The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-07-11
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT,


The Legislature Of Maine at its late SEES
sion restored the penalty of death for wilful
murder, efter a few years trial of the system
of condemning murderers to Imprisonment
for life for that crime.
There was long series of years when
there we're no executions in Maine, owing
to the indefinite language of the law; and
when hanging was resumed the opponents
Of capital punishment rallied strongly AMI
secured the abolition of the system.
Since that time there have been a great
many murders in Maine. Those who be.
lieve in capital punishment assert that the
increase was caused by the removal of the
Tread of the death penalty. But this is OF
,oarse warmly disputed by tue men who
oppose tie taking Of human life under the
forms of law.
Modern society holds human life far more
sacred than did ancient society. BY the law
Of Moses a great many offences were pun
ishable with death, even to Sabbath-break-
ing and disobedience to parents.
In Athens the penalty was visited upon q
long list of offences, and the same is true of
Rome. In England the list of capital crimes
was one of fearful length. When Black
stone wrote his Commentaries, but little
more than century ago, he could enumer-
ate one hundred and sixty felonies punish
able with death.
Horrible stories are told of poor women,
and even children, hanged for no greater
offence than stealing crust of bread to keep
themselves from starving.
Gradually the fearful list has been reduc.
cd. until now only treason and murder,
which are regarded as the most henous of
crimes, are punishable with death under the
laws of England BY similar process the
laws of the States of the Union have been
slowly but steadily purged of the death
penalty.
It is very evident that the reason for in
acting The penalty of death for murder, and
for treason, which is an assault upon the
Government is different from that for pun
ishing other offences in chat way. 1t is
punishment in kind.
A witty Frenchmaa put the whole argu-
ment in q single sentence. To one who
said that the death penalty should be abol-
ished he replied "Of course but let Mes
sieurs tho assassins set the example" 1t is
for them to learn that human life is sacred.
II they do not think so, aud commit murder,
Trey have no right to plead for the sacred
uess of their own lives.
But the objectors maintain that the law
has no right to deprive man of his life,
Under my circumstances. They term exc
c1tions judicial murders. They deny that
that hanging is more severe penalty than
perpetual imprisonment.
There are three possible objects in pass
ing sentence for crime; first, to punish the
offender; second, to deter him from com.
hitting the crime second time; third, to
warn others OF the consequences of crime.
The opponents of capital punishment say
that imprisonment for life is the greatest OF
punishments, aud that il prevents the muir
derer from repeating the crime; and they
go further and declare that it is the snrest
way of lettering others from committing
the crime. Consequently, they argue, TAX
ing the life of the prisoner is not only i'm.
moral in itself, but it is less effective than
perpetual imprisonment.
All these points are denied ON tho othe,
side, by men who point at tho frequency
with which prisoners try to kill the wardens
and other officers of prisons where the death
penalty is not in forea And while there are
certainly some prisoners who prefer execu-
tion to lifelong confinement in a prison,
most men, they assert, would say with
Satan, MS quoted in the Book of job, "Skin
for skin, yea, oil that q man hath will he
give for his life."
OF course this is a mers matter of opinion.
But the point that society has the right to
take mans life for its own protection, is
argued more logically.
Society sends men to war to murder each
other 1t allows rlen TO give their lives for
the public benefit. If il is necessary to put
a man to death to prevent him from killing
two men, its act is preservative aud not de
structive of life.
Such are some OF the arguments ON either
side OF question which will never he
settled When Cain slew his brother Abel
he recognized the justice Of his own death
as penalty. And when the world is a
thousand years older than it is now, ehe
same question of the right and expediency
of capital punishment may still be a subject
of discussion.
One thing has been accomplished by mod
ern society which all can unite to praise.
In old times executions were public, and
most dreadful scenes were enacted III the
presence of vast throngs of spectators.
Now, in most civilized governments, exc
buttons are strictly private Only legal wit
nesses that the law has hecn obeyed are
admitted to see the awful penalty of tho law
fulfilled. Youtts Comianioa
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