The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-01-28 00:00:00

HE CRIMINAL CODE.

Lord HOLLAND ruse; for the pelves@ of pre. ,
settings Petition from the Lord Meyer, Aldermen.
mad Common Covesit of the City of Lnriden, pray. I
leg that a revision might he instituted ef the Criminal
Code of the country. Having stated from whom the ,
Petition cave, it was unnecessary for him to odd
that the Petitioners were mot merely visionary et
theoretical mem, forming their opinions witholit an
intercourse is the affairs of the world, bet main .
egroaet in the genteel edemas of the century, end
some of them intrusted with the most important
branches of the Magistracy. The subject I. which
they prayed the earnest attention or the Legislator.
was that which invotved the dearest interests of the
Sew, which concerned not only its present comforts
bet its &tore prolgrerity. The Petition dM wet claim
their attention by any elaborate expositiou of princi-
ples and °plosions, bet came before them illustrated
by facts, and fortified by lb. concurring testimony
of the very greatest wet of every class, of every
met, and of every potty that this country wedge's'
during the last forty years. These facts afforded
me:,echely proof of the vast incivette of efllle in this
country, and also showed that sails the convictions
Increased in a listve.fold rule, the esecetious beeves
properties to dom. In fact, the charades tairlihot
Ceiminot Us& was too sougeirtery to meet the toll'
sopport of the P►ople, and no heart mild be found
se herd as to give that @militia' law its templets and
terrible sanction. Re was aware how very nosatis-
factory arguments oast ever prove. drawn how ama.
logy and the practice of other cowries, where dif-
remit lees ',du; bet he teeld not avoid r►merking
on the state of the neighbouring 'sometry of Fraser,
with reference to the effect of severe laws upon the
in rrrrr ant diminution of trim•. Ceder the Goveronntel
of that country. before that Revolution which eau so
frequently the theme of eloquence in that Howse—
before that Revolution, of shirts the crimes end the
esc sssss were so much the topic, of declamation,
Ishii, the advantages reselling from it to the uappi_
nest, end he weeld add, to the morals of the People,
were Siurlinssly passed over—before that Revolution,
and under the old regime, the punishment of death
was indicted Irwin offenders of numerous classes, and
particularly spun those she were convicted of steel-
ing privately in houses, aggravated its this instance
by the addition of the rack. This dreadful punish-
ment
what were the consequences: The first was, that
very few persons would charge with this crime their
servants or others who may be guilty of it ; and the
second consequence was, that the crime iucieased to
a shocking degree.
During the Itrynletinn, this severe law was re-
pealed, and a punishment more proportionate le the
offence substituted in place of death, and the torture
of the rack. This alterstlen was preserved is the
Code Nepeiross, which now conteined the greater
part of the Criminal Coda of France ; arid the crime
has, in consequence, deer d very considerably
throughost that country. This fact be mentioned ra-
ther as an illustration of what he hoped might prove
le be else consequence of some mitigation In the Pe.
nal Code, the* with thy intention of directing their
Lurdabip►' minds to that paint, as the only or pens-
cipil one for their consideration. The Noble Lord
then moved that the Petition be read.
The Petition was read. It is the same as that
which, it will be remember►d, was presented to the
Hoese of Commons by Mr. Alderman Wero.l, on
I Monday evening. It gave a comparative view of
the increase of crimes, and of the number of eon.
victim's, from the year 181'2, and cniscludell by
praying tbe earnest attention of the !loose to the
sobject.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL did not intend to
the Petition being received; brat only to observe, that
by former returns and former esi elitist., it would
appear that the increase of crime was not owing in
any deficiency ill our Criminal Code, bet to the
transition from war to peace, WI Weald appear para.
malady from the returns merle after the American
war, which tie. Noble Lord r►ad ; sect from whirls it
appeared, that the increase of crimes and pro.eeu.
linos was progressive from the 'etc. li7ll to 1785;
arid the litre caus►s which nperstril to ifirtsdjacis that
increase at 'hitt time 'shoed at the
The Marquis of LA NsIDOWN thou4nt the erg..
merit of the Noble Earl, with respect in ties trend-
tine from war to nesse, Cot sufficient teacart nt for
thereat increase of crimes, nor was, indeed, soy

' eases sufficieet. lie did not mean to preteud that he
'mild sedge the canoes for the iecresse of crimes, bat
Might without difficulty say, that It was set ear,
het Meryl, causes that had tontribeted to that be-
etles*. The dischatge of men from the army and
Navy did set "teemed for it, the eviction of /Aegis-
trate" throughout the country being, that bat a small
proportion of men or that description were committed
\ieb
pi them for °Gems ; the 'fat prodooki opens dif-
lirrent branches of industry by legation or other
mes*" weight certainly redoes a number of °Evens.
