favor

13InFavorofCapitalPunishment

JacquesBarzun

1ApassingremarkofmineintheMid-Centurymagazinehasbroughtmeanumberof

ters,sadand

reproachful,

askedwhetherIknowthatthereexistsaworldwidemovementfortheabolitionofcapital

punishmentwhichhaverywhereenlistedablemenofeveryprofession,includingthe

dthatthedeathpenaltyisnotonlyinhumanbutalsounscientific,forrapists

andmurderersarereallysickpeoplewhoshouldbecured,itedtou

myimaginationandacknowledgetheunbearablehorrorofeveryformofexecution.

2Iamindeedawarethatthemovementforabolitioniswidespreadandarticulate,

adedtherebymyoldfriendandpublisher,

Gollancz,anditnumberssuchwell-knownwritersasArthurKoestler,,James

asathometheprofessionofpsychiatrytendsto

supportthecureprinciple,andmanyliberalnewspapers,suchastheObrver,are

nitedStatesthereareatleasttwenty-fivestateleagues

workingtothesameend,plusanationalleagueandveralchurchcouncils,notablythe

QuakerandtheEpiscopal.

3Theasmblageofsomuchtalentandenlightenedgoodwillbehindasingleproposal

mustgivepautoanyonewhosupportstheotherside,andintheattempttomakeclear

myviews,whicharenowclotounpopular,Istartoutbygrantingthatmyconclusionis

arguable;thatis,Iamstillopentoconviction,providedsomefallaciesandfrivolitiesinthe

abolitionistargumentarefirstdispodofandthedifficultiesnotignoredbutovercome.I

shouldbegladtoethishappen,notonlybecauthereispleasureinthespectacleof

anairtightca,butalsobecauIamnotmoresanguinarythanmyneighborandI

shouldwelcomethediscoveryofsafeguards–forsocietyandthecriminal–otherthan

yitagain,thesafeguardsmustreallymeet,notevadeorpostpone,the

ddbeforeIbeginthatIshallprobablynot

printedexpositiondoesnotdo

justicetomycau,itisnotlikelythatIcandobetterinthehurryofprivate

correspondence.