Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-10-13

humane, and generous people should have !
SO long endured this weak and batbSrous !
policy; or why America should be fond !
1t retaining any part OF system, as inef-
Ieclual as is severe !"
Compare the codes OF other nations with !
lha, of England.
In China, whose population exceeds
one hundred millions, The only crimes pu-
nished with death are murder and trea-
SON, and we are informed tina, only temper
Sous are executed in year.
In l76i, IN Russia The punishment of
death. except for treason, was abolished,
AID travellers IN that country concur IN
the declaration that the people are as st
cure IN their persons and property, as they
were under the bloody code that former
iy prevailed.
Speaking of the eae9 of the reformed
code of Tuscany, Gen. Lee says: g When
the present grand duke assembled the du-
Cal throne, he found IN Tuscany The most
abandoned people of all I,aiy, filled with
robbers and assassins. Every where, lCr
4 series Of years previous TO the govern
meot Of ths excellent prince, were seen
gallows, wheels, and tortures Of every
KIND: and the robberies ard murders
we're not at all less frequent. He had
read and admired the marquis of Becca-
RIA, and determined to try TIE ehecl
of his plan He put stop to ali capital
pun1shments, even for the greatest
crimes and the consequences have CON
vnced the world OF it's wholesomeue
The galIeys aud slavery for a Certain term
u years, or for life, in proportion TO Ihe
crime, have accomplished, what an army oil
han5men with their hooks, wheels & glib
bets, could not. In short, TUSCANY, from
heiBg threaire of the greatest crimes
AID viIIsi"i,s Of every species, is become
The safest and best ordered state OF Eu-
rope."
Ia Sweden, it appears from Mr.. Cha.
teau, thai great reform III the penal code
has been attended with the happiest eli
lecls.
1" Denmark the code is 50 mild hat
the punismnentofc Death rarely ntiictec
and Yet mr. Howard iniormsus hat "night
,..h6eries arc never heard VI IA Copenha-
gen"
In the doninions of the Emperor of
Germany, without any permanent change
al the penal code, en- imperial requlsitiou
10 the Judges, " TO be mild i'll their sen
fences, and never 20 nflicl capital punl>b-
ments without nee .lty," has been fol-
lowed by The best.e ti,-ct.
The pun,sb ment OF hard labour," sav
Mr.. Bra ford - which Is he CO recllun u.s.
Hicted (end inflicted @ilh grea, miidness)
anon al crimes IN Holland, except those
o u very high degree, is attended with
th~ mos; beneficial effects. These rssull
principalt from the exc llent management
wh:ch prevails III The Rasp aud SPIN Hou-
res. MIR. Howard paid particular a,tentl-
onto these wise and benevolent institutions,
add he Informs IS, that many have been
ret rned and nave come out OF The RasD
houses sober and hOuest; and that some
hnve even chosen To continue TO work 10
hem, alter their discharge. The great
rbicct ended 10 ~ these betterinE b,u-
sss tIS dizzy are very property caIled) is
- reclaim and reiurm The criminal aud
81. sequence Is, that by checging The
= nag Fender in his Grst attempts. gross
crime ne prevented. Accordingly we
had, mat the executions are very rare,
he annual average IN ali the United Pro.
mac-s, beng from four to six.
"a amsterdam, which contains above
25O0 600 people there were but six per.
IONS executed IN the twelve years preced-
ING 1877. IiId that there were in the
saUe time no less than FIVE hundred and
seventy two persons hanged or burnt III
London and Midd!esex and of these at
least lhree iourlhs were under twenty
years Of age. Even the smaller cHences
do not greatly abound il Holland: and
the success OF these mild ins,Iluiions con-
Firms The grea, prinoip.e which is che mot
10 OF this work :"
Afer weighing the force Of these faas
no correcl or humane mlad viii hesitate
70 snbscribe to ,he following remarks Of
the same writer.
One would think, that in nation iea-
lous OTIS liberty, these important truths
would never be overlooked; and, that the
inilctiun Of death the highest act of pow.
er that man exercises over man, would
seldom be prescribed, where its necessity
was doubtful. Bul on no subject has 90.
vernment, in different parts Of the world,
discovered more Incidence and inattel,ti-
on, ihen IN. tie Construction or reform Of
the penal code. Legislators feel them
e.. .t...- 81. Il II. a. T.