New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-03-20
Tuesday Of last week the house re-

L
tai punishment in this state by vote
of 81 to 20. This bill was introduced
by Representative Davis Of Nicollet
county. In supporting the measure he
said:
I hold that the present law has nc
foundation from moral, religious OF
civil standpoint. The government is
supposed to protect mems lives, prop.
ertv and liberty and in order to do that
deny that to protect a mans life il
has to take away life. Why is the
whole race SO much shocked when q
man suicidesp A man cannot delegate
greater power shan he himself possess.
es. Every man will say that contract
by two men that one should kill the
other would be void and criminal. If
such contract by two men be illegal,
| is it right for two millions? 1t has
been said by wise and learned men
that the only theory on which the gov.
eminent has dared to intiict this punish
ment was to protect society, which is
itself. [ hold that the government can
not shield itself behind the plea of self
defense no more than can an individual.
If am attacked my first duty is to re-
treat, but if that be impossible, then |
am to defend myself. It is equally so
with the state. II / seize the attacking
party and bind him and have him at
my mercy and then shoot him, can I
plead self-defensep When the state has
shackled and imprisoned man and
preached to him, and as they say con-
tod lofo ho Io1
then for hanging him? / say no.
Charles Sumner was strong advocate
of the abolition of capital punishment,
aud argued that if the state can protect
society without taking life it is bound
to do so.
My next objection to this mode of
punishment is that it is irremediable.
It can never be recalled. If mistakes
occur they cannot be corrected, and
that mistakes have occurred is we'll
known, and the books are full of cases
where innocent men have suffered
death. When innocent blood is thus
sacrificed every person in this state is
to blame, and not one member of the
Legislature can escape responsibility,
for it is they who make The laws and
not the criminals. Another objection
to the present system is that every jury
impaneled il murder case must pass
upon the question of insanity. Where
motive and interest are the main issues,
does it not seem ridiculous PROPOSE
ton that to twelve unskilled and un.
scientific men is entrusted the decision
OF where the line of demarcatiOn comes
between sanity and insanity.
One of the chief popular fallacies is
that the death penalty has such ter
rible menace that it is the only deter
rent known to prevent crime. [ do as.
sert. and use the language of the great
and glorious man, Francis Bacon, in
an essay on death, that no passion in
the individual is so weak that it will
not overcome the fear of death. Love,
grief and pity have subdued the fear Of
death. Do you not know that you all
will surely die? Do you stand in dread
OF that great menace? l say it comes
when death is Immediately impending.
Then and then only do we fear death.
How is it different with a criminal?
The trouble is the legislatures have
gone on the theory that all that is good
bad is to be done away with. To the
good, pure and right-living, life is en-
enjoyable, while in the case Of the
criminal and vicious the opposite is the
case. There are several suicides to one
homicide. Can it be said that suicides
commit tho act in fear of death? No,
they courted death. If he is hardened
criminal he knows the chances of de-
lection are slim, that only one in fifteen
are convicted, and one in twenty con-
victed are hung, and where does the
threatened menace come in? Statistics
show that in countries where capital
punishment is abolished convictions are
surer, while in other countries the law
is farce. What is the use of retaining
a law that is a dead letter.
/ challenge any adherent of capital
punishment to show that where it has
been abolished crime has been in
creased. Nay, will go farther and
show that it has decreased. In every
state and nation where progress and
prosperity reign there will be found the
laxest penal code. challenge them to
show any prominent man of wide repu.
tation from Cicero down, except John
|
Stuart Mill, who has not advocated the
abolition of capital punishment. The
strongest advocates of its retention are
generally clergymen of mediocre abili.
ty. Blackstone, who will be ackowl-
edged to be good authority, declares
that when the death penalty was abol
ished in Rome then came the golden
age and the country fourisned, and
when under the empire a severe pena1
code was enacted and the empire fell. :
Persons wishing to- improve theil
memories or strengthen their power O.
attention should send to Prof. Loisette
237 Fifth Ave-, N. Y, for his prospect
us post free, as advertised in another
column. /;
Good aaes0s from Wasbgagtoa.
One application well rubbed in O
Salvation Oil cured me of rhuematism
in the arm, of two months standing.
never intend to be withoutit.