The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-04 00:00:00

MORSE STEALING.

[From the York Courant. I
The number ofeonvictions for this crime, at the several 4 seizes
now hording throughout the country, are unprecedented, and as •
cheek upon its increasing prevalence it is judged right in many
cases to enforce the extreme penalty of the law. Whether this
course will have thedesired effect remains to be seen ; but there are
very good reasons for doubting its efficacy, as it is a well-known I
fact, that the facility afforded far the cotninission of the crime, to
which peculiar circumstances hold out an uncommon temptation,
will have • greater influence over the criminal, than the certainty of
punishment when counterbalanced by the uncertainty of detection
can possibly be supposed to have. The sanguinary character of
our penal code is tinost revolting to the contemplation of a person of ;
humanity, and it'll; really sickening on every occasion, like the one I
we are now alluding to, to see its horrid and blood-stained finnan
exhibited as site Catholicon for crime. A little reflection as to the
causes of the preponderance of any particular species of wrong at
certain seasons. would certainly be the course more consonant with
Christian legislation, than invariably sending forth the minister of
justice armed with the powers of death. A retrospect of the last
seven years will demonstrate that it is not on account of the lenity
shown to the horse.stealer, that he has now launched forth in all
the recklessness of bold impunity. During the period alluded to,
the number of persons convicted of the crime, and of those exc.
cuted, were as follow :
Convicted Executed
In 1818 - 130 1
1819 - 14" 2
1820 . 111
1821 - . 129 Ii
3822 - 1
1823 . . 124 4
1824 - 127 1
Thus it appears, that while the extreme penalty has been en-
forced in so few instances, as barely is form an exception to the
disuse of it altogether, the crime itself has remained at one certain I
Pitch. To what then is the present increase attributable I' There
is scarcely any one conversant with the public prints, though he
may be ever so ignorant of the business of horse-dealing, but must
be aware of the present extraordinary demand for them both at,
home and abroad, particularly the latter, the numbers exported
being uncommonly great, and this demand, with the arrangements
made by the organized gangs 01'1)one-stealers, In: the sate disposal'
of their booty, form the chief inducements to the crime. A con.
temporary has suggested a plan, which we think would he [tore
efficacious than live hundred executions to diminish its prevalence, I
whilst it is far more agreeable with the practice of a people, cele.l
brated for their philantrophic exertiMA in behalf of the unfortunate
wanderer from the paths of virtue, and even for the reformation of
the more hardened and deeply initiated in crime. He recommends I
" a Register for the sale of horses in every town, without going I
through the forms of which, and producing the necessary proofs
and certificates accompanying it, no horse should be sold ; the pos.
session of a purchased horse without such certificate, being made a
misdemeanor, and the forgery of such documents, carrying with it
all the consequences of other forgeries."
The work done by stem-engines in England is calculated
to be commensurate to the Latour of two milliet3 of men.—
‘',.:l:-J:nien Heron".