The Glasgow Chronicle. — 1849-10-10 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

CAPITAL PUNISHMENTS.  We have learned with much satisfaction that the "Society for the Abolition of the Punishment cf Death" have resolved upon a vigorous course of action during the recess, in order to throw the greatest amount of influence in support of Mr. Ewart's motion during the next session of Parliament. We regard the time as most favourable for effort. We remarked an altered tone in the speech of the Home Secretary in the last debate. Ile gave up some of ' tke potsitiemkgs which he had based his strongest argurdents on koteral former occasions. The main ground of defence in this case was, that the fear of death operated as a check to crime. We have always regarded this as the weakest of all possible arguments in favour of death punishments. How is it that the amount of crime has diminished, and that, too, with the disuse of death punishments, under every head but that of murder? In cases of murder, what does experience say? Where it is committed under the paroxysm of some violent passion, the consequences do not appear to be re garded by the guilty party, or they are outweighed by the fierceness of the dominant feeling under which the deed is committed. This is clear by no attempts being made to escape detection, or to conceal the proofs of guilt. Very frequently the murderer coolly surrenders or awaits the officers of justice, proving how slight is the fear of punishment. In other cases, does not every murderer encourage hopes of impunity? Does not the criminal build upon the precautions he has taken to elude the hands of justice? Can any one doubt that Rush entertained the greatest confidence, up to the hour of conviction, that he would be able to induce in the minds of those about him a belief of his innocence? What becomes then of the intillenCe of the fear of death ? Upon the sensitive mind of the Home Secretary we have no doubt the bare idea of the scaffold and its at- ' tendant horrors—its publicity and its shame—the noise of the debauched rabble, and the disgusting rainutim of the newspaper reports, would be terrible enough. But Sir George Grey must be a wretched metaphysiclap ,if he attempts to infer from his own consciousnets the motives which govern the minds of the criminal ,04•fisasi flo.has through life been surrounded by the , charities of luone and the refinements of society. How can he judge of the feelings and passions of those ' who Move in the lower grade of society—those who are surrounded from the cradle to the grave by unfavourable circumstances,--who systematically give the rein to the brute instincts until the voice of conscience is silenced, and the heart steeled, so that, in the pursuit of its gratifications, it loses all apprehension of present death, and all terror of future judgment? Look carefully over the history of our murderers, and we shall find that they have either witnessed the execution of some criminal, or have been studying the means by which he accomplished his crime at the very moment they have beers planning another--no doubt reflecting how much more dexterously or cunningly they could have acted under the same cir• cumstances. The public voice must exclaim against this doctrine, and teach the Home Secretary that we cannot afford, in addition to the other incitements to crime, unhappily so rife among our population, to maintain that of the gibbet, which ever and anon gathers around it the debased and brutal mob, who feast upon the dying agonies of a fellow-creature, and then pass away to improve the lesson thus taught in the gin-shops and public-houses. Sir George Grey may try to encourage the feeling in his own mind that this is conducive to public morality; both reason and religion condemn it. While we have every week to record the commission of some atrocious crime, it is surely wise to ask whether the continuance of publie executions has not a great deal to do with the growth of the wild and fearful passions which show their full development in the wanton violation of human  that the question is all-important, and Jet see the abolition of the last vestige criminal code, we rejoice to record the e measures en the part of this valuable ye that a commencement will be made by as, on Monday next. This town was lately ution, at which 30,000 persons assembled. _ _ _ .  been given for his reab ; and we an  Gilpin, so is cause, to S name an