New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-18
ON MURDER
Why Capital Punishment Should
Not Be Abolished.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: One of the most significant signs Of
the times is seen in the present crusade
against capital punishment. For four thou
sand years, among nations the world over,
the crime of murder has been expiated by the
death of the murderer But in recent years
would-be reformers are denouncing this DID,
universal law and are demanding its repeal
They publicly declare that II is murder to
put a murderer to death for his crime and
are now making a determined effort to put
provision abolishing capital punishment into
the revised constitution of the State OF New
York. But before we accept this teach
ing and make such a change in the law let
us look a moment at the doctrine and exam
ire its credentials.
Away back in the time of the Flood, when
Noah and his sons came out OF the ARK ana
the race of man made a new start, as II were'
God gave them the following law: And sure
ly your blood, the blood of your lives, VIII
require; at the hand of every beast Will
require it, and at the hand Of man, even al
the hand of every mans brother, will re-
ouire the life of man. Whose sheddeth mans
blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for IN
the image of God made he man. (Gen' H.
Be-
The reason why the crime of murder IS So
heinous is here suggested Not only is It a
great wrong done to man, but much more "
!. q grievous wrong-an insult, if you please
70 mans Creator. Here, too, we nnd an eA
PLANTATION of the universally OF the Ia" "
capital punishment in the fact that II was
given at the time when the human race Vi'
comprised in a single family Of but elgn'
persons. This passage further suggests '"'
probability that murder had not been pun
ished by death, previous to the FIood' anu
would 90 far also to account for the l1''
stated in Genesis vi, II, that BEFORE '"'
deluge society had become exceedingly cor
rupt before God, and the earth was hllsu
with violence" Thus, We see, the experiment
of letting the murderer live has already oesH
tried and worked so disastrously to soc'e"
that it became necessary for this JudgHe
OF God 20 come upon the earth, IN orael ="
clean it up, so as to give the race NV
start 80,
Coming down to the time Of Noses v"
find a strong reaffirmation o, tals aH'' -.
law requiring capital punishment LOT
crime of murder. The whole subject y.
homicide is treated briefly in the thir'y'"''"
chapter of the Book Of Numbers.
Is il matter of surprise, then, th"V
other code of laws has ever been heaIu
so lust. so humane, so worthy Of afeetiohsii'
regard, and that so amply justhed the enc.
lenge of Moses: "And what great nation y
there. that hath statute and ordinances
righteous as all this law, which set DeiO''
YOU this day." deuteronomy ", 81 -.
We are aware of the fact that it IS qu,"
the fashion in recent years 10 claim 'ha' IN N
Mosaic law-th Ten Commandments anu a.
has been abolished by the teachings SHI
work of Christ, and is no longer olndlhs -
Christians. But this view betrays very ~
perficial knowledge of either the o!d OF -"
New Testament. The two laws already quO.ei
are laws based on statements OF fundamen
and eternal principles, and therefore mus 81.
of permanent validity. And II Is reiha1 N1' ..
that any should have the temetI'; -
affirm that Christ, in any way, by wotu' "
example, or by His death. could have nul!lnVN
the law, in view of His express warh'ns
against this particular error, when ne sS'u'
Think not that came 70 destroy the ia" '.
the prophets: | came not 70 destroy Ou'
fulfil" and also in another place, 1T IS eaSie.
for heaven and earth to pass away thSh w
one title of the law 10 fall
How, then, can it be said that any 'U%
mandment OF the moral law has been so0',
ished! Certainly there is as much neea v
every one of them in the present day 80
there ever was. -
Is il not apparent, then, that the presen'
crusade against capital punishment Is 'e
rible mistake and that il is certain to w''A
untold in.s<> % society?
WILLIS {. MEAD.
Tompkinsville, n. Y, Aug. Q, .slS