American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-08-20
PENAL JURISPRUDENCE.

/ The great subject of Penal Jurisprudence begins
to arouse the attention oil able and rejecting men
lin the United States In the course OF the next
two years we may expect to see great exerlions
made for the improvement oil the Penitentialy Sys.
tenn, and for the more nice and judcious graduation
lot punshments TO crimes and offences. " have
lately received very interesting work from New
Orleans, from the pen oil Edward Livingston, Esq.
Ii; being Report to the General assembly OF the
State Of Louisiana, on the plan Of Penal Code
for that state Mr.. Livingston has long been con-
sidered as one OF the ablest writer's, well as one
OF the most distinguished jursts in this country and
| he is now engaged in a work we'll suited to his ca.
opacity and experience He prefat es his plan by an
Introductory address Of about 100 psges-wrilten in
style of vivid eoqucnce, and breathing the senti-
menis and expressing the opinions oil man well
acquainted with his subject. MIR Livingston re-
Jects capital punshmens altogether, and in all cases.
The following comprise the generic punishrlsnts
which This new code is to adopt l, pecunsry fines;
z, degradation from office s, simple imprisonment;
4, temporary suspension OF civil rights S, perma.
nent deprivation Of civil rights g. imprisonment at
hard labour z, solitary confinement during certain
intervals OF the Imprisonment TO be determined in
the sentence. This list exhibits most striking
contrast when compared TO, the criminal code Of
Great Britain, which prescrbes death Tor about two
hundred offences Nor can we stop here 1t exhb-
us contrast scarcely less striking when compared
with that portion of the civil law which relates TO
crimes and punishments, and from which the state
oil Louisiana has borrowed many of her municipal
regulations in relation to property, and The practice
OF her courts. We do not here mean to say, that
the penal code of England assmlates itself to the
civil law, except in the rigor and cruelty Of its pro-
visions.
We are happy that Mr.. Livingston is engaged
in work which will not only prove Of great impor.
tance to the new state OF which he is distinguished
cltizen but OF much importance to the union large
We are happy to find that many Of his views COM
port with the views expressed in the Report which
we lately noticed on the Penitentiary system in the
United States. Evening Post.
Representation an COngress.-We have more
than once found ourselves at loss to recoect the
exact number OF Representatives apportioned 10
each State, according to the Fourth Census. The
other day. we recolect, we attributed TO the state
OF New York thirty-fve Representatives, when in
TACT and In truth, as the lawyers say, she has but
thlrty-iour which error we correct as soon as dis
covered; though, in such host, one more or less
was not very material. To avoid similar mistakes
lor the future. we have made out list for our own
use and as others may have as bad memories as
ourselves, we publish it for the use of our readers.
! ne following is the rate Of apporonment, accor'
ling to which, the Members Of the House OF Re-
'resentatives for the Congress are be chosen,
the present Congress being composed according to
he old ratio) The whole hummer is 2l2, eScu-
i've OF the three Delegates of whom