The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-13
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THURSDAY. ......... MARCH Is, 1879
LITTLE MEANINGLESS RBLE-
VANOY.

The HillsborO LldepeRdeHt in its issue
Of March 6, attempts a review Of an ed
it9rial published several weeks since in
this journal upon the death penalty, and,
tits scarcely necessary TO add, fails either
10 correctly state our position or discuss
in an intelligent manner the question
from its own standpoint. 1t speaks Of
our "plea to the governor to turu Brown
and Johnson loose on society by a CON-
mutation Of their sentence" We have
made no plea 10 the governor in this case,
nor have we ever intimated in the most
indirect manner wish to have any
'eriminap' turned loose upon society.
Men are in sole charge Of the prisons Of
the state land almost the sole inmates
thereof and If Communication means es-
cape and pardon" it surely is the fault
Of those in authority. What burst Of
mental light must have preceded the
declaration that "eourts in passing SEN
tence consider what is the law, not what
IL might ben He should have patent
here alike upon bis profound discovery
and bis brilliant rhetoric. Recovering
breath, he again says: CONTRARY to the
NEW NORTHWEST, the preventing force
of the death penalty is not assumed by
its advocates, but established, as it is
the custom among the foremost en-
lightend nations, and it is for the oppO-
nents OF capital punishment 10 assume
the contrary" Which may mean one
thing and may mean another, but in any
event is such a horrible butchery Of
ideas as to render the mangler indictable
for murder in the first degree and give
him a chance to taste the sweets Of his
own doctrine, were such ideas sentient
things instead Of the dead and forgotten
things that they are. The specimens
quoted are fair samples Of the state
ments made; not an argument advanced,
not one answered, the entire article
suggestive Of frantic effort 10 try the
insanity dodge and get clear Of an in
dictment to which the author fancies
himself liable. The only thing we can
make out Of it lie that be wants to be con- |
sidered bold and earnest advocate Of
justice, laboring constantly with the .
might Of an intellectual giant for the .
public welfare, and that bis good in /
tentions are obstructed by the New .
NORTHWEST, a journal to which the .
humane and better element Of society
are inclined to pay more respect than to
his own. Our position on capital pun
ishment has heretofore been plainly
stated. Not an argument that we have
advanced has been touched, hence We
have nothing in theopposition We have
encountered to refute. To 90 over the .
same ground is not our purpose, and life /
is too short to spend in strife with irrel- .
evaut nonsense concerning so grave a
matter. But for the fortunate fact that .
"Big words do not smite like war clubs,
BoasJful breath is not "a bow-string.
Taunts are not so sharp as arrows"
The NEW NORTHWEST in its frequent
contests with error and egotism might .
now have been sought in vain. Nisrepre- /
sentation and ignorance are the " veapons /
usually drawn against Us; never very
formidable, they grow less and less so
as the years have come aud gone, and .
after each clash leave US possessed Of a /
broader field and clearer view.