Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-04-03
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
SPEECH OF GEO. A. WILSON, ESQ,
MEMBER FROM PARIS, In THE
HOUSE, AGAINST THE BILL.
CAREFULLY REVISED BY THE AUTHOR
FOR THE OXFORD DEMOCRAT.


punishment, of the right or expediency
Of taking the life of the condemned GRIM
inal is vexed one, and one that has
agitated the thinking mind from the
earliest days of human history. Indeed
the advocates of that right draw their
strongest arguments from the denuncia-
tons Of the Mosaic Law as recorded in
the Old Testament. There are extreme
views on both sides; some denying the
right of society to take life under any
circumstances others affirming with
equal earnestness the absolute duty OF
taking the life of every murderer. To
approach this subject Alright, we should
briefly consider the relation of punish
ment to crime. | shall differ with some
of you probably in my definition of this
matter, but | start with the assertion,
that the right of society to punish crime
is founded solely in the right of self
preservAtion-tha. the penalty inflicted
should have no element of retaliation or
revenge, but should be dictated solely by
the good Of society; in other words, that
the sole design Of punishment is the pro-
lection Of society in three-fOld manner.
First, by the imposition of sentence
severe enough 10 have tendency to de-
ter the criminal and others from commit
ting the same offence; second, by with
drawing from the condemned crimi nal
the opportunity Of repeating the wrong
within a certain time proportioned to the
enormity Of the offence; third, by en-
deavorins TO reform the criminal, so that
when discharged, he will lack inclination
to repeat the crime.
am well aware that it is the fashion
in some quarters TO sneer at this third
method, but not withstanding all that, |
still enunciate i, as nv belief On the
other hand large majority Of the advo-
Gates of capital punishment for the crime
Of murder hold to the doctrine that the
primary idea Of punishment is re.alia-
ton. They thunder forth isolated e1-
tracts from the Old Testament, proclaim
ing, "He that smiteth a man so that he
shall die shall be surely put to death.
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for
hand, foot for foot, burning for burning,
wound for wound, stripe for stripe" and
kindred passages Indeed, some OF
them 20 so far as 70 say that we almost
commit sacrilege if we do not take the
life Of a murderer. Rev. DR.. Cheever in
an article on the death penalty says,
"Malice afOrethought once proved the
crime is demonstrated and nothing shall
save the murderer, not even the City OF
Refuge provided by God Himself for a
Just trial, nor the Intervention Of any
pardoning or interceding power, nor the
alter Of God. Thou shalt take the
murderer from mine alter that he may
die If not, if the murderer is let of
with his life, then the whole land re.
mains guilty, and the blood of the muir.
dered man crie,h unto God from the
ground; for the primal curse is on the
crime against Gods image in mankind,
and no atonement or restitution can be
made FOR it by man, none shall be &C
cepted. - No wonder that some of the
most horrible atrocities which disfgure
the fair page Of human history have
been wrought with the sanction and by
the direct command of the Church, when,
Notwithstanding the boosted progress Of
this nineteenth century, a gentleman en-
titled by position and ability to speak for
the church, puts forward such a blood
thirsty doctrine.
Ny answer TO all this is it is revolt
ing TO the great heart of humanity.
Man ha, no right to punish for the in
fraction Of Gods laws. The contrary
view would justify the fortunes of the
InquisitiOn and the martyrdom of many
persons by sincere but mistaken zealots :;
for you will remember that these were all
condemned by human tribunals, and who
will dare to say that human tribunals
may not err today as well as in the
past.
If these passages of scripture are
binding on Us in their exact significance,
why are not those in immediate connec-
ton with them also, such as : ''He that
smiteth his father and his mother shall
De surely put to DEATH" and ''he that
stealeth man and selleth him, or if be
be found in his hand, he shall surely be
put TO death ;" and he that curseth his
father or mother, shall be surely put to
death" Oh, no, say these gentlemen,
these passages you quote now, simply
enunciate the local law Of the Israelites
and do not apply to the present time. l
agree with them, only / extend it to all
such passages. To me, instead of the
threstenings of the Mosaic law, the