Writing to Elizabeth Pease, April 4, 1843, he comments on Capital Punishment. “Petitions have recently been presented to the Legislature of Massachusetts, praying for the abolition of capital punishment; and, in case this prayer should not be granted, requesting that such clergymen as advocate judicial homicide should be appointed hangmen! This has caused much fluttering among the clergy and their friends, who affect to regard these petitions as most insulting to their cloth, and as an outrage on their holy profession…. why should they object to inflicting the penalty by their own hands?…” (readinggarrisonsletters)
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