The Sun.
London, England, 1837-04-29 00:00:00

PUNISHMENT 'OF DEATH.

(From the Glasgow Chronicle.)
It was generally understood by the'friends to the Reformation of
our sanguinary Criminal Law, that the measure of Lord John Rus-
sell provided for the entire Abolition of the Punishment of Death,
except iii the case of premeditated and accomplished murder. It
now turns out, however, that such is not the case. On the con-
trary, the proposition of the Noble Lord, if acted upon, would in-
crease considerably the number of executions. Efforts are there-
fore being made to defeat the measure of Lord John Russell.
Edinburgh has actively set to work on the subject; and the follow..
ing letter has just been numerously and respectably signed by the
electors of Glasgow, and transmitted to the City Members, Mr.
Oswald and Lord W. Bentinck.

" We, the Undersigned, being Electors in Glasgow, and, liable
to serve on Juries, earnestly entreat you, as our representatives, to
be in your places in Parliament, at the discussion on the Bills for
the Amendment of the Criminal Law (Parliamentary Papers, No.
—), in order to give your support to Amendments that will be
moved, to limit the punishment of Death to the single case of Mur-
der—in conformity with what we believe to be the general feeling
of the community.
" As a division is expected, we further solicit the favour of in-
formation addressed to William Smeal, grocer, here, stating the re-
suit of that division in order that we may be prepared for any fu-
ture proceedings which the nature of the result may render needful."
(Here follow the names.)
Subjoined to the above letter, are the following
REASONS.-1. Because, admitting (what can never be admitted)
that the penalty of Death is right wherever the Legislature chooses
to ordain it, yet it is proved by the Parliamentary Returns of this
country, as well as by official documents of Foreign States, that
other penalties are more effectual in the repression of offences—a
fact explained by the general aversion to commence a prosecution
which involves the offender's life, and the well-known reluctance of
Juries, in such cases, to convict.
2. Because, to submit unequal offences to the same penalty, is,
to confound the gradations of iniquity, and practically to encourage
the greater crimes. If, in the commission of robbery, or burglary,
there exists not the inducement to refrain from shedding blood--
the capital law, meant for the protection of society, must tend, in
fact, to diminish the security of life, by " inciting the commission
of a greater crime to prevent the detection of a less."
3. Because a punishment, which can never be recalled when
once inflicted, should not be awarded by fallible tribunals, for any
crime, at least, to which the sense of the community irloes not award
it—otherwise another check on crime is weakened, by diminished
reliance on decisions of the Courts of Justice.
4. Because, in fine, the efficacy of Criminal Law depends less
upon the severity of punishment than the certainty of infliction ;
and because 1$ laws which cannot be carried into execution without

In three years, ending
31st December, 1830 52
Do. do., 1833 12
Do. do., 1836 None.

TO THE RIGHT HON. SIR JOHN CAMPBELL, M.P., &C.
Edinburgh, April 18, 1837.
Sir,—The subject of Capital Punishment, so deeply interesting
as it affects the moral well-being of mankind, appears to be on the
eve of Parliamentary discussion ; and whatever decision the Legis-
lature may come to, it will probhbly be, for some time at least, a
definitive one.

When human life is at stake, and when such a question has to be
answered as, Whether the judicial shedding of blood for crimes of
secondary enormity contributes to preserve or endanger the inte-
rests of the community ?—we are willing to believe that there is not
a Member of either House of Parlianient who would approach it
under the influence of political feeling.
Under this impression we feel no difficulty in respectfully ad-
dressing you, in our characters as Members of the Edinburgh Com-
mittee of the Society for Diffusing Information on Capital Punish-
ments.
You must be too well acquainted with the subject of Capital and
Secondary Punishments, to render any detailed statement on our
part either desirable or proper. We may, however, be permitted
to express our surprise that the Bills brought in by Lord John Rus-
sell, partly founded on the Reports of the Criminal Law Cohimis-
sioners, should sanction the continuance of a Capital Punishment
in various cases besides Murder ; although the history of British
crime during the last nine years, and of -the ample experience of
foreign countries, demonstrate the fallacy of such a proceeding.
The history of the Forgery question is decisive as to the fact of an
extreme penalty being no protection of property. Besides, every
amelioration hitherto made in our criminal code, has proved the
wisdom of inflicting a secondary and certain punishment.
We earnestly beg your attention to the following conclusive sum-
mary, from Parliamentary. Returns, regarding Offences that were
Capital on the Ist January, 1830.
LONDON AND MIDDLESEX.
Executions. Commitments.
In Three Years, ending 31st Dec., 1380...52 960
Ditto
Ditto
Parl. Paper, No. 165.
Having considered it our duty to express our sentiments at the
present, moment on this most important subject, we may add, hat
we confidently believe, that the views and feelings of nine tenths
of the reflecting portion of your constituents are in unison with
our own. We feel sure that you will not attribute. this statement
of ours to any improper motive. Watching, as we have done for
some years, the public mind on this question, we think it right to
inform you, and we trust you will rejoice to know, that such is
the universal feeling in this city. We hope that you regard the
subject in the same point of view, and hold that it is neither wise
in legislation, nor consistent with humanity to inflict the punish-
ment of death for any critne short of wilful and accomplished
murder ; and that you will be able to advocate the principle when
the Bills alluded to come to be discussed. The second reading of all
the Bills is ordered for Monday the 24th instant.*
We are, Sir, your obedient servants,
Robt. K. Greville, LL. D., Sec. Henry Tod, W. S.
For Hon. H.D.Erskine, M.B. Alex. Cruickshank.
Pat. Neill, LL.D. D. T. K. Drummond.
J. S. More, Advocate. John Wigham, Jun.
J. Hamilton, Advocate. . John Gairdner, M.D.
W. Beilby, M.D. James Pillans, Professor.
Ed. Criiikshank. Martin Barry, M.D. .
William Alexander.
We Members of the Town-Council of Edinburgh, unite in the
sentiments contained in the above letter.
(Then follow the signatures of)
The Right Hon. James Spittal, Lord Provost.
Thomas Sawers,
James Donaldson, Magistrates of Edinburgh.
Peter Crooks,
Andrew Miller,
D. MiLaren, Treasurer.
Peter Lamond, Dean of Guild.
William Dick, Convenor of the Incorporated Trades.
R. W. Jameson, Councillor. Henry Banks, Councillor.
Thomas Russell, Alex. Macaulay, M.D.,
George H. Mendell, Frederick Maclagan
Robert Deuchar, John Duncan,
Andrew Falkner, John Robertstm,
James Gifford, Sir J. G. Dalyell,
John R. Stodart, George Inglis, Jun.,
Francis Howden, Patrick Neill, LL.D.,
Thomas Penton, George Grant,
A letter to the same effect has been addressed to the Lord Advo-
cate, the representative of Leith by the Provost, Magistrates, and
others of the most respectable inhabitants of that town.
The discussion of these measures has since been postponed
at the request of Sir Robert Peel. It is to take place upon the
committal of the Bills on Friday, the 19th of May.

