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Abolish the Death Penalty Blog
NC Group Walking Across State to Promote Cause - June 22, 2009
Sojourners for Abolition and Reconciliation, a North Carolina group committed to ending the death penalty and showing compassion for the victims of violent crime, has been walking across their state to remember murder victims, those executed or on death row, and their families, and to raise awareness of the evils of the death penalty.
The group began the 300 mile trek on June 14 at Central Prison in Raleigh, and is chronicling the journey on their blog.
We encourage you to follow the progress of this group's amazing efforts. You can also watch news reports by clicking here and here.
posted by Abraham J. Bonowitz at 12:34 PM
A 19th Century New Hampshire Governor and his Timeless Abolition Statement June 5, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009 marks the 175th anniversary of New Hampshire Governor William Badger's address to the state's legislature concerning abolishing capital punishment. New Hampshire State Representative Robert "Renny" Cushing, a member of NCADP's Board of Directors, today sent a copy of that address as well as his own thoughts about the governor's still relevant remarks made over a century ago:
From Renny Cushing:
Dear Friends,
As advocates for human rights and the abolition of the death penalty, we are heirs to those who have gone before us as part of the "anti-gallows" movement. One of the earliest political leaders in this country to call for the abolition of the death penalty was New Hampshire Governor William Badger. Tomorrow, June 6, marks the 175th anniversary of Governor William Badger asking the New Hampshire legislature to abolish capital punishment.
The points Democratic Governor Badger made in his 1834 address to New Hampshire lawmakers are relevant to our work today. His words remind us of New Hampshire's historic role as a leader for human rights, and the wisdom and vision of the framers of our state's constitution who recognized "the true design of all punishment is to reform and not to exterminate mankind."
Message from Governor William Badger to the New Hampshire Legislature June 6, 1834
A sense of duty impels me to invite your attention to one of the principles of our criminal code, and to recommend to your consideration and reflections, and that inquiry and discussion that may lead to the true result, whether in the present improved state of society, with well constructed and regulated Penitentiaries for solitary confinement and hard labor, the good of society or sound police requires Capital Punishment. As expressed in the Constitution, “the true design of all punishment is to reform and not to exterminate mankind”. No one will attempt to controvert the principle that “the prevention of crime is the sole end of punishment,” and “every punishment which is not necessary for that purpose, is cruel and tyrannical.” If then the principle is admitted, that the sole end of punishment is the prevention of crime, two questions arise---How shall the offender be disposed of so as to prevent a repetition of the offence? And what punishment shall be most effectual in deterring others from its commission! The first question is readily answered. Perpetual solitary imprisonment is as effectual to prevent the repetition as death itself, and is attended with this desirable consideration, that it leaves the offender with all that space for repentance and time to make his peace with his God that He may see fit to extend it to him. The other is a more complicated one and not so readily answered: and, were the punishment of death as sure to follow the commission of crime as some other punishment, it would probably be the most effectual, as it is the heaviest punishment that the law inflicts; although many are of opinion that the apprehension of solitary imprisonment and hard labor is as impressive and more terrible than death itself. But it is the certainty and not the severity of the punishment that prevents crime. The humanity of mankind revolts at the idea of taking the life of a fellow human being. And the result at the criminal tribunal is, that none are convicted unless the criminality is established beyond all doubt, adopting probably the maxim that “it is better ten guilty escape than one innocent suffer.” But when the punishment is imprisonment and hard labor, if the criminality is established beyond a reasonable doubt conviction follows, and few escape the merited punishment, confirming the correctness of the principles of certainty of punishment rather than its severity for the prevention of crimes, thereby destroying one of the principle sources of temptation, the hope of impunity.
Journal of the Senate 6/6/1834 Page 16
Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
Governor William Badger 1834-1835, 1835-1836. Badger (1779-1852) was born at Gilmanton (NH). Educated at common school and at Gilmanton Academy, Badger worked after his school years to build a cotton cloth factory, a sawmilll and a grist mill for his town. In 1804 Badger was made a trustee of Gilmanton Academy; he ultimately became president of the board for the school.
Badger served as an aide to Governor John Langdon (governor 1805-1812). In 1810 he was elected to the first of three consecutive terms as a State Representative (served 1810 -1812); then he served three terms in the State Senate (1814-1817; President of the Senate, 1816-1817). Badger served as Associate Justice, Court of Common Pleas (1816-1820), and as High Sheriff of Strafford County (1820-1830). He was a Presidential Elector in the national elections of 1824, 1836 and 1844.
In 1834 Badger won the gubernatorial election, and he won the next term as well. As Governor, Badger called for eliminating capital punishment, a new idea for New Hampshire. He had to deal with the breakaway Indian Stream Republic. Badger also encouraged the legislature to support President Andrew Jackson's successful efforts to do away with The Bank of the United States (helping to bring on the Panic of 1837). Badger tried to inject new life into the state militia by statute; he also was interested in bringing smallpox prevention directly to the state's small farming towns.
posted by Margaret Summers at 3:18 PM
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