Bet Ifni all these Cabin emabieed • Ore CO sufficient
,to socount fee that peeddlerity of the present time—
the altalenebely isogon of the number of Jeanine.
offenders. This mist be "retitled to the defective
state of nor psis's", not certainly Going to the mis.
rootlike of IM pintoes havieg the menagement of
thee, bet to the soot of a jodicioes errangenteut sod
cimeilicatioo, by means of wtikh offenders of that
demeripelen weight be reformed. The minds sod
I the babble of these juvenile offenders Wer.sefficient.
ly deClile to take say impreislen tbst might be Made
epee them, and it was deeply to be lameate4 that
our prisons, tinder their present "'stem of syringe.
event, became too frequently for t hesoyosng offenders
schools of lice and nereerlea of crime frees which
they weftforth only hardened sad emboldened in
.vicious course of life they had adopted. Something
rough, unquestionably In be dune to reveal this la-
menting and lamentable mil.
Th. Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, in mph's-
tion, fiat be did not mean to assign the Enmities
from war to wore as the only tattoo of teems, of
offences, es he was perfectly well aware that there
were several ceases which contributed to that un-
happy resell.
Lord RING edverted to the 'nevem* of forgmlei,
which, be observed, chiefly applied to Bask of Rag-
land Notes. Country Bankers, in eowatqessee of
the competition amongst them, were very watchful
to prevent forgery of their times, every cue ef them
heieg perfectly aware, that if through want of pre.
Caution his notes could not circulate freely oo se.
testa of their Wag easily forged, other Bankers,
whose notes .were more swore from forgery, would
obtain from that circumfuses great part of his hosi-
ers& This did net apply to the husk of Eogised,
who hating e monopoly, sad being in se danger of
lees, took is. peias to prey's' the forgery of their
✓otes,. Tim holy remedy fee this was either to re.
Wm.* Cash Peymeets, or V that was sot to be, to
allow the Ibitskers of Lewd*s t. igloo owe tied two
posed antes, in which two, Wm Oho eampollelew,
wget tigilseett wage be end, mid forgery become
abies. grensieet.
'fie Poiltisiii wee ordered to Ile epee the Wilt.
DUTCH COLONIES IN THE P.AST INDIES.
The Margins of I.ANSDOWN sass notice of his
iateetion to novo on Mouthy for collie* of the is.
mrertimes mot to the Geporeors of the kibkish Co.
lonise In the East ladies, with respect to the ser-
irender of the Dutch Colonies, sad particolarly with
regard to thol Wand of Java.
CARE AND CUSTODY OF THE KING'S PERSON.
The EAT' of LIYIKK POOL moved she Order of the Day.
4 sad she Hone resole. d itself into a Committee (she Earl of
I Shofie4sawy in the Elmo i n• Ilse Kill for resting im hit Royal
iliglierso the Le he of lock the Larsen Custody of the Ling's
reason.
Lord HOLLAND mid. he wished it to he dlatluttly ann.
Mood shot be did not object to she rare sad custody of she
King's permit in jog vested Is the Dyke of York, is having
hero denied Witte by the Legislature stet she ontody of At
King'..orred person should be separated from the Executive
lismeromewt t and wale toe .mare keine rendered necessary by
the dean, of her lute Majesty. he und.obtedly thmseist Mat
the 1 sake of 1' ark, from his ..! 1: Li, hi• high character, and the
neon in which he stood in his Majevey. an. the Attest perou
that coo d possibly he chosen for shut h eh trust. Hein'', how-
ever. 'height. cote itlonteding u:-.3t had b,•en said by she Noble
Earl ( Lorerpooli an lite preceding evening, ghat the prevent Dill
wa..by the chino- retming to As W snat-or Es•ablisheneut. rendered
iswomistent, and that to render he Bill on intriligeet mare of le-
gislation, it i at ntoolately arca...ars that that clause should he
struck ant. tiller their Lerdeipt .boats have before the. pre-
aim. to moping talc OWL a abatement as to the entre ore, E.to.
