Essays on the punishment of death / [Charles Spear].

  • Charles Spear
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Essays on the punishment of death / [Charles Spear]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fortunate beings who are called to suffer. We say unfortunate, for none deserve more pity than those who have no pity for themselves. Another view is that the criminal may he innocent or morally insane. But, passing over such considera¬ tions, we solemnly ask how, in view of all the facts in the case, you can consistently advocate the continu¬ ance of a law involving such irretrievably awful results %—one which cuts off a fellow-being in the full vigor of young life and health, and hurries him, red, reeking with guilt, to that last, irrevocable judgment, where you expect to meet him, and on the decision of which you believe hangs the eternal fate of the human soul !*= We know the argument of Mr. Cheever, and other distinguished divines. We give it in his own words. 1 In the abolition of this penalty, the number of mur¬ ders would inevitably be increased; and every indi¬ vidual so murdered is sent into eternity, not with the weeks of preparation, and all the solemn, holy induce¬ ments and appliances allotted to the murderer; but in a moment, without a breath for prayer, without time so much as to say, “ God be merciful to me a sinner.” Now I say, without hesitation, it is worse to send one person into eternity, in this manner, than it would be to send ten murderers with six weeks’ warning. But if you were to repeal this penalty of death for murder, then, by the increase of this crime, for every murderer now with solemn warning executed, you would proba¬ bly be the occasion of sending two or three innocent * Stephen. M. Clarke, who was hung for arson, in Newburyport, some years since, was only seventeen. Amidst his cries and martial music he was forced to the scatfold.
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