Laws Of Capital Punishment In 1650

Editor Coürikr :- Fourteen or flfleen rimes were then punlshed with death, and the auttiority therefor was taken from he law of Moses. 'l'hey are also recorded ii the so-called " Blue Laws,'' page 28. Why didn't our forcfathers go to the teachngs of Jesús of Nazareth, which was not 'an eyeforaneyeanda tootli fora tooth,' tit to overeóme evil with good ? la that alse doctrine? Oh, uo! But our forentliers were in sentiment and feeliugs ike Moses. They believed that punishment and fearwould prevent people from ominitting crime. But history shows hat crimes were conimitted, notwithtanding. England liad at one time a great uiany rimes punished with death. Did it Icen those crimes? History shows thatthe anging and lawful kíl 1 inir beoaine fearul, and the better class of citizens comelled the repealing of matiy of ttietn, aud o did we in the United States of America. But we hare many citizens araong u wlio re in sentiment and feeling like the Momea of oíd. When we hear of a brutal inurder beng committed, in the excítemeut we gay hut he or ahe ought to be bung; but the obersecond thought ia very different. Ilstory tenches us that many a follow man has been executed - liis Ufe taken - nd afteiward proven to have been lnnoent of crime; then the state (or law) i ruilty of murder in the tirst degree, and ; ought to be hanged. But who can hang le ttate ? The state should not take whut t can not give, viz : Life. Liberty it m:iy akc, and in case a condemned man be ound innocent, that can be given back to lim. Then, too, the state may pav reaonabie damagesfor tlie loas ustained by tie error of the law. The fact Is that In a state where the moral law predomínate crimes are few, ut where education is sought oiily as a nieansof making mouey, attaining power or high ofüceft, virtue is necessarily of a ow grade. By the law of a state we can udge of the standing of the people: whether ttiey are barbarians, somi-barbalans, professedly civilized or civilized. }y their fruits (laws) ye shall know them. L'histles don't bear fign nor figs thistles. In an oration flelivered nt the Univerity of Michigan on Commencement Day 884, there was expressed a sentimeüt worthy of the speaker, viz: that aftr the commencetneut most of the studente would commence work in a branch wherc hey thought they would make the most money, while in the moral field comparaively few would work. Is there no work n that Held? Have Martin Luther, Calvin, Wyckliffc and Melanchton exhausted that field? Or is there sometliinjr yet to e learned and discovered In it? If these ersons made somediscoveries and worked cformation with the dlsadvaiitages they had to work under, might not the students of to-day, with all the ndvantages they have; produce greater blessings for mankind thaa raoney bas been able to givc ? More hutuanity.less profession of siience of theology. More love nd good will, and perhaps peace on earth, for such blessings are bidden in the moral fleld, and to poKsess them we have to work and find tbem and make them our own, for if we buy them they may not be our own; for by your fruits (not blossoms) yc shall be known. A sure test, verily.