New England Religious Herald

A Fact for the N. Y. Tribune.

The New York Tribune, edited by Horace Greeley, is known as an advocate of the abolition of capital punishment. It is also a firm advocate of temperance and of penal laws for the suppression of the liquor traffic. Both of these projects it dignifies with the name of reform; the latter properly.—Now we know that rumsellers and the Tribune have no very close affinities, unless the latter may be regarded as patronizing "Spirits" of late; but still one remarkable fact stares us in the face, which we wish the Tribune in its practical philosophy to explain. In the last legislature of this State, a vote was taken in the lower house on both of the subjects referred to above, and the men who voted against temperance legislation also voted against capital punishment. There was a noteworthy agreement in the votes on the two bills. This is to be placed along side of the additional fact, that the same party (the Democratic,) which for the most part here and elsewhere opposes temperance legislation, is also the one which favors the abolition of the death penalty—an embodiment of which may be found in the message of Gov. Seymour. Pass around this city among the liquor sellers and you will find them agreeing with the N. Y. Tribune on the question of Capital Punishment. Why is this? Why is the Tribune in such bad company? We will assign three reasons which to us appear to have weight.

1—A sympathetic reason. Rumsellers know that most of the murders and other capital offences are committed under the influence of liquor. It must then go rather hard with them to see their customers choked to death on the gallows for deeds to which they were incited by the liquor bought in their stores. What an argument it affords the temperance men! What a galvanic twitch it gives to the conscience! It will never do to allow hanging, for one of these days they may share the punishment as well as the crime.

2—A theological reason. We have noticed that the Universalists as a body have taken ground against capital punishment. The reasonings of the advocates of its abolition concerning punishment tend to Universalism. The rumsellers are known to have affinities for the doctrine of universal salvation, as well they may, for it offers the only chance (and poor enough at that) of their getting to heaven.

3—A philanthropic reason, so called. The abolition of the death penalty is a very cheap reform. Oppose slavery, rum, or something else which connects itself with the pockets or selfish hopes of men, and you will have trouble enough. But who cares personally about hanging? Who wishes to be hung himself, or to have his relatives grace the gallows? Hence no one need fear that it will cost him any thing to be in favor of such a reform. It has a philanthropic look and works upon human sympathies. To advocate it will rather gain one a reputation for kind feelings, without making any enemies. Thus a man can be in favor of "progress" and be known as a philanthropist with very little self-denial. In fact, this "reform" is so cheap, that even the rumsellers, poor in principle as they are, can afford to promote it. Perhaps we have missed the mark after all. If so, let Greeley try his hand.