Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-02-16

vance made over old times, and how much more
progress we have made than the people of those
times. lie did not know that we are any better
In our morals or civilization than our fathers of
one hundred years ago. He doubted whether our
laws are in very great advance of theirs. lie
doubted whether we are in any way better NOR
ally, or more highly endowe with the attributes
which make good citizens And thereto he did
not oeieve 1t necessary to II axe this change in
order to show that we have made great advances
upon our fathers.
Mr.. ANDERSON closed with a feryent appeal for
the retention of our present law
Mr.. FLOYD replied vengeance is mine, will
repay Tor these things saith the Lord" And this
Is the very ground on which we stand. No pun.
ishment should be inflicted in the spirit of retala.
ton it is contrary to the spirit of the religion on
which our government is based. But it is said ex-
ecutons are AN example to evil doors. And what
are the effects of these executions BY authority
OF TINS legislature, had the privilege of visiting
our state Prison a few days SINCE and while walk
lns among the prisoners with our excellent War
den, Mr. Rice, he pointed out some who were com.
United ~ murder who he said. gave h i'm az little
trouble as any men he has; but will tell you he
cont nued, what gives the most trouble it i, hang
ING men mere, these executions have bad effect
on the Prisoners the influence is not good if the
State will hang men better do it somewhere else
and not here. In the execution of Gordon and
Wagner, the State rot only took away two of the
most profitable men, but disturbed and reused up
the passions of the others that it took several
weeks to get them well over the effects. 1t is view
wei to talk about the death penalty as terror to
evil doors. but where is the co immunity that can be
benefited by it. Augusta led it once but think
she has no desire TO try It again. and think the
gentleman from Portland wOuld rather any other
pltce than his own beautiful city would try the
experiment.
Here the Speaker announced time up.
MIR. ROBINSON of Lincoln, replied to the gen
tleman from Winthrop (Mr. Floyd saying that
the reason of the Warden for desiring no more
executions i, that he may have the men who have
long sentences, to work there and the reason why
he does not want Lowell hung is because he IS one
OF the best carriage trmmers In the shop.
Mr.. POWERS took the floor and proceeded to
close the debate, advocating the passage Of the
bill. lie contended that the burden of proof was
on the opponents ofthe BILL in case of this char.
acter, where 1t Is question of inlcting the Sc
verest penalty known to the law. lie granted that
liberty is sweeter than life when spoken of in the
the aggregate, as nation. Had the poor man in
Elmira, \ \ :, whom the telegraph tells us has been
executed and aftsrward found innocent, been de-
prived CT his liberty only' Is it in the power Of
those who took his life restore il Shall we
say that because the State shuts up criminal
keeping him at work for the benefit of the State
that you shall take his l'ie In the one case that
which was taken from him can be restored in the
other 1t can not
lie had always been willing to cast his vote upon
the side OF the quesian that he believed to be the
progressive and the humanitarian side. 1t is on y
question OF time when the gallows has got to 40
on the same road that the rack and the stocks and
the whipping post and the stake have already
gone 1t is the last ehc of the barbarism of Il e
past that felt upon tbs beautiful face of the State
lie had raised his voice one year ago in favor of
.uch measures would have prevented the exc.
cution of Gordon and Wagner. lie knew nott.
ing OF Gordon, but he knew that il was the sound
judgemen. of men in whose judgement he could
rely, that it is among the po sbItes that WAGNER
may not have been guilty.
In reply to the argument that the officers Of the
PRISON could not get along with men under sen.
tence of death, he said that there now twelve
there convicted and sentenced for murder ana the
Warden had told him that he wanted no proyis.
ions in any bill 10 protect him, and that he was
decidedly IN favor of he abolition Of the death
penalty.
The records OF jurisprudence show that innocen,
men have been convicted and executed We have
ample means within this State 10 eonfne safely
every man who shall be convicted Of murder He
believed that the only objects OF punishment are
the protection OF society. and the reformation Of
the criminal and that the former is effected quite
as well by Imprisonment for life as by the death
penalty. For The statistics show that whore the
death penalty has been abolished that murders
have not increased, and that human life is not less
safe.