blationent„ or the Bill bold rel Ate solely in the care and cos-
body of the King's prem. vi Whoa' tete, ring as all so she Eels-
. Whom,. The Nosilerarl bailie siever,said it we impossible that
the Fotablesesseet should he ammainted ; hot where was thent.
deuce of °sty; fur not nor won' leading so mita ceeriatioa was
, to he fumed in she 11.11. lint theft it bad been said by the Noble
/4.1. drat is was Witealle I in redone', tatabliemeal. Without,
however entering into any detail, thou. he did not Mesa le
• Norge shiv ,'
to waiter e.l, blame, it being perfectly natural. Ms
nu emend, eeistvhee of the present intiratinos at she Noble
Karl, obese epees, am dent, had great Winne la that
lines On it eon plinth', that the Neste Nowl migh!.....
MS ilitiohrtil . and it was Jost as passible. though met so
.ztnefereire, the lie majority of Parliament might WT.
*Oh she Noble knurl I heir Lordskipe woad gocel-
llnientwe mot the Ant time the Noble Lad bed (beard
ea Ow latimetitig that opinion in this Hone. • It mat
• mot dare. and open a qoestio• too relative le the Royal
That . list the Noble Karl, after delive:;islensaii riptides tot 5
limb or Ms awn. to termer the esthete whirls he
1 haterased. Atwitter lawman enured darted the non
• tine glimpiamini %nein ; the IllobleKari having esuessawlaa
opleino in she int din of Its opens .at aey enquiry km
We sewn of the flask, whin spline, la roweememee af a
; eanimeMeatine with some little Parliament el hit one, he had '
gore foetid man to Asap. Where thee was the security is
the 'weenie row, shat Melee Mlle Parlamenti of Lord. of the
; Red• Cbouther, mad wen commend with the Wieder •
lioablierant. might an indisee she Noble Karl so new,
to alter, she Westin he WA expressed of redering 'Mt
Paaablielmeat I lipen • fanner aeration. when he (Lon
1 llolinst) ibliailli 'be Wimbor Eetabli•liment mach too large
for aoy purposes of tomfort so 'or maketed Momarch, Lards.
! of she Ord Maim Maned up, se oat, f .ronoth, slat they,
; who had Mark by the K lag in his lanverity, would
• ant desert him I. his adversity; and shut they would
; not lake away see iota from the splendour which surrounded
I their beineiga. D hat tenuity oat there Low, dial Lords of
1 the 114-chamber Illicai eel again •lart up. to declare that they
would not take away any port of the splendour which sur-
rounded the Ilossarrh ? and with ibis additomal rra.un, that his
hiajests required ewer entolatin now. from the rictus:lAm*
.a his Navies low her who hod been his companion for upwards
of 50 cram. Why the,. If here was no wanks, nom Distend-
' ism all sins had lino said for she redolent, of she Weaker Era-
bliAnarnt, or eyes that it Licht nos be inerea,ed, surely it be-
come the Hone to pause before they mortiosted a. Koehn*.
went so Mont keine& of to is,i that Emishireitosetst tom to coo.
rim and wises the Bill might be parsed for re-tisie the Core and
Custody of the Kist's Perms wiihmet any /errata/ea whenever
to the tanblishmens. and he perfectly erect i re for that object.
—II. Loreitip reorladed by tonsil,: :o leave ors all the wards
r•Litiog loom Vibrator Ealaallsaewei.
Tan liana( LI V KR POOl. repeated h:s Inner objections to
availing she nice of ('isfn Per."lt4, and t!". app telatikt VI

110 USE OF COMMONS.
ra.:9I.BAL BUNTON.
