Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-01-30
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
Henrins on the Abolition of the Death
Penalty.

Representatives Hall was crowded yesterday al
telnoon by members and citizens Of The town, 10
listen to the arguments before the Judiciary Com
mttee on the question Of the abolition CT the
death penalty. At least one half Of the audience
wa, made up OF ladies, and large delegation was
present from ST. Catharine's Hall. The ladies are
evident, ,-c9aring themselves for the intelligent
exercise OF the right of suffrage. No such gay
company has before been gathered in the hail this
winter. The financial committee was considering
in their room how they were to cut down the State
expenditures, while earnest gentlemen before the
committee were arguing now TO cut down the
state galows. IL was quite dull and stupid IN the
Other departments.
Rev. DR.. Quinby of Augusta, was the first to
appear for the abolition of the death penalty. He
agreed with the declarations of the Chief Maeis-
trate in his message on the subject, IN regard to
the present uncertainty of the law Have the full
effect of the law, whether it be capital punishment
or its abolition. How shall we decide this question
Involving such great interests The wise and
most christian punishment Is certainly That
of Imprisonment for life. Had recently re-
ceived more than hundred letters on the sub
ject; the most of them fayoring adjustment. The
point is put forth-protection to society From
large study of the subject he would deny that the
gaows had anything in IT that protects society.
The facts are against the galows. This law of
death does not offer safety. He looked AT the his
tory of the State in regard to the law. The first
man in Maine who was executed after we hec9nc
State was Sager: the gallows was erected on
State street, and thousands of people had oppor-.
tunity to witness the horrible spectacle. And il
there is any moral effect to the gaows the eXecu-
tons should be public. Why, in late years, has
the thing been done in the dark Bat the fact Is
| there is no moral power to the gauoWS, but ITS
whole effect is to demOraliZe. For about tnntv
wears in the history of the state capital punish
ment has been virtually abolished and We have
had no such terrorism as those who favored 1t pre-
dicte6.
In 1866, Spencer was executed, and on top Of
that two murders were committed the gallows did
not restrain bad men. In 1867 so several murders
were committed, and the people said another We
tim must be sacrifced new law was made re-
quiring blood for blood; and the poor boy Harris
| was hung. Surely murder would occur now.
Within three months three dreadful murders took
| place. The present law had TO eject in these
| cases. We had mob law in Aroostook the eA-
citement had scarcely died away when news came
of an assassination in the town of arren; and on
| top of that the treble murder of the Gordon fam
| ily, Did the hanging of Cullum intimdate lie
then considered the working OF the law IN the
| States where capital punishment has been abo-
shed gave statistics, and claimed thatthey all ar
| gued one way-for the abolition of the death PEN
atty. Thought that law providing for lmprison-
| ment for life, and death for killing the Warden or
keeper of the prison, would be acceptable and
| more in accordance with the humane and christian
sentiment of the people of the State.
| Grenu d. ~ Lang spoht III iaNoi ~
considered the subject in the light Of benefit to the
unfortunate; ought to be looked at in the light OF
the golden rule. Never in his long and varied eN-
pererco had the taking of life worked any good,
| Appealed 10 the sympathies OF the committee, and
asked them to look considerably upon the poor,
unfortunate classes. Spoke Of the heather that he
| had spent much time among even those who mad
murdered could be best approached by kindness.
1t was the mind of the Almighty that the first mur.
derer should not be killed that was on the record
and is in full force. We should bring this home
to ourselves, and make it personal matter
| Hon. Geo. L. Talbot of Portland, appeared be-
fore the committee in favor of capital punishment
He thought that this question ought not to be al
lowed to 90 by default, and the great body of men
and women in the State, who had settled convic-
tons on the subject, unrepresented here. He wa
quite familiar with the arguments on the othei
side; they are often repeated. One cannot take
the opinion of another by the force OF argument
opinions grow out of and are formed by character
We have often been told that the happy period
was about dawning when, in the exercise of the
law of kindness, and in the work of Christian
civilization, men would love each other, and crime
be banshed from the earth Absolute forgiveness
was to be the remedy. But the day, long wished
for, has not appeared; men have not ceased to dc
violence and evil. We have even come to ciyi