PRICES 01 STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'k LOCK.
Bank 5t0ck...... 204 3b :India Stunk.. -
3 per Cent. Red. 896% i i)itto Bonds ' 29 31 pm..
3per Cent. Cons_ .. 90%%%% South Sea Stock -
3% per Cent. .... ... -101 d Annuities -
Ditto Red- ....... -. ... -
New 3% per Cent.. 98%% I 3 per Cent. Annuities, 1751 -
New 5 per Cent..
Bank Long Annuities to expire IDitto 500 11 33 pm.
Jan. 5, 1860 ' 144 9-16 7-16 I Ditto Small
Oct. 10. 1859 - 'Ditto Commercial 27 28 pm.
Jan. 5, 'B6O l4 13-16% • Ditto Advertised Pm
Jan. 5, .880 - I Bank Stock for Acc0unt......... 204 'it
April 5, 1880...... - India Stock for Account
--
J +n. 5, 1870....... - :Consols for Acconnt
1 mnium pm.

i RICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Austria Bonds . ........ ......... —' Peruvian Bonds
Belgian Bonds 1 Ditto Account —
Ditto Account.... ...... .. .. —; Portuguese Bonds 7l
Brazilian Bonds
Ditto Account . S4 I Ditto New Bonds —
Wienos Ayres Bonds Ditto Account 464 Vs
Ditto Account — Ditto, 3 per cent 291,4
Chillian Bonds — , Prussian Bonds ..
Ditto Account
Calumbian Bonds ! Ditto Account —
Ditto Account
Columbian Bonds, :821 —l Spanish Bonds —
Ditto Account
Danish Bonds ...
Ditto Account
greek 80nd5.... .............. ... French,' 5 per cent , —I. —c.
Ditto Bonds, 1825 — 4 per cent. ...... .... —f. .—c.
Ditto Account — 3 per cent.. —l. —c
Mexican Bonds, 5 per cent — Exchange —4. —,.
Ditto Account . Dutch, 214 per cent.
Ditto, 6 per cent............ Ditto Account 53
Ditto Account ...... ..... .... Ditto, 5 per cent. —
Neapolitan —t Ditto Account —

PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Paid. Per Share
Birmingham and Derby Railway Company lO 3y4
Great Western Railway Company...... 4O 41 4056 4214 .I
Brighton Railway Company (Stevenson's) 5 Iti
London and Birmingham Railway Company B5 - 112 14
Manchester and Leeds Railway Company 5 5y4 7
Manchester South Union Railway Company 5 4
North Midland Railway Company l5 I 114 14 13
South Brighton, Lewes, and Newhaven Railway '2 1

COURSE OF EXCH
Amsterdam C F 12 6
. .

Ditto, at sight
Rotterdam 2U. 12 6K

Antwerp..
Hamburg. M.B. 13 14%
Altona..

.-.
Paris, 3 days' sight 25 70
Ditto '2 Us. 26 0
__ ._

,NGE YESTERDAY.
Leghorn 47
Genoa 26 30
Milan 31
a'

Venice

Naples 39%
Palermo per oz. 118

Marseilles.
Frankfort OR Maine, Ex. M 155
Petersbutgh, ruble " 3Us lO 0
Ber6ii
Vienna, effective fl 2M.10 20
'Trieste ditto lO 22
Madrid

Lisbon

Cadiz.... • Bsg
Gilboa .... . 15
Barcelona 15
Saville l5
nibrattar

.. 5:2 hi

Oporto 52
Rio Janeiro - 8
Bahia 26
Buenos Ayres --
Dublin, 21 days' sight 1 Y. 2
Cork

PRICE OF BULLION, PER OZ
Portugal Gold, coin £0 0 0
Foreign Gold, in bars 3 17 9
New Doubloons
..

New Dollars ........... ...... 0 4
.0S

Silver. bars. standard 0 4 113¢