The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-07
have seldom known one who
silepnrfcti from truth In triflcs who
could be. trusted in matters Of iin-
apOrtnncc.--Pnley.
THE onJEcT OF CAPITAL PUNISH

ASsfs ss4s8sys NJ EN-.
Il The Memphis Commercial-Appe
s Heartily agrees with The TimesDis-
! patch that local hangings should be
s abolished, and that all condemned Grim
/ 5nals, should be executed inside the
j walls Of the penitentiary. Our con-
$tenlporary's article is reproduced else
+ where, and we hope thati will be care
& fully read by every member of the
Q General Assembly. The arguments in
Il favor OF the proposed reform are over
swhelming, and we do not sec howsany
j intelligent legislator can hesitate In
i reaching h favorable conclusion. Local
executions are often bungled, and they
always have a depressing and de-.
& xnoralizing effect on the community.
They are supposed to be private, but
4 crowd is sure to gather about the
place of execution. and many persons
ssicontriye in one way or another to wit
ness the drop. Others are near enough
Il to Hear the dull thud,,' and the entire
4 performance is almost as bad as If 1t
were in the open. 1t is an afflictiOn
which should never be visited unneces-
xarily upon any city, town or village.
Again, In local hangings the con-
4 demned person. especially if he be a
negro, is regarded by his friends as a
martyr, and not as a criminal, and
there is corresponding resentment
against the law and the powers that be
I AS for the martyr" he rather enjoys
Il the notoriety and sympathy which his
81 & situation gains for him. In all such
& cases the sentence Of the law loses
" much of the effect it is designed to
produce.
1t would be far different If the sen.
u tence were executed in the peniten.
81 uary. AS soon as the sentence of the
court should be pronounced, the con-
demned person would be hurried away
q 10 the penitentiary-an be forever
KS thereafter lost to the world. His
friends would see him depart and thai
B would be the last of it. The very mys
" terry of his taking off would be .
Il terror to ali evil doors.
It II seems to us. from remarks WI
81 hear now and then, that many person.
ssss Aave an utterly false view OF capita
punishment. The government docs no
desire TO take human life. The objec
Isl OF capital punishment is to save
VI human life. The law does not talk,
GU vengeance on a man who has killed
E, another. There is mo vengeance in tn,
s law. and hence the absurdity of quot
II ing as an argument against capita
spuntshment vengeance Is nine" etc
NE Civilized law Is conceived, enacted ant
executed In kindness. Its every pur
& pose Is Benevolent. Its prime and onl.
sssSs motive Is preventive. The penalty 70
TSa murder is made severe. not only Z
AZ prevent men from being murdered, bu
ss q prevent men from committing mur
Ger.
1T was believed at one time that tn
ING nest way to give warning was to ex
s asas ecute criminals in public. but eXpe
rienee taught that public execution
s ss did more harm than good. and The
'fs were abolished Having learned, there
! fore, that executions must be private ,
!; i br wholesome in their effect, the MOI
private we make them the better, an
they would be most private and mo:
q fectiye in the penitentiary. Thel
mo need Of spectacle; no need, {
m object-lesson in public. It's on
III necessary for bad men to know thu
ssss HE penalty Of the Law is sure
s.----------------- 51issA