Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1875-06-15
PUNISHMENT OF CRIME.

The Springfield Republican in COM
mentipg on the recent cycle OF crime in
Massachusetts and the foolish suggestion
OF lynch Law made by Boston paper.
says with exceeding truth: Murder is
repressed not so much by the method oil
punishment as by the certainty oil 1t.
OF late years the detection of murderer
has been rendered extremely difficult,
and even after detection the chances OF
conviction are not at all proportionate to
the chances for acquittal. A thousand
pleas, some OF them spccious aud all ex-
ceedingly fimsy. are introduced, emo
tional insanity, morbid impulse. at
tempts to throw the responsibility OF the
act on the Creator or on society. and all
tending to obscure the Judgment and
cover up the point at issue. Doubtless
the case is yet fresh in the minds OF
many, where Rufus Choate secured the
acoui.tal of his client. The unfortunate
wretch had been caught red-handed 10
the act, the evidences Of his guilt were
80 positive that there was not the shadow
Of doubt, yet on the plea Of somnam'
bulism and consequent responsibility
he was let go free. The moral effect Of
such extraordinary pleading is too obvi-
Gus to require comment. Even should
the criminal be convicted there are
hundred chances for his acquittal to one
that he suffers the penalty OF the law
In this manner the certainty or even
probability of punishment decreases, I'M
til it has no tangible effect on the des'
perado. the villain. or those criminally
disposed. If q man is found guilty Of
murder, and is made to suffer rs pre-
scribed by the penal statute, 1t is not 81
much as punishment for him as to detel
others from the commission OF llk
crimes that such punishment is inflicted
Anything that tends, however indirectly
to tamper with the retributive justlc
prescribed alike by motives OF necessit
and prevention, is to be decried and con
temned. II is disgrace to the admins
tration of law that the criminal so gen
orally escapes punishment. The oni
thing that will ever make murder tn
extraordinary and seldom recurring even
il should be in civilized and enlight
ened community is, the infexible Ger
tainty of prompt and suitable punish
ment, The mode Of punishment is Q
minor importance, the death penalty
Imprisonment at hard labor or otherwis
for life or a long term of years, all thes
things OF course partake largely OF th
peculiar and individual case, but gene
ally speaking. 1t is not Of such tran
scendent importance whether the per
atty be death or imprisonment provide
Il 10 sure to come. Having come 1t
eqpelly important that the sentence
cdifAd Over eighty per cent. {
the cr6lkpfs, ESPECIALLY murderers, sci
fenced to Prison for term OF years. al
pardoned long before the expiration
their sentences. This is but offering
premium for crime and should be
viewed by those who SO indiscriminate
and injudiciously exercise the pardoniI
power. Let there be an assured ce
tainty that the perpetrator OF any OF tt
grosser crimes will be speedily broug
to trial and the sentence of the law !
fexibly and fully carried out, and '
shall have sensible diminution OF I
impulses and emotional influences th
now demonstrate themselves in such
unseemly and barbarous form.