The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-23 00:00:00

CRIME IN FRANCE.

The Journal des Debats gives the following statistical ac-
count of the state of crime in France:

" In 1826, 16127, 1828, and 1829, the amount of acquittals
in criminal eases was 39 in 160 accusations. In 1832, the ac •
quittals were 41 in 100; in 1833, 41 ; in 1834, 40; in 1835,
39; in 1836, 40 ; in 1837, 37; in 1838, 36, in 1839,35.
But in the last four years, the amount has increased two per
cent. The. exact average of acquittals in the first period, from
1825 to 1829, gives for the whole number of accusations 38
I.sth per cent. ; and in the second period, from 1833 to 1839,
when the law of 1832 was in force,3B 17-100th per cent. The
amount of acquittals is then within 3-106ths of being the
same as under the old legislation. And if since. 1835 the
amount is diminished, it must be borne in mind that by the
law of Sept. 9, 1835, the declaration of guilty is obtained
by a majority of seven votes. Now the condemnations on
a simple majority, taking one year with another, being more
than 2 per cent., this amount ought to be taken into con-
sideration in comparing the number of acquittals for the
preceding years, It is then inexact to say that, looking at
the amount of acquittals, repression has found new force
is the legislation of 1832. If the penal effect of this re-
pression be sought for, it will appear that it has constantly
become weaker by the diminution of the punishment. Thus
the admission of extenuating circumstances is 28 per cent. in
1832, 43 in 1833, 45 in 1834, 46 in 1835, 53 in 1836, 69 in
1837. 68 in 1838, and 70 in 1839. If these results be elas-
s fled according to particular crimes it will be found that from
1838 to 18:';9, there were 50 declarations of extenuating cir-
cumstances in 64 congemnations for parricide ; 453 in 638 con-
demnations for murder ; 136 in 154 condemnations for poison-
ing ; 39 in 56 condemnations for murder, preceded or followed
by another crime; 217 in 230 condemnations for infanticide.
'thus, on one side the number of acquittals has been nearly
the same, and on the other the repressions have been weak-
ened in an immense proportion for crimes against the per-
son. Have these crimes increased ? On this head we
leave aside the number of accusations, to attend simply to
the amount of condemnation 3 involving capital punish-
ment. In 1825, there were 134 condemnations to
death; in 1826. ; in 1827, 109; in 1828, 114; in 1829,
89 ; in 1830, 92. After 1832, it will be expected that the
amount ought undoubtedly to be greatly diminished, for the
law of 1832 suppressed the capital punishment in nine of the
cases provided fur by the code of 1810. On the contrary, the
amount has increased; and without the admission of extenuat-
ing circumstances, it would have been 156 in 1834; 178 in
1835 ; 172 in 1836 ; 183 in 1837 ; 248 in 183 S; and 230 in

1830:that is to say, that in the period of 1825 to 1830 the
Jury gave verdicts against 688 prisoners for crimes punishable
by capital punishment, or
113 a year ; and in the second
period, under the influence of the system of extenuating cir-
cumstances from 1834 to 1839, the number of those crimes was

1,267, nearly double, or 211 a.;;;! We do not certainly
pretend that an absolute value is to be given to statistical in-
formation, and we are aware that in peral matters it may be
dangerous to receive with too much facility the logic of
figures ; but when facts present themselves with such obsti-
nacy, they ought to be taken into serious consideration. These
results are, we think, of such a nature as to awaken the solici-
tude of the legislator, if not on the principle itsrlf introducel in
the law of 1832, at least on the modifications which it will be
in its application."
useful to apply

_ -
GARDENING DIRECTIONS FOR APRIL.—NaiI up
string against outer wall of bedroom window, with a view to a
«rop of beans, and put pieces ~f stick in flower-pots where
sweet peas were sown two
months ago, though there may be no
signs of their coming up at present. Purchase daisy roots of
men with donkey-carts, for planting
in back-yard, and throw in
radish seed, w ith a view to an autumn crop of stringy stuff for
home-grown suppers. Dig the soil in broken breakfast-cups,
and put in mignonette; and place dead geraniums in the sun,
with the vague idea that they may possibty come to life again.
Clear the ground of all t .at you have been putting into it for
the last three months, and which you will by time have dis-
covered can never come to anything; but this will be an easy
task, as the cats, those nocturnal labourers in metropolitan
gardens, will probably have gone a considerable way towards
scratching up Cie unprofitable verdure. Label bits of wood
with the names of various seeds, and stick them promiscuously
in the ground ; but it is not necessary to place them over the
respective seeds, for it is not likely that they will ever appear as
witnesses against the inscriptions on the p:eces of stick alluded
t o. Pun ch.

