The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-11-19
,Ghe STIR
WHY WE PUNISH.

number of executive pardoas a"
courage the dangerous class. Tho.
class is recruited daily from tLo
ranks OF our young men and bows
who read the sensational novels and
the Police Gazette. There is 80 mncI,
sympathy for criminals, so mnch
coddling of them by silly sent;
mentalists, SO much written abont
the connection between insamtr
and crime, and about making mrs
Ons comfortable as possible. that
thieves, robbers, and ever murder
ers begin 10 think that they are moi
SO bad after all that they are onlv
tho unfortunate members of societv
with whom their brothers ought f.
deal very tenderly.
Prominent among the canses far
this state of thing is the popular
idea of punishment. We are told
that governments are the result ~
a mutual compact either expressed
or implied. The instincts of men
drew them together. But thew
coold not live together without
some kind of social Organization
Each agreed, therefore, to give mn
certain individual rights aud TO
submit TO certain restraints unou
his personal freedom. Those thinps
were forbidden which imperiled the
existence or the interests of society.
And the prohibition of them made
them crimes. On this theory of
government the only question that
could arise in any case would be.
what penalty is necessary to pro.
tect society," On this theory there
is no immutable standard of right
and wrong, and guilt ia not moral
delinquency, but trespass upon the
interest of society. To all who hold
this theory punishment Is not u de-
mand of justice, hut solely a matter
Of policy. The whole tendency of
this theory is to bliud our eyes to
the intrinsic sinfulneess of Win and
to the duty Of furnishing it because
1t is sin.
In opposition to this atheistic idea
OF government the Bible declares
that ''tlere is no power bnt of God'
aud 'lhe powers that be are or.
dained of God" The civil magis.
trate is "the minister of God" who
t'beareth not the sword in vain,"
but is "a revenger TO execute wrath
upon him that dOeth evil."' THIS
basis of social order and organiza.
ton is not a human compact, but ~
Divine decree. God made man Tor
society and provided for the enact.
ment and execution OF such laws as
were necessary. Hence, he inspired
Solomon to write, "By me kin gs
aud princes decree Justice"
This does not mean that all kings
have Ielgned righteOusly, and that
all tue DEGREES of princes have been
absolutely just. But it does mean
that God prefers order 10 chaos,
and, as "a rule, The governmental OF
the world have been as COOL as tho
were realty for. They have
been steadily improving, too, with
the progress OF the race in intelli.
sence- and moral character. Give
government like ours 10 the in.
habitantS of Ethiopia, make every
naked warrior free and equal, q
voter and a candidate, and it would
be a curse instead OF a blessing.
The bearing of this thristic idea
u government OIL crimes nnd pen.
.ltieS is evident. If God il the
supreme Ruler, and all human
'nlers represent him and derive
heir authority from him, then we
take his definition OF Otfemses
II making up OuT criminal codes,
We must consult him as to the
OF those OffenseS. Ita
nan haS slain his fellow.man will.
ully aud deliberately God calls
hat murder, and so must call it.
iod says, "WhOsO sheddeth mans
Hood, by man shall his blood be
And, therefore, it is our
to iuhlct capital punishment
the murderer. As long as that
murderer lives the land is polluted,
nd the blood of the slain cries to
lcaven against him and against
he government which has failed to
xecute, in his case, the penalty
xed by God.
II our legislators, our courts, and
nr executives feared God aud be-
eyed in the word they would deal
ith criminals SO as to dminish this
Increasing volume of crime. The
reat trouble is that we do not be-
eve in Furnishing men because they
re wicked and deserve it. We do
believe in penalty as the vfh6i.
ItiOn OF law. We do not believe
the law itself as Just and holy,
vealiDg the will of God, but only
the safeguard of our lives and
'operty. We look at the whole
after from u low aud selfish point
view. We do not think of Gods
nor, and of the solemn trust
llch he has committed to US.
The whole movement against the
ath penalty for murder is anti.
tristan and atheistic. 1t isa phase
that false humanitaranism which
'uid exalt the creation above the
Gator. Wherever the experiment
s been tried it has resulted in IN
,rease of crime. If there is any
ng that bad men are afraid of il
While there is life there
hope. The culpnt bears his SEN
ice OF imprisonment for life with
t little emotion. BE may be able
escape. His friends may be able