax limbs and while weep
ing that such is their duty. thanking God that they
were permitted to do it. Shall We not in our pity
and sympathy remember these?
How is it with the ed-handed murderer: He
is arrested and comes to trial before jury OF
good and lawful men, is tried according to the
law and evidence, if poor the State furnishes able
counsel to defend him, he is convicted, has good
home furnished him by the State for one year,
during which time he has the benefit of the
clergy, makes full preparation if he will for death
Yields up the life he has already forfeited by his
crime upon the gallows and his body is given up
to his friends to be laid to rest with the rites OF
chistian burial.
1t seems to me that due regard for tie lives OF
good citizens demands nothing less than this -
That the statute be so amended and defined that
the edict may go forth unalterable as the laws OF
the Modes and Persians, that whoever wilfully
and with generalization takes the life ofhis fellow
man, his own life shall pay the penalty.
l hope when this matter comes before the legis-
lature, that gentlemen will remember that there
are two parties interested and that the community
have God-given rights as well as murdeiers -