our country! But we shall refer to this more distinctly in our next chapter, on encouragements.

But who makes the objection that criminals are beyond our reach? Does it come from those who have engaged in the holy enterprise of bringing men back to virtue and holiness? No. The true philanthropist never despairs. He is obliged, sometimes, to adopt the language of the apostle, We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.'

How little is done in comparison to what might be effected! Who visits our prisons? Who thinks of the poor convict? When his trial is ended, and he is consigned to the sufferings and degradation of a prison, all interest dies away in the cold inquiry, 'Is he safely lodged within the prison walls?' Then the multitude turn away, satisfied if bars, and bolts, and chains, guard the space between them and their brother! Thenceforth, he is viewed as a ruined man, an outcast from society, and from human compassion. Few go to his cold, damp cell, to speak a kind word. Few care whether he comes forth from his den.a penitent, reformed man, or a malignant fiend, to scourge and destroy. And even if a feeble voice is raised, the cry is, Morbid feeling! Weak humanity! Sickly benevolence! 'Humanity-mongers!' But let the cry be raised. We are willing to be reproached. We will labor on, satisfied if we can but reach a single heart, and bring only one back to truth and virtue. And while we labor sincerely and heartily, we know we shall have the approbation of him who 'went about doing good,' and who said to the sinner, 'Be of

good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee!' We close this chapter in the affecting words of the great moral poet of England:

'My ear is pained,

My soul is sick with every day's report

Of wrong and outrage, with which this earth is filled.
There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart;

It does not feel for man.'

COWPER.

ESSAY VI.

ENCOURAGEMENTS.

Extent of the proposed reform-Punishment of Death sustains slavery-Experiment of the reform-English philanthropists— Mrs. Fry-Experiment among the heathen-Executions private— Suicide of Colt-Feelings towards the executioner-Spain-Scruples of jurors-Anecdotes-Progress of society-Imprisonment for debt-Inefficiency of Capital Punishment—Quakers—Penn— Washingtonianism-Incident of Channing-Christianity.

'He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.' BIBLE.

ENCOURAGEMENTS are necessary to carry forward every reform. And the philanthropist will always look around him for incitements to duty and action. And he has the right and the privilege to call to his aid every encouragement that society may present to animate and invigorate him in his efforts. The present reform is very extensive in its bearings upon the prosperity of society. It does not look to a single state or territory. It has no bounds. It knows nothing about territory. It knows nothing about sect or party. It does not aim solely at a single point; at the mere saving of a fellow-being from an ignominious death; though this is accomplishing much. It takes higher ground. Its great object is to show the sacredness of human life; that no hand of man or angel can lawfully touch it without permission of

Him who gave it existence. And, to inculcate this sacredness, the reform begins with abolishing the Punishment of Death. Other rights never will be regarded till human life is respected. We may form our associations; we may create new governments; we may form new parties; but never will any great work be accomplished till society receives and feels the doctrine of the Inviolability of Human Life. It is the doctrine of Capital Punishment that is the great support of the slave system, that infernal traffic in flesh and blood.* The Punishment of Death has been, in every age, the weapon ready formed, both for the political and the spiritual despot.

Here is a great work to be done, a work as honorable as it is great; 'a work,' to use the words of an excellent writer, which aims at the renovation of society, not by the inefficacious methods of the block, the gallows, and the guillotine; but by the nobler methods of moral culture; by purifying the fountain of good and evil in the youthful breast; by planting the seeds of knowledge and virtue, which shall afterwards spring up and incorporate the strength of their branches and the beauty of their flower and foliage in the mature life and action of the man.'

In closing our labor, therefore, we feel that we cannot do better than to present such encouragements as society would seem to warrant. But it must be remembered that we have got to work. and to work hard. Prejudices must be overcome; long-established customs must be changed. Even our very literature

must be improved. The arts themselves have con

*To support this remark, see the criminal codes of the slave-holding states; Appendix I.

tributed to strengthen crime. There are but few flowers to cull in this field; but little to please the taste. There is little poetry in blood, chains and scaffolds. We have a stern work to do in society; not merely to say to the state, spare that man; he is my brother; but society will demand that we bring him back a reformed man. Still, there are encouragements, though, as the Rev. Mr. Curtis, chaplain of the Massachusetts State Prison, remarks, 'I am aware that everything which relates to prisons, and their guilty inmates, is, to multitudes, revolting; in them such themes create no interest; they awaken no sympathy. On all this moral desert, they can see no verdant spot. Other wastes may be made to bud, and blossom, and bear fruit; but within the precincts of a prison-house, nothing is found to attract the eye of faith, to enkindle the dawnings of hope, or call forth the aspirations of the spirit.' There are some, howdarkness, some light;

ever, who see, amid all this amid this moral waste, hearts that can be touched, and beings bearing the image of God. And we must work, though we bring back but a single soul to virtue and truth.

I. An encouragement is derived from the fact that the proposed reform is not a new experiment. Rome, Russia, Bombay, Belgium and Tuscany, have all set before the world the results of abolishing the Punishment of Death.* We need not repeat the facts in this place. They prove, beyond all doubt, that crimes lessen as laws become more humane.

In looking abroad, we derive much encouragement from the efforts of English philanthropists. For sev

* See Part I., Essay VII.