He spoke of the Society of Friends and of
their opposition 10 capital punishment, and
claimed that something should be conceded TO Their
views in the matter. They believe that the muir
derer should be allowed the full measure of his
time in which to repent and prepare for the life to
come. lie alluded TO Thorn in reply to the gen
tleman from Portland. Anderson saying that ha
came out of the prison an old. broken down man,
and after being out in the wide world, went back
to the prison and asked TO be received within its
walls again.
Mr.. POWERS was speaking when the gavel of
the Speaker fell, the time assigned for the takipg
OF the vote having arrived.
On motion Of Mr. TALBOT the yeas and nays
were taken on the amendment, resulting ia the
negative, as follows
IEAs-Messrs. Aldrich, Allen of Wellington,
Alexander, Brown of Oldtown, Ceaves, Clifford,
Cooper Davis Of Portland. Floyd. Fopler. Frank
Goodrich, Hamilton, Haynes, Hobson, Hopkinsor,
Hume. lins.ey, keegan, Leavitt, Libby, Linnell.
Litteteld, Locke, Msntor, Martin Of Sebago,
Pillsbury, Powers. Reed of fremont, Salley, Sal.
gent, Shepherd, Smith, Story, Swee,ser, Tenney.
Woodsum, Wyman, Young OF Hiram-45.
NAYs-Messrs. Allan of Dennysville, Allen of
Naldoboro', Anderson, Baker. Ballard, Bass,
Bean, Eisisdell, Blanchard of Falmouth, Blanct-
ard of Yarmouth, Brown of Brownville, Burnhan,
Bu:pec, Carlton, Chase of standish, Chase OF
Bridgton, Colby, Conner, Cook, Cumston, Cauier,
Davis OF Jefferson, Dearborn, Dennison. Drisko,
banning, Dulton. Dwinal, Dyer, Eastman, Farrar
Fowler, Gay, Goldthwat Goodwin, Gould, Grant,
Greedy, Haley, Haskell, Hayford, Hopkins,
llutchins, Heating, kimball, Lamson, Lord of
Buehili, Lord Of Lebanon, Lynch, Marden, Mar
Nealley, Nelson, Norton, Rowland, Parcher, PEN
dleton, Percy, Phillips, Pike, Pinkham, Porter.
Potter, Reed of Boothbay Robertson, Robinson OF
Mt Vernon, Robinson of Lincoln, Rogers, Rolf.
Rowe, Sawyer Seward, Sherman, Skilin, Sm-
ley. Stone Of Bddeford, Stone of Hampton, Sto-
yer, Stra,ton, Strickland, Talbot, Trickey, Trus-
sell, Wade, Warren, Weymouth, White of Bucks
port, White Of Orono, Yates, Young of Trenton
81.
So the amendment rejected.
The yeas and nays were then taken passing
the bill to be engrossed, on motion of Mr. TALBOT
the result being 10 the affirmative, as follows:
YEAS Messrs. Aldrch, Allan of Dennysville,
Allen of Wellington, Alexander, Ballard, Bean,
Blanchard Of Falmouth, Brown OF Oldtown, Burn.
ham, Burpee, Carlton, Chase Of Standish Clifford,
Conner, Coopar, Currier, Davis of Jefferson, Davis
of Portland, Dwinal, Dyer, Farrar of Buckfed,
Farrar Of Turner. Fellows, Fletcher, Floyd, Fog
Ter, Fowler, Frank, Goodrich Gould, Haley,
Hamilton, lIayford, Haynes, Hobson, Hopkins,
Hopkinson, Hume, 11ussey, Heating, keegan
Leavitt, Libby, Linnell, Locke Mantor Martin
of sebago, Morrill,, Norton, Parcher, Pillsbury,
Porter, Powers, Reed of Boothbay, Reed of Ire
mont Rowe, Salley, Sargent, Sawyer, Shepherd,
sherman, Story. Sweetser, Tenney. Thompson.
True, Thayer, Wagg, Warren, Weymouth, White
Of OrOnO WlpUiD WoOdsum Wvman Nounu If