The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-06
First Causes

A@a- NH-Ha-aH
We ehauced to find in the Nstg Ira
q journal published in Portland, Maine,
an article on the death penalty, which so
mauifestly deals with first causes OF
criminal action that we quote a portion
Of it, asking therefor the candid con-
sideratiou OF our readers:
II is known that there are many per
SONS who could not be roused 10y any
circumstances could not be placed lu,
or forced into any circumstauces-that
would cause them 10 raise their hanJ
against auother's life. Ia such persons
the capacity OF murder does not exist
But IL Is also as well known that there
are many other persons who are not 50
susceptible 20 passion, aud in whom
passion often becomes ungOveTnable,
who may, under very ordinary exciting
circumstances, strike another dead.
Now can it be said that these two classes
Of individuals are equally responsible
for their acts when subjected TO circum-
stances that in one cannot, aud in the
other 10, force on 10 murder? To Que,
the capacity exists; else it could not be
forced 90 action. In the other 10 cannot
be forced 20 action because 10 does
not exist.
30 the question here comes up, Why
have some individuals the capacity To
murder, while others have &c uot2 Ask
aud answer, Why some have hot and vi
oleut tempeTs while others have them
not, aud the former question is also all
sweTed. 10 is because they were So born
they inherited them-took them from
their parents. "Ihe parents have eaten
sour grapes and the childr.u's Teeth
have been set on eige.n But how can
mothers, who are themselves incapable
of murder, and who never murder,
transmit TO their children the capacity
90 murder, that, under certain circum-
stances, may be rOu-ed TO action2 Whv,
by the very fact and influence of judicial
murder upon them while in the gestattve
period. No mother, while performing
this part of the maternal duty, can read
the awful story Of cool and deliberate
takingof life by the State, or know
that 10 is 20 be, or has been done, with
out a thrill Of horror pervadiug her, aud
this has its influence ON her unborn
child. That mothers mark their chill
dren Is "A too well established fact 90 be
disputed by even the most ignorant. ID
children eau be marked with an in
veterate and uncouquerable desire for
drink, they may 10y iuveterate and un-
governabie passions, and by the horrors
of a hanging scene that fixes in them
The capacity to take a life. Those who
have studied most into the philosophy
of this power Of the mother over the
child are fully convinced that almost
all the murders that are committed mas
/ be traced directly TO some incident boa
| IL. D. D.. D..
I tative period, OF which the murderer is
. the result.
Character IL not acquired. II is in
/ herited OF stamped on children prior {,
/ their births. IL Is true that education
may develop what is inherited; that the
evil tendencies may be restrained an,
/ the good encouraged; but il is also tru'
I that the good which is wanting at birJl
cannot be eugraited into the character
nor the bad that is possessed be wholly
eradicated by any process Of develop
meut These subtle laws are not geuer
ally understood; but they exist never
theless. The principle on which they
act is, however, well known and under
stood in other things, aud being su
should set the seal Of doom upon thl
gallows. Every mother, at least, shoul,
raise her voice against the continuation
Of this curse on motherhood; should De
mand, if not for the sake Of the alread,
condemned and those who have the ca
pac.ty "a them to murder, then for th
sake Of unborn generations, that thi
relic of barbarism be not re-enacted %
this State, or 30 longer hlackeu the iai
face of American civilization ia othe
states.
NTrs smith oftbfs citv fou,d a D.