The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-05-26
Going Back to Barbarism.

passage of the capital punishment bill Is
''clotted nonsense"
Under the above caption the writer roasts
the House for its very decided vote in favor
of the bill and also for the manner in which
they did it. There was too much levity
altogether and the asinne humor OF some of
the amendments the writer says ''were all
evidence of the careless character of the
attention given the measure" The strangest
declaration made, however, was that There
is not single idea in any of the speeches
IL that has not its suggestion
and its basis i'm the desire to punish by death
for the sake of revenge"
If the writer, or any of these superhumani-
tarians should ever feel the steel of the
murderer in their own families or persons,
they would be converted to the idea that
deliberate murderers should be put where
alone society is safe from them, viz; in ''the
vile dust from whence they sprung." but
they would be only individual conversions.
Blackstone says that law means ''the
rule of human action or conduct" Now
what is the object of law? To protect the
criminal? 1t would seem so by this article,
for it recommends that should this meas
ure pass sit will be the duty of every honor
able and progressive newspaper in Michigan
| to discourage conviction for the first degree
| of murder in this state" If that would not
be encouraging crime what would it be?
The object of law is not to punish, but to
| orip,a
how else can it be done save by the penalty
attached? When the writer of this article
was out west in an early day, hanging for
horse stealing was the rule, and horses were
so much safer than in this state that there
| is no comparison. So with murderers, and
life was safety itself compared to the almost
| daily and increasing number OF murders
committed in Michigan and there was no
| revenge about it either. l have seen strong
| men weep like children at an execution,
which in order to protect society was impera-
tive. When Slade was executed in Montana
there was no revenge exhibited but only
pity and hard necessity.
If execution of deliberate murderers is
not deterrent, how is it that our own beau
tiful state, which prides itself on its higher
education, should lead all other states as
the home of homicides? Why was it that
''Blinkey" Morgan made such a desperate
effort to be extradited from Ohio where
| they hang, to Michigan where he knew he
would be convicted of murder but not hung?
Why was it that the triple murderer, Lati-
| mer was so Indifferent relative to his return
| to a place where another murder or two
| might result in his escape? How many
thousands of people are there in this state
| for whom life sentence to Jackson would
be god.send instead of punishment?
And still executions are not deterrents these
people tell us.
Out upon such a sickly pseudo philan-
thropy which protects the criminal at the
expense of society. Where an Individual
has developed into chronic criminal, who
ever it is, should be put where society is
safe from them forever. 1t would seem,
according to this writer, that should he go
home some evening after the passage of this
bill. and should find his wife and children
| killed, and should detect the assassin still
ransacking the house for jewels and money,
and further that he should recognize in him
notorious desperate, that he should SIM
ply advise him, as he lodged bullet from
the Villains gun to go home and he would
say nothing about it because if he did the
fellow would fall into the hands of the law,
and there would be judicial murder COM
mtted. Most men unless they were crayens
or fools, would brain the brute If they could
and throw his worthless carcass out of the
window and not stop to philosophize as to
whether they were actuated by revenge or
not This writer however goes into hyster-
les almost over the legal killing of such
beast.
A life sentence to Jackson prison means
light labor, good fare, and the prospect of
pardon or escape. have lived in this state
nearly all the time since it was territory,
and have been close observer Of the crimi- |
nal statistics and escapes; and have known
repeatedly where murderers have been par
doned out who afterwards admitted their
guilt, or were convicted of other killing,
and more have escaped, never to be seen
again.
This return to barbarism will not be so
much of return after all. Cain was the
first murderer, according to holy writ, but
the same law giver who pardoned this first
barbarian, commanded later on that muir
derers should be killed. If there was any
more efficient way to prevent homicide pro-
badly Infinite wisdom could come as near
solving the problem as the pencil pushers
and sentimental criminal sympathizers Of
our degenerate days.
The hanging of the 6end Sullivan at Co
runna, last night, which will ever be a bis
tering blotch on the fair fame of the county.
is the legitimate outcome of just such drivel
and the present condition of our laws.
1t would seem as tho our laws were made
by lawyers for the benefit of themselves and
the criminal. Now this brute according to