The Festival of the Panathenea, instituted in ho-
nour of Minerva, is still celebrated at Athens, and takes place
on the last day of the carnival. Early in the morning all the
inhabitants assemble on the plain round the column of Ju-
piter, each family preparing for itself a sumptuous meal,
and every culinary odour from the savoury garlic and onion
to the delicate flavour of the honey of Hymettus rise from
the grass, on which the repasts are spread for each family
and party. The rest of the day passed in the enjoyment of
music and dancing. The higher classes in general merely
make it a promenade. This year, King Otho paid the assem-
blage a visit. On his arrival, a Palicare, of one of the
lowest orders, approached his Majesty, and, with no ungrace-
ful air, presented to Lim a bottle, rudely formed of leather and
wood, very much resembling a powder-flask. The King re-
c: ved it most graciously, drunk of the wine it contained, and
seemed to relish its resinous flavour. His Majesty then pa-
raded in his calesh round the whole of the animated scene, fol-
lowed by crowds of shouting children.
Mr. Ferrand, in enumerating the frauds perpetrated
by manufacturers, said, it was in evidence, that the decay in
the lace trade, was attributable to the frauds carried on in the
manufacture of that article. He had also received communi-
cations in regard to the frauds practised in the stoekin r trade.
It appeared that the stockings were at first made of the same
width from the knee to the allele, and that they were dipped in
water, and then stretched in a frame to give them a
oper shape, arid the fraud was not discovered till they
were found hanging about the ancles.—( A laugh.)
These stockings went by the name of drop-off.—lf this
be a sample of the accuracy of Mr. Ferrand's imputation
of fraud, it comes to nothing. The twist lace trade is as free
from fraud as airy manufacture, for to make it of an inferior
cotton is more expensive than to use the best material that can
ba made. As to hosiery, it is certainly true that there are
stockings manufactured as he describes, though they are more
appropriaiely called cut-ups ; the lowness of the price is their
great recommendation. We readily admit, that if as
many pairs of full-fashioned stockings could hsve
been sold, the situation of the stocking-maker
would have been much improved ; but that is int' os-
bible. All our foreign trade would have gone at a blow, and
even the drop-offs, which arc regularly narrowed stockings, aro
undersold in our own markets by the article from Germany
Had nothing but full-fashioned stockings been made—were a
law now passed, prohibiting the manufacture of cut-ups and
drop-offs—the hosiery business would be almost annihilated,
and the three hosiery counties would be absolutely ruined, by
the all but universal pauperisation of the inhabitants. It is no
fraud to make drop-offs, and the workmen who make them ob-
tain more money for their week's work than those who are em-
ployed upon full-fashioned hose. It is only by ingenious con-
trivances for lessening labour, that the hosiery trade has been
made the means of finding bread for thousands, who, without it.,
must have gone to the workhouse or perished.—Nottinyhant
Review.
THE NEW NOVEL, "PASSION AND PRINCIPLE."
"
—We are requested to state that Mr. Colburn, of Great
Marlborough-street, has this day published Passion and Prin
ciple," a Novel, edited by Captain Frederic Chamier, in 3 vols.
which can now be had at all the libraries. Mr. Colburn has
also just published the following new Works of Fiction :-I.lldy
Anne Granard, or Keeping up Appearances, by L. E. L., 3 vols.
—2. Fascination, and other Tales, edited by Mrs. Gore, com-
prising Fascination, First Love, the Modern Scipio, the Silver
Ring, Retribution, Theresa, &e., 3 vols.-3. Adventures of
3 vols.-4. The School for Wives, by the
Sir Henry Morgan, the Buccaneer, by the Author of " Rattlin
the Reefer," &c.,
Authoress of " Temptation," 3 vols.-5. Anne Boleyn, an
Historical Romance, by Mrs. A. T. Thomson, 3 vols.—And 6.
The Man of Fortune, by Mrs. Gore, 3 vols.
A young man, of mild and amiable character,
having some time ago lost his mother, to whom he was affec-
tionately attached, suffered gnat affliction. This was increased
by his father's shortly after contracting a new marriage, which
induceil him to quit his paternal abode. He had long been a
clerk in a merchants house, by whom he was so much
esteemed that a share in it was offered to him on condition that
'
his lather would become his security. This was declined, and
the refusal working upon an already afflicted tn.nd drove him
to suicide. Two days ago he was found hanging lifeless from
a tree near Belleville. He was only 30 years of age.