The National Register.
London, England, 1818-09-06 00:00:00

'Mt NATIONAL RPOISTtit.

may judge of the extent of the evil in the inciropoiis alone,
when it is known that there are nt this time in Newgate only,
senile/ode ptiveni on charges of this nature, awaiting their
trial at the approaching sessions. Is there a reflecting mind
that can contemplate the present condition, and poss:ble fate,
of these unhappy persons, without feelings of paiultil
suliri-
tnde ; without fearfully anticipa;iug the rectiri mice of those
scenes, when fresh victims shall be sacrificed to the mis-
taken policy of man ; and seithout astonishment that, in a
Christian country, human lire shookd he estimated en cheaply,
and its destruction regarded with such disgraceful insensi-
bility.
That the punishment of death hos coMplefely foiled in re.,
straining the crime of forgery was recently admitted from the
Bench. The learned Judge who lately presided on the
Crown aide at the assizes at Laue►ster, in adti:csslne :turn
prisoners who hod been guilty of this crime, after staling
that, on a former occasion. be had the some painful duty to
perform on other prisoners cons tete(' of tie same offence, and
who had since atoned, with their blood, fur the injury which
they had dune to society, added, " but I do not perceive that
this example has been attended with any advantage, or that
it has produced any diminution in the number of offenders of
this description, the etreaces committed by the present
soners being all subsequent to the last assize.•
A strong um' decitlitd feeling is now rapidly advancing
throughout Cie kingdom, on the injustice, cruelty, and
in-
e:liciency of continuing to visit the crime of forgery with the
punishment of death. Of• many of the evils which affect
society the remedies are uncertain. partial, and distant.—
Happily, this is not the rasa with the subject to which our
attention is now directed. Remedial measures are within
our reach, and awful will be the responsibility of the Legisla.
tore if these measures are neglected. Experience has clearly
de:nonstrated in other countries the beneficial effect of sub-
stituting a salutary system of prison discipline for the depri-
vation of human life. 'rue criminal may be altogether se-
cluded from society, if his crimes require it, and his life yet
be spared ; and the testimony of those who are most compe-
tent to judge upon the subject incomestibly proves, that im-
prisonmeut for a lengthened term of years, combined with
habitual hard labour, is dreaded infinitely more by every
description of offender:, than either transportation or the
punishment of death.
A change has, in fact, become absolutely necessary, and
must soon take place. The pehlio voice earnestly demands
it. It is impossible to reconcile our feelings to law; which
inflict with indiscrimivate vengeance the same penalties on
crimes widely differing in magnitude. The in:fermate in-
dividual %Vest, whosa character until the present occasion
stood unimpeaclied, shares the same prmishment will, the
murderer Hussey ! In no other country le B:.trope, we believe,
do such incongruous enactments exist and it is a severe
reflection on her national superiority, that England should
hesitate to follow the example of those states that have ve-
er& d her in the improvement of criminal jurisprudence.—
A revisal of the penal code would be as beneficial to her
interest: as it would co:mil:fete to her fame. The lases would
no longer be at variance with the kind feelings of those who
seek, and those who administer, justice ; but mitigated by
the suggestions of, enliglvteued policy, and tempered by the
benevolence of Christianprinciples; they would be cherished
by every good subject with reiteration, attacluueut and sup-
port.

Mr. Thomas Delion, of Shad Thames, war. on Taesday
fined 20s. and cots before the Surrey Magistrates for suffer.
hug his waggon to remain a longer time in the public road
than was necessary for the loading or unloading of the same.
A IVasilitv;toti paper, correcting an erroneous account via
man's death, says. " We are happy to say Major John Ander-
son is wit dead, lie is only mart ad."
A sirgle vine, growing agaii,st the front of the hotel at
Tenbtry, in Worcestershire, has produced a crop of grapes
this year, which arc calculated to he worth 01, at the present
Tuesday, as Captain Stannet, of the ship Boston, lying at
Chamberlisi's Wharf, was giving instructions to one of the
clerks at Union Hall to make out a wan'alli against a person
for a misdemeanour, Le had his pocket picked of a silk
handkerchief. _

A letter is om Vete lets (situated in the Low Countries) con-
tains the following curious detail :—A rich I.,atchelor,
social habits had rendered him very popular in that city, and
who appeared to live in the enjoyment of all the blessings of
life, waited on his notary, with whom he bad an interview of
au hour, and on his return home destroyed himself with a
pistd. The moat y declared, that he bad been dictating his
testament in sine form, and had left four millions of livres to
Napoleon anti his heirs.
illegal fishing, fir the fnrtheranee of a cations purpose, has
latelybeten discove red on the Thames. P.eguler fishermen
and large bodies of poachers sweep the Thames, flight and
day, of all the whte fish, for the sake of their scales merely ;
these are suld to Jews, for manufacturing beads in imitation
of ficails : roach scales are sold at 21s. per quart, dap* 255. ;
whilst for bit ak, four guineas a roan is the present market
price in Duke's l'lacc I The scales are tore off them as fast
as they are caught, and tines, often dreadfully mangled, they
are tossed Mick into the water to linger and die in torture.
The Prince Ilet;eistig gaiteekeeper, T.Lenton, shot a wood
cock in %tie m1'1114)15; a sew days ago, near Dakhampton.
A male sea neticorn, alive, sebum 20 feet loug, has been
'brought fi um Greenland, and is now in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The foilithe of the crop of potatoes in the southern parts of
the kiugt:otei, will, it Beams, be happily compensated fur by
the nocominostly alinnelont produce of that valuable vegetable
iu Seoilauti. where those of the finest quality arc at this time
sohius at a crown the hundred weight, ortreu panneis ten
shillings the toet,which quantity is row worth, in Covent (lite.
den market, .siscleen I,:nnals, but rill probably be reduced to
about one spatter of that price, on the arrival of the e.t. got,
preps) beg. to be shipped f the North tur ti e River
Thu Sessions for blidtilesea commence at the Sessious
Howse' Clcikeetwell-gerete, u.-morrow..
'rlieSeainforei paper says —" Immediately after A thnnder
'dorm in Jelly lasi. at Haddenhain, in the of Ely, sever -1
living creeping ereatnres were picked tip float off the high..
way by the peasants of the neighbour-metal, and with much
ritual 11nletit laid before the Rev. Mr. Priteleal et, the Dissent-
iteg sinister of that place, who instantly pa eituitsicestl thriss lo
grown meant,, easels measuring six in Viler. in Irngtli, and
'in no wiser shines mg thorn those Which Itc had seen ter 1,103 pi
and other distant eutiutrirs, the 114 five homed °ldiotic devout -
:21: instic:s."

At oettn o'clock on Monday morning, Jierk Martin, the
Laker, eklbo. the remili,t,starteti from the Raul, iu Brit Shiro,
UP raii to the Cla) ton Arm., Cli” ton Strvet, Ke:.4esengtote C,
a distorter of eight milts and *hall, fur a ora..:rr of 19 to 20
guleeelb., to pertain* it In an hour • •whicla Le accomplialied be
six initiate% witLl.l the iiiven

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