The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-10-19
Mora Murders

Ii our recollection is correct. the victims
of the Bucksport tragedy make eight per-
sons who have been murdered in Maine
since the passage last winter of a law abol
ishing capital punishment. The lapse Of
time has not only strengthened the views
of those who opposed the REVIVAL Of an
important safeguard to human life, but in
the light Of subsequent experience. has
demonstrated the correctness of that view
1t is the misfortune Of the community and
especially OF those who have persisted by
the hand OF tile murderer, that we are iv-
ing at Il time when an exaggerated feel
ing of humanity, a sort Of philanthropy
run mad, is fashionable. 1t is IL strange
thing that a few men in the state who
have conceived the idea that human life is
too sacred to be taken under any circun-
stances, should be the indirect means Of
sacrificing many innocent lives, through
a mistaken leniency towards assassins.
These men who appear before Legislative
committees, and make such moving ap-
peals against the gallows, and such reas-
oning in favor Of the greater severity Of
life Imprisonment, make great mistakes.
They forget that the class of criminals
in question have little or no dread of .
prison life Such Il punishment inspires
no terror in their low and stolid natures
TO them it means simply u home until
some hoped for accident on chance shall
set them free 1t gives them the element
Of hope, which should never be permitted
to have a part in Il murderel's calculation.
He should be allowed to contemplate only
Il short. direct road to the gaIlows, and
that rs a certainty. Governor Dix made
an admirable reply i'll refusing 10 COM
mute the punishment Of 4 brutal murder
er in New York He said The man who
aims a murderous blow at the life of a
fellow citizen, must be made to feel that
his own is in immediate and certain dam
ger" and it spoke volumes concerning tile
duty of the community i'll respect to this
most abhorred and dangerous class Of
criminals
Take the example OF the shocking muir
ders at Bucksport There was {; man so
devoid Of feeling OF humanity. so low
down and brutal, such a human wolf, as
to deliberately plan and execute the muir
der of a woman, an old man and u little
child-beat them to death with stones and
clubs-ali for the sake of acquiring the
few hundred dollars in money which they
were supposed to possess. What are the
lives of such fends worth, except to be
taken as warning to others that a like fate
awaits them, if their propensties for blood
are not restrained? There is no use in
talk about appealing to their moral nature
and better feelings. They have none.
Their natures are SO base, SO nearly
allied to the brutes, that nothing operates
| to deter from crime except tear. The fear
of punishment, certain ana sure, and that
punishment death, will protect the lives
of the community and nothing else will.
The State of Michigan found it necessary
to re-establish capital punishment, ana 50
will Maine. Let society cease to show
mercy to those who themselves show
none. Let us refrain from protecting muir
derers, and look to the safety Of the lives
of honest citizens, innocent women and
helpless children.