The SPEAKER arqoainte4l the Recce that on
the ISA heel. he bad received a letter, Biped Robert
Christie Berton, srafing*Ntst the writer bail been
miscued Member (or Beverley, on the 17 It Jose
last, but. I, being in the prison of the Coed of
Common
Member
(the Fleet), die Warder of that pri-
.son had &elated that be mend sot release Mai toil
authorized by a warrant from the Speedier of lira
Howse of Commons; and reeraestbsg that he (de
Speaker) world be pleased tofenteleunieste she nese
to the Hesse. le 21111Wafke (the Speeker) le. d
written to Cenral Bertor, and informed him that
et
the first convenient oppor'unity he lipoid comma-
eicate the substance of kis letter to the House. Ile
bad sines received a letter from the same Gentleman.
dated the 10th January, requesting that be would
not menthes his firmer letter to the Hoene, as cir-
cumstances bed subsequently ocesmod whish world
brobably enable him to take hie seat on the nn ao,
lindly ; but at • let* hoer last night another letter
had bees transmitted to his from General Bettor),
stating that be bad been disappeinted in his *opens.
liens, referring to kis Inter of the 15th, sad grim
requesting that be (the Speaker) would slate Ike co
tents to the Noose. The House weeld perhaps par
dos him for calling their attention to a similar occur
fence which took place in 1807, when en Honour
OW
Member stated that he was detained in similar
nofienbest. An order wasihms aide to refer she
complaint to the Committee of Privileges, which set
seat day, sad oboes only object was to estsblials
the identity of the hedieldsal. That hang hem
pieced, the Comeeittee merle their report, and he
was ordered to be discharged obt of cestody;re=
Hoe. Member would perhaps move a sender
lag in the present lostance.
Mr. BATHURST srairdlogly mend, that Cline.
tel Bertea's letter shield be referred to the Commit.
Les of Priellegra, to essence sod report donne to
the Hesse.—Ordered.
This was foilowel by the steal order, that lhq
sheald sit nod proceed on the sobject.to.morrow.
MESTMINATER LLELTION.
Mr. BENNETT obtained leave to bring le s
Bill for the further continuities of the An of the list
of the King, 'seeding the laws for also elonion of
Members of that House, respecting the espeoces el
heating. and poll-clerks, as far as it regarded the
City of Weveminster.
Mr. BENNETT soon after brought in the Bill,
which was read • Sin time, and ordered to be read
a second to-morrow.
BANK OP ENGLAND.
At the suggestion of Mr. MANNING, aid with
the acquiescence of Mr. GRENFELI., en Alteratioft
was made in the date of one of the order' toad. yes.
tricky, in consequence of the motion of the latter.
mentioned Gentleman.
It eiE OS' INTEREST.
Mr. Sotjeant ONSLOW gave notice, that no the
10th of February he would submit to the 11,,ese a
motion respecting the Rate of Interest of Money.
, RAN SPORTATIO N.
Mr. BENNETT gate notice, that on the 9th of
February he would mere for the appointment of a
Committee to enquire into the condition of the !folks,
into the made of trausportine Coarects, and into the
.date of the Colonies to Which they were sent.
TILE ARMY.
On demotion of Mr. CA LCRAFT, a Rehire was
ordered to be laid beton the Hone of the offewslee
strength of the Officers, Non-commissioned Officers,
sod Privates of the Army, on the 25th of January,
1819, distinguishingrho Foot Castile from she other
forces. Also a Relate of the effective strength of
the Royal Artillery at the aims period. distinguish.
ibg theme serving at hems from those serving abroad.
Ales • Rotors of the establishmeut of Storekeepers.
General on the let of January, 1819.
FOROIRY.
Sit J. MACINTOSH gave notice (bet for what
day We know net, he eieneenisese of the usage which
we easy perhaps be attested to say Is too prevalent
anew% Heneerable Contemns, of dropprg their
voices at the mast interesting pert of their staram.nts)
that he would sera for a Return of the 'loather of
Prosecutions for Ferrety by the Honk of England
deer the last Return+. He also intimated that he
would grail himself of the opporeonity which that
motion would land him, of making some oh .
Lions on the important Report of the Commirsioners
appointed for enquiring into the mode of preventing
the Forgery of Bank-notes.
COMMITTEE (IF SUPPLY.
Mr. BROG DEN brought op the Report of the
Committee of Supply, the Resolution of which was
agreed to.