text_original: When they brought in a measure to abolish in various cases the p unishm ent of death, they fell so far behind public opinion and the inclinations of the Commission that had for eight years been inquiring into the state of our criminal law, that their bill only passed by very narrow majo  rities, and impressed many ardent reformers as if it were meant rather to withhold than to advance a genuine reform.
text_transcription: WHEN THEY BROUGHT IN A MEASURE TO ABOLISH IN VARIOUS CASES THE PUNISHMENT OF DEATH THEY FELL SO FAR BEHIND PUBLIC OPINION AND THE INCLINATIONS OF THE COMMISSION THAT HAD FOR EIGHT YEARS BEEN INQUIRING INTO THE STATE OF OUR CRIMINAL LAW THAT THEIR BILL ONLY PASSED BY VERY NARROW MAJORITIES AND IMPRESSED MANY ARDENT REFORMERS AS IF IT WERE MEANT RATHER TO WITHHOLD THAN TO ADVANCE A GENUINE REFORM
phonemes: wˌɛn ðeɪ bɹˈɔːt ɪn ɐ mˈɛʒɚ tʊ ɐbˈɑːlɪʃ ɪn vˈɛɹiəs kˈeɪsᵻz ðə pˈiː jˈuːnɪʃəm ˈɛnt ʌv dˈɛθ, ðeɪ fˈɛl sˈoʊ fˌɑːɹ bᵻhˌaɪnd pˈʌblɪk əpˈɪniən ænd ðɪ ɪŋklɪnˈeɪʃənz ʌvðə kəmˈɪʃən ðæt hæd fɔːɹ ˈeɪt jˈɪɹz bˌɪn ɪŋkwˈaɪɚɹɪŋ ˌɪntʊ ðə stˈeɪt ʌv ˌaʊɚ kɹˈɪmɪnəl lˈɔː, ðæt ðɛɹ bˈɪl ˈoʊnli pˈæst baɪ vˈɛɹi nˈæɹoʊ mˈɑːdʒoʊ ɹˈɪɾiz, ænd ɪmpɹˈɛst mˈɛni ˈɑːɹdənt ɹᵻfˈɔːɹmɚz æz ɪf ɪt wɜː mˈɛnt ɹˈæðɚ tə wɪðhˈoʊld ðɐn tʊ ɐdvˈæns ɐ dʒˈɛnjuːɪn ɹᵻfˈɔːɹm.