The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-06-17
The Execution.

The Execution.
On Friday last our city was made the
scene of an expiration, the direst known to
human law. Three murderers were hang
ed. The first reflection that suggests it.
self on hearing a fact like this is that le-
ultimate government has reasserted its
sway. Time was when criminals were not
punished commeneurately with their
crimes. The government seemed to cay to
the worst elements of society: We are
your government. Sustain us and you
need not fear punishment. Kill, rob,
plumber, and, if we are in power, your
penalty shall be light or entirely RENTED.
This may not have been said formally
it may not have been even meant but the
impression was made nevertheless, and
had its effect. To that extent our State
| governments were governments OF and Tor |
criminals. Louisiana is proud to day to
| know that this condition of things no longer |
| exists. To-day no man must expect immu-
nifty i'll vllairy by reason of his party
serviceablepess.
| On reading little farther into the details
| of the execution the next impression is
| caused by the varied character of the audi
ence that le collected by tue occasion. 1t Is
divided into two classes. One of these comes
in eympa,by the other out of curiosity.
There, on the verge of the scaffold, you see
the priest, the Sisters of Mercy, the Catho-
lie laymen, members of the Society of st.
. Vincent de Paul. These have come to
sneak words of consolation, of immortal
hone, of Christian brotherhood and love;
they have come to let the unfortunates
q know that though father and mother may
not be there, they have real and loving
, brothers and sisters around them; they
have come to kneel in fervent prayer that
God will save these souls made after his
own image. With these are joined many
other Catholics who at their distant places
of occupation are praying for the con-
demued whom they have never seen.
The other class consists of sight seers,-
people who want to watch the novelties OF
the preparations, the bearing Of men about
to die, the contortions of human frames in
. the agony of death. They come not as
:, brothers, as sympathisers, as fellow men !;
they come not to console, to strengthen, to
y intercede; they are there for their own
amusement or GratlucaIloH. L OF III Ihlo
v class you will find those soft hearted
). humanitarians who deepise the Spaniards
3 az barbarans because they witness bull
= fights.
o Before the fateful scene closes, however,
the victims themselves come into view and
10 teach their own Lesson. " Shed not your
\ brothers blood. Passion is prompt, but
1, Justice is strong" In DO other way than
II by capital punishment can a certain class
8, of men be deferred from the fearful crime
is of murder. To save society from them the
r. hand of justice must be known to be sterr
IN and swift. But even such men are not ont
l. of the pale of Gods love. He knows theiI
ot weakness; he sees his image in them. The
l. Church comes to them in chains; free, che
I'd would not have found them. They listen
ID they are saved. Man has dealt with then
y in justice; that was right. God has deal
r with them in mercy; that was better.
no Personal journalism is not, sc some peopl
no think, a popularity of the Uuissd States. Th
following paragraph illustrates how far Frencl
papers will invade the sacred domain of man
domestic affairs:
III "At eighty years of age" says the JsSrnGl de
ed DeSats I'M. Theirs shAves himself be dexter
-, ously and deliberately strops his ra5orsr AM
- shaves without cutting himself. With his FAC
Id covered with lather he smiles and converse
~. with his friends in the most comfortable man
IL 81 sNfRarr INF