The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-11-17

in unanimous opinion that the public iutereit demand
ed the immediate repair OF The damage fultaied ana
there was fund from which the funs neceiiary
to desrsy the expense could be drawn, it recon-
mcnded 20 the inspectors to raiie shem Oil sher in
diydual credit. This they have done, aud the bad-
ing has been repaired the mot economical and ell
teetua manner, and rendered much fecursr a,aint
tnre timlar diiaters than 1t in its original fate.
In addition to the REPAIRS they have found it neceary
TO erec at FINAL expence additional work hop.
The amount OF dburiements for theie objects is four
teen thoIiapd four hundred forty. two dollars 6f-
ty one cents, Tor the Reimbursement Of winch they
now apply to the uitce OF tine Legislature. They fur
Their rate that the rilitutiou embarraed by aebts
contracted by their predeceIors in Office, amounting
to 5000 dollars SO cents. OF this fun 1000 dollars
have been paid from their private puries which they
requet may be refunded to ,nrn and proviion made
! ior the dlcharge of the balance. An iuttuton 10
honorable the juice and humanity of the govern
nen, will, confidently hoped, continue to ENJOY
the patronage OF the Legislature.
a bill drawn at the inltance Of the inspectors, pro-
pong additional penalties for the greater iecrity of
the Prilon and of its internal government will be pre-
tented to the lcatur-. The in ction OF capital pun
i.hnent i'll certain cafes will be found among its pro-
vilions. How far iuch alteration in the CRIMINAL
code may be deemed departure from the principles
Oh which the iriittuton founded, and how Tar j.
would be conionant to juitce and legal policy, viii
require, gentlemen, your FERROUS and deliberate conf
deraton Ii 1t be an clement Of the polisca theory
OH which government is erected that it is veasd
with rights but uch derived from the pdi-
viduals competing the community, and it be admitted
that individuals have not the ri dfpoe OF ,hrr
own lives, may be reaonably DOUBTED whether th,.
government, juitfy the mftsion of capital pul;i
men: N any cafe fanetioned by the divine man
date. Its policy ALTO may be doubted. The prnc,pal
obv9 of puni.anent is the prevention of CRIME. 10
him who depr we'd of liberty for life Geath can have
md fnp Of
enfeeblsd by she apprehension of Consequences While
on this iubjeet gcnteel, permit iugget TO yon
the propriety ol revon of your ~ item OF criminal
Jurisprudence Certainly great Improvements have
been made III it, it IS however itiil far from bvg per
feet, and is uiceps.5le OF further amendn,ent. IL IS of
the offence Of every good fysm ;,at there be dne
appo-tonmens OF puniihment crirre eliminating TN.
latter by its degree OF moral turptde, and it's coni-
qaences to fociety -CoTei.clg wilh the lower or
der Of felonies ihall ind unwarr .ntabIe differ
ence in the degrees Of puiihment annexed to grand
and petit laEeenies, and yet eis conhi-
iues the eHental dieTe:.ce between thels offences
Tbs is not the only objection. The administration Of
ju!tice being committed than thirty udicato-
ries offences of the fame grade purified more OF
eis ieveray according the different ideas OF Differ
ent nagiiraes, airing from the great latitude CT
dicretion veited Ill the of juftice the cale,-
dars OF conviction and judgements are examined the
fame offences, probably accompanied with the fame
confinement At hard labor in tbs ate priou for peri
DDS varying from to zen years: They may vary
from TO II years.-While 70 vait diproportion ex
its between the punilhu.enss annexed 10 thefe differ
ent peces of larceny, where IN the degrees of crimn-
ality made of difference is to be perceived finn
pie and compound aTcenies fubeGed TO tle fame
PGnhnent, though the latter generally eyce greater
dePravty and produce greater injury 10 iociety
than the former.
Thus no diitipaion is made between forcibly enter
ing dwelling and committing larceny therein,
where not done hurgariouily, and feloniouly taking
the property Of another when expelled in the hgh-
way
Attending from, the oweR to one of the hieheH foe
cies Of felony, fsiar defect preients ielf In the
crime OF murder there are various degree. OF turpitue
but no determination of puniihnert A deliberate
and Premedtated killing, with exprefs malice is GER
tsiniy more Criminal III the eye of religion and norali-
ty than where the malice srifes by legal Implication
alone. So murder committed by preparation, or at
tempt to Perpetrate any of the higher Offences GER
tainly more CRIMINAL than where IS The confeouence
OF all intended treipais or Of due clution
Thee diitnctlons, perfuaded, accord with pub
lie ientinent, muit be evident all ,hoce who have
witneiied the enbarranent oi jurors, when directed
that the law imPoes upon chem to find guilty OF
murder whom they verify believe never intended to
commit itrhs is placing sben in delicate iituaton,
and offering violence to tender confidence.
The crimes OF forgery and counterfeiting are alto
fuiceptble of Qualification of their various fpecies
Il detailed plan OF iuch Improvement would far e.
coed the proper limits OF tis addrei,. fhal there
fore referve it for future olcaiicn
In the event OF an interruption of the harmony
which has iubted between the United States and the
maritime powers of Europe we cannot but look with
anxiety towards the dcfenceels rate of our PRINCIPAL
iea-port To afford it complete protection againf an
invading force, would require sxpence beyond the
ordinary reourees of the Fate, and is an Object en-
phatiealiy apPeTtaining to the general government
AS tar as may be Effected by militia arrangements
1t is certainly our duty attempt it. fhall for this
purpoie in the corle of felton, fubmit your conf
Iteration plan for organizing brigade of artillery
and corps of engineers to be provided with compe-
tent park of heavy artillery, howitz mortars and the
neeeiary apparatus fo the uie Of hot mot which may
afford protection aganls Gngle hps and even final
fquadrons. An eGiin2te Of the expence viii be iab-
, mitted.
cannot conclude, genlleInen, without calling your
attention to fubject whieh my worthy and hiqbl,
reiPeGted prediction u Office had much at heartand
frequently believe Preiented your view, the en-
conragerens o. literature. In government refine
on public opinion, and deriving its CHIEF iupport from
the affections OF people, religion and morality can
not be too iedulouly ncucated. TO them cierce is
an hand maid; ignorance the WORE os enemies ;lt,
rary information ihoull ;ken be placed within. Tic
reach of every defcription Of e;zens, and poverty
ihould not be permitted to obar,ct the path to sIe
tame o knowledge. Common ichocis under the gui-
dance OF respectable teachers 1ould te eaab,iled in
every village, and the INDECENT be educated at the pu
lie exPence The higher fennaries alioihou,d recsve
i