The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-15
PEOPLES'FORUM
The Trend of CorIta, D.

- SftHu of &IJHfat PuuiSbh,rnut
Editor OF The Yirginian:
- ne taking of life in punishment for
racc II - 10Y IS as old as the human
.;'sbpon, ~ fsrF natural the idea of such pun,
linens would suggest itself 10 primitive and
oarbarous people. To put the offender IN, -
~ - WAS mo frst Way thought of Thus
,Ie,t - 81 "oth sacred and profane history the
"h pthaitH inflicted for countless offersa.
III uarh Gays We find 1t caused very littIo dis@nst
en-. = aht H'VSt delicate natures. Early writer's
is ,nadn ~ " / what a ghastly Impression
~ ''iaue "hen We find Ovid, at a time when
ahe sexes were seated together az Rome ~
~ - .4e execution az efiiAA&ttais speaking or
sui, =" y" " ~ pace Tor a lover to prosecute his
90 increased Intensity of seriousness ma
pc observed with the growth or Iitara n"s
So tH"' Nero the monster of cruelty"
Shod!d say during the first few . ~ III
reign whom death warrants vcra nresaa,a, E nhs
70 sign that he regretted he had ever learned "a
49, 80 AafeFse was he to shedding human
Olooa' Later when he became brutaIizad he
stsh mem without pain, and put his own
l,other to death without renorse In ~ -
sc Ises ne church, the Eft~stian ttKarcb mn
- oedth thousands who refused ia aaca,t. 80
theo!ogicai dogmas. In tho ,eisn =. ~
me lhlrd IN England. only a centur, ana 6 y
= -. aooNe TWO hundred ofenses were
recast the public Conscience ga. prsam 10
Sr samuel RomIlly. slavery and lev. rafo.noar
1e1aI1r 1holoDA4t-f" abolition or the death
Pe.att9' truman societies played their mar, nv
crime after another has been stric,an 10 e
me rs III only two are left-high treaso, ~
=, destee murder, in 1854 the question FOR
- 'Ao III OuEnOut The Iuifad Efpy-
nom was considered by a roval annon NJ
my reported two years later differing N oM
fna5 - ana recommending that It be con.
,ii,ou u hrst degree murder. EnRliab inrios -
setoom give "A first degree verdict ana w"
Fr ~ lne sentence Is not often carried ONT
tanca -" reserves the right to change sen
10y" ana frequently does. In Cont5nanttat
fuFope' perhaps Beccario. philantbronio r@ 49,
sHT eighteenth century, was foremost In
n,n'ti+sHrHg capital punishment. Norway. Ron
..&nna' PORTUGAL. Holland. and fifteen ~ ~,
"tHtt-two cantons of Switzerland bara nme
sneteiS abolished it, while The larger countries
~ 1euuced capital offensns To "a few ~ l..
men death sentence is pronoupeaa
'peltt IS greatly exercised By tho prsstdent
w " country four Michigap
tb. fn "@t ana Ihode Island-no longer intiict
"sttii penalty The capital ofansps Of tha
.''teS retaining 1t vary from one IL four on
~ 'pnsI0eftd, and are still cous!derinc aI,oli
toH' ~ Nirgfnia's last general assnn,hIt soua
tor gam. Of the Eastern shore, Introdnr S"I'a
sic k,,io4 :. ''ss''So no NIUE con
-. ~ aeaih penalty would Suggest itsair
10 The race in its infancy. tho mas ~, "a
ra,l1 = TX i1fanS would he thought Of The
freud Is iRnshcant@burntp cr1riGxf1o
paiement, precipitation from rocks stnrino
po'sohihs' bell"ading. hanging. electric shock
- carry ages eAee@ftioaS were pQhffc. the com.
iuu y taxing part To-day only the morbfdIt
''e irntatlN disposed would care Ia
witness an oNecGtoni. only a few wonfJ hot5
"a III, = pup,nc execution would Brighten the crin-
''ty inclined. Next to a free lvncninr il, IA.
4o'ializins a community is "a free qIeqI,t{n,.
I1'ilee most christian countries dehar the nuble
sftli'af newspapers that are Inclined To
NV ~ anelf columns with grueSorae details -,
CRAFTY the mo1bidly, curious are dena rr.d So
- =" - 'oeagrc account of the trend. Il is sig
hillCaht. Commenting is in order.
why do people sanction carits1 nun4eh,a,.
Sh@h II IS so generally accepted az a rel.c Of bar
o7rlsm th"t it has become a tru'sm?
tfst' 1t is an ingraincd racial habit " Ia
an example of persistent habid dcve1onfue al
most into an instinct -
@eSondiy' lawmakers do not err. A good citl-
zen VIII honor and resent the sacred charpo
of a legislative body. A citizen ia nnt rscasr".97.
pad II he dees not agree with every axpressta,
ihfy sometimes hold that the licensed sal,or
persuaded. az 't4t
Thirdly, some accept every expression as tbav
and think no more.
fourthly' the brutality of crime iusti1es #
ies, some crimes are ~brutal-brutal beyond
&onceptlon Of the ordinary mind, But to balance
"Futaiity ana play the part Of a savage In nm
"ortny of a great and humane people.
fithly, II is a great deterrent Of crime ~
So records of foreign countries tho states l.,
nur own country that have abolished il, and
TIE personal testimony OF the governors and
'tic'ats are meaningless. Some states and ma
IONS nave abolished and restored. It is note
"oi,nN mat IN the majoritv Of such instances
no olnefence in rate of crime could be observed
oiNthiy' scripture Justihes it. With all re
Nefehce passages can be transposed literally.
strained and distorted TO fit either ST.. Mosf
o. the passages Just.fyins it are fouLu in the
shady portions of the history OF the race. We
~ ~ men u SSt as we'll at midnight
as AT MONDAY. ] cannot harmonic the taking
OF human life for efense with the heart Of
Christ.
Seventhly. the law gives ample time for a con-
deiilned person to prepare for eternity. What
person can say, what person would dare say,
When n soul Is ready to meet his Cod We do
not live Ivy the click Of "A clock. Preparation
Tor eternity is not It mechanical process having
fs common measure. A pttHrt tgarr NAV pre-
pare in n brief period, An obdurate heart may
require years. Surely the person who commits
a cafttta4 sffe4st- is fft6%t likely 10 be the latter.
tence the power 10 settle II erson's fate trre-
Vocahly can be exercised only by the omniscient.
Personally, We're ! TO take tho life or the
Fftest being conceivable / would be guilty Of MS
blood, And according 70 Christ's teachings 10
sanction the same IN my heart by others
must be equally as guilty. Pardon the senti-
mtnt, but II my life were taken by another.
would want my spirit 10 instruct avengers is
my slayer~ia some place where tie tight,
from heaven would serve to transform him more
into tho Image of his Maker
Above Is the trend; following the Comment:
I believe, with many others. | can repeat, feel
ing innocent OF maudlin sentiment, or of being
Of Myra Townsend's poem on the subject:
Cease not from striving till our law
~ clear from bloody stain,
And reformation-no revenge
In principle sustain"
L. w. HENDRTCESoN