New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-18
Comm r.l.5ca-eG. i
The saiIOws.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:

EDITOR REPCB-ICAl:
l viii no. say that The general tone OF
vour paper IS eMinentiy AID radically IN
favor Of The gallows-of capital punishment
under the Iaw-tut do say sta, some one
eGi.orial!y connected with your columns
gives out occasionally somewhat harsh and
savage indications OF this character.
Now. i may De tina. ! am afflicted with q
weakness on points OF mercy and good will
to man: it nay be that I bring the plaster
when l should rub .he sore; bat il SO, l
claim to stand n GOOD company, IN the in
diligence OF such weakness. l claim TO
stand 70. only With :he great majority OF
the creates. and bes. statesmen and pL!los-
opLers TIA. have ever blessed the world,
but also lpon he trCsd and saving doc
TRIES and teachings OF Jesus CHRIS. Him
self.
do no. pretend 20 ssy tina. many Grim
inals may 10. individually meri. death TOR
their c7;mes-msy not even deserve, in q
persona. or isolated sense. 70 be choket 20
death a. the end Of q rOpe--he mOet heath
erish and barbara mode Of death perhaps
ever tolerated by any government CT peO-
ule. Nor is il meeting the question properly
to saw that :ne law sbOuld be rigiClv en-
forced. I. is simply suttclen- 20 say, IN
response 70 such narrow points OF argu-
men--i!. indeed. such Iu!obliLg may Justly
lie ltTU6O d. lutA Al SCLSS-AL - GIL
ply suticien. 20 say that the etscc which
any event may have upon the efficacy CO
government and tie good OF society at
large. Is OF much mole Importance and
much more 20 Ue considered .han the mere
act OF puLisEmeL. or vengeance EpOo sEy
single individual: and j. ls clear that
the history OF tie gallows-tEe history Of
capital Punishment. IN any !o-n-prOves
that i.s influence upon society IS bad,
and increases instead OF GIN nish:es crime.
And se 70 The enforcement OF the law, i. IS
suticen. 20 say that tie mode ard manner
Of this process implies arc lustites exective
ciemencv. and leaves ne way open Tor lm-
prisonuen. Tor lie 20 take the place OF
capital punishment. And / nigh. give
au.tor::v. mour ar Ltgn, 70 prove that this
is the te.ter ard mo!e jcs- plan-:he safest
to earthly government, and the nost n
accordance win re Got-giveE mercy
which should never pe los sight OF by a
civilized anG Chris:laLlZed people.
| confess ! snuCcev aLG sicken e. the
thought Of hanging a nan. and my very
soul AID hear. .evo.. "a -he thought OF
thus putting TO death a woman. What
American ,i...zen--EdeeC, whore IS the
human hea:. w.nin tie pale OF Christian
civilization. CT even OF chjvalr.c uarba:ism-
that would nG1 teel be.:e. Il poor Mrs.
Surra.c mad never Teen rsrgeC look
r,pou TIA. &C; as he ulac kesr sT o. upon
our national his.ory-a damned ulood spot
that never VII ont. Ard YET, Mr. Editor,
I understand tie :oLe CT your paper, with
al. i.s manly ard er..gh.ened lotions OF a
common liberty ana common equity, oc-
cas.onaiiy TO indicate pc41cy wnlcn would
Justify. i lot Iecessl.Rte, such ClsgraceIui
acts Of beriar.c brutality as tie murder OF
tina. poor woman al he end of rope.
Thank God, NY hear: s.ckens and soul
reyoIts at all such ac.s CT etficla! cruelty
perpetrateG IN tie maize OF jCst.ce-.ibeis
alike upon al human lue:ice, and az Insult
to the Des. teachings OF mat Christian re-
ligiCn whicn we profess, as nation and as
a people, 70 respect and revere.
Nor does !. matter whether the public may
think ne right or wrong. l teei that am
right, and thai is eEongn for ne. l am oEiy
glad 10 KEW that many gres- and NOBLE
minds wLo have gone before me, with many
still living. are with NE in these views. say |
am ONLY GLAD 20 Know this incidentally; ter
however tie world. either pas. or present,
tie same. and l would EXPRESS them boldly
ard explicitly ard rithou. ial.ering.
And / cav frankly that l an cot II favor
of capital punishment. ether under ne,
forms Of law or by mots; aud 20 stress Of
public opinion could ever make ne SOL my
fingers and s.ui.lfy my heart by signing the
death warrant OF any human being. And
lad ! teen presiGen. of the United States
IN place Of Andrew johnson. would have
retrieved Mrs. S-rratt from the gallows. II
j. ad Gee. ne NV LIE the rex. moment
". JASPER BLACKBURN.