The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-26 00:00:00

XECUTIONE FOR FORGERY

• following remarks on the frequent esecetions'
tNglantl, for the forgery of Bank notes are given as
e rellecaorts of a foreiper on a tour in Great Bri- ,
t sin: They are well entitled to consideration not only
front their intrinsic weight, bat as actually being the
shoughts of one who is now a staunch supporter of
the present system or government, and no less a per-
',Asset than the Poet' Laureate, Mr. Southey. They
are extracted from one of the volumes of the amusing
1.P.T711111 fillOY ENGLAND, which he published about
ixteen years ago, wirier the assumed garb of a trans-
latios from the Spanish, by DON MANULL ALVARIti
t_APHIELLA:

The frequent executions for forgery in England are
justly considered by the humane and thinking part of
the people, is Peputreast to justice, shocking to huma-
nity, aid ellairaceful to the nation. Death has been
the uniform pouishment in every ease, though it is
seareely pomible to conceive a crime capable of so
many modifications of guilt is the criminal. The most
powerful intercessions have been made for mercy, and
the most powerful arguments urged in vain; no in-
stenee has ever yet been known of pardon. A Doctor
of Divinity was exeruted for it in the early part of
:he present reign. who, though led by prodigality to
the commission of the deed for which be suffered, was
the most useful as well as the most popular of all
:heir preachers. Any regard to his clerical character
was, as yon may well suppose, out of the question in this
land of schism; yet earnest entreaties were made in
nig behalf. The famous Dr. Johnson, of whom the
Englieh boast as the great ornament of his age, and
as one of the best and wisest men whom their country
has ever produced, and of whose piety it will he sual-
ekent praise to say that he was almost a Uatlt••lic,—he
atienuotoly exerted himself to procure the pardon of
this unfortunate man, on the ground that the punish-
ment exceeded the measure of the offence, and that the
life of the offender might usefully be passed in retire-
ment and penitence. Thousands who had been bene-
fited by his preaching petitioned that mercy might be
shown him, and the Queen herself interceded, but in
vain. Diving the interval between his trial and his
exeention, he wrote a long poem entitled Prison i
Thoughts; a far more extraordinary effort of mind
than the poem of Villon, composed under similar cie-
s amstances, for which, in an age of less humanity,
the life of the author was spared. Had the punish-
ment of Dr. Dodd been proportioned to his offence,
he wield have hero so object of pity; but when he
tailored the same death as a felon or a murderer, rum-
passion overpowered the *ease of his guilt, and the
people universally regarded hiss as the victim of a law
inordinately rigorous. It was long believed that his
life had been preserved by connivance of the execu-
tioner ; that a waxen figure had bees buried in his
stead, and that he had been conveyed over to the con-
tiseat.
Wm persons have suffered for.thia offence since the I
law has been enacted than fur illy otter crime. In all I
ether cases palliative circumstances are allowed their
don weight this alone is thesis for which ante is no
resaiseloo. No allowance is made for the pressure of
wait, for the temptation which the facility of the fraud
holds out, stir for the difference betweru offences !
Mallet neutral or enlist political law. More merci-
less this Draco, or than those inquisitors who are'
never mentioned in this country without an abhorrent
expression of real or affected hotnanity. the commer-
cial legislators of England are satisfied with nothing
hat the life of the offender who sins against the
which is their Holy of Holies. They sacri-
ficed for this offence one of the ablest engravers in
the kingdom, the inventor of the dotted or chalk en-
-s=ng. A meehaeic has lately suffered who had
a ambles to go *lama homes, and peeved its
sasoess by travelliog in it himself about forty Irtagnl.
A man of respectable family and unblemished conduct
has jest boss meet in Ireland, because, when re-
dacted by unavoidable misfortunes to the utmost dis-
tress, he committed a forgery to relieve his family from
absolute want.
There is an easy and effectual mode of preventing
• the repetition of this offence, by amputating the
thumb; it seems one of the few crimes fur which
mutilation would be a fit punishment. But it is a
part of the lieglisit system to colonise with criminals.
It is got the best mode of colonising; nor, having
adopted it, do they manage it in the best manner. Of
ail crimes. then should seem to be sone for which
change of climate is so effectital a caress for forgery;
and as there is none which liveries" in itself so little
tastral depravity. nee which is so freqoutly committed,
it is evident that thaw eemiless executions deprive
..Yew South Wales of those who world be its most
meekl members. men of ingenuity, less depraved.
mid better *dogma in general, than any other
convicts.
. 1 have sees it recorded of some Baylis!' judge, that
when be was shoat to sentence a man to death for
horoe•stealing. the man observed it was bard he should
Wee his Wafer snip stealing a horse; to which the
;ridge repiled. " You are out be hanged for stealing a
horse, bet in order that horses may riot be stolen."
The rely was as unphilesophical as unfeeling; but
it is the fishiest among the English to assert that pre-
vention is **end of punishment. and to disclaim any
rineiple of vengeance, though vengeance is the faun-
*ties of all penal law, divine and human. Proceed-
epee this fallacious principle, they necessarily
swage lie attempt et proportioninr the punishment to
the elfeocts sad offences are punished, not according
to the degree of moral guilt which they indicate in
the °leader. hot wording to the facility with which
r3ifsep can be ememitted, mid to their supposed things(
be comminutes ee the commeuity. Dot even tattoo
difs primer's. it is no longer passible to justify the fry-
"teat azacetteas for forgery; the end of presrutien is
amt answered, sad maarrdly the eirrina?nt has been
toed. inilkisotli and safficien!ly often.
other man. 'ream are held more venial us the
omaptation *smote is stronger, note being frail by
moth* t in this the punishment is sande heavier in pre-
woos to the strosteh of the temptition. Is
is dm dm, of the dank Directors fo reader tbt,
aalegoil *gory as Alkali is possible, Thrt
am Ahead bq adeptiag *private lambi in their Mira;
wink es ore amaist to be private. cal never ea.
able she to ho epos their guard. Such means
any it impeosibir that a him bill shosid pass

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