Alexandria Gazette

A very well written essay in the Boston Courier, speaks of that proper degree of "compassion to the guilty," which can and ought to be exercised, consistently with a hatred of vice—a respect for the laws—and a desire for the happiness and well being of society. We happen to agree with the able writer in almost all that he says, especially with regard to the laws which inflict the punishment of death. It is very true that we desire to see the offences punishable with death narrowed down to the fewest possible and most aggravated cases of guilt.—But we are old fashioned enough not to desire to see the hanging laws expunged altogether from our statute books. "We call these laws," says the writer, "which inflict death for the punishment of the most atrocious crimes, cruel laws. No term in respect to the system of laws, under which we live, can be more utterly misapplied. Suppose a man should voluntarily take poison into his stomach; should we call the poison cruel, which becomes thus the occasion of death. So, too, where laws are established, after the most anxious and merciful deliberation, and with a sole regard to the preservation of the public peace, the security of life, and the protection of what is infinitely dearer than life, female honor, have we any right or reason to complain of laws to whose penalties voluntarily, knowingly, and without necessity we expose ourselves. It is a misnomer to say that the laws, in such case, take away life: in the most profligate manner, in defiance of all laws human and divine, in disregard of the public safety, in violation of the most sacred of all rights, the guilty individual himself throws his own life away."

These we think are correct sentiments. No less just and true are the observations of this writer in concluding his essay:

"God forbid, that I should utter a word, or breathe a breath inconsistent with the dictates of humanity and the spirit of universal love; but I believe as certainly as I live, that true humanity and true charity are above all things concerned in the suppression of crimes, and in the preservation and promotion of good morals, as the only sure basis, under the blessing of God, of individual and public peace, of individual and public welfare."