The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1822-12-04

fore, wi,h this pretended eo.nmisse's''' NJ
Which would involve in las constquenccs, ia
most swtai csissuophe, and loosen, not 70 10
rebound, the bonds ei the community lha'
which has long been a chimers OF speculative
politicians, q state OF nature, would IN 'eeh'7
tske place. Simple execution seems 81! Not
is necessary, even for capital dsmesnois.
We need DOT have recourse 10 ibe euaIie'Ing'
burning sDd unI fbed cruelIies OF The English
law. In England also, stealing horse Is re-
wsrded with the gibbet, snd.equslly luokless
is he, who fatally putloiDs the least trifie a.
boye the value OF a shilling Dea'h - the
sober minded, has enough ci horror, without
fictitious secompsnimenls. These ooly serve
TO harden and corrupt. Loss CT personal
fresdom, is diameticaiy opposite to The spir-
i, OF Rupobicso manoers, Chough not unus-
usi ia R:2ubiies,) and on This account mo'e
proper 20 impress gloom, remorsc and Peni-
,rnce on the minor offender Yet the ex.
pense of supporting supefnumersfy Jaiis enc
state prisons, Dotwli outstanding the boosted im-
ptovemenls IN the Isuer, has been universally
found gIevious and burdeDscne. 4 balance
of debt, on liquidation OF charges, becomes
due al the end Of every yeat Large sta,es
alone have occasion for such ssylums, or can
deiTsy ,be expenditures. The cruelty of i'm
nIurioe honest bahkrup,s in prison, now cur
so'iiy mentioned, might afford matter CT dis
cussion Tor a volume. Whipping, cropping
snd b. anding, Sufficiently descanted on,
shor! lime past, ~ another pspes, complies
the-catalogue OF corporal remedies. 10 me,
IL sppesrs, that nextioimpnscnmen' and ey-
cn sometimes in preference 10 II, fines ard
pecun;siy muio.s, where practicable, would
be si;ended with veiy saiuls'y elect. No
passion like a,afioe, ,ekes so s,iong and uni-
form a hold ot the woss, ailtcIon.. |, is ey-
iden, too, the .ensibiiiy OF reputation, TO be
touched, ough, not 10 he eXhngui'hed. by
these methods, We must punish our cfiminal
--fo' how else can We punish them In the
p'incipaliies OF modern Italy, even noble
men, on The ground Of o'geiy end other
c'ines, have tetn compelled to Tabor in tho
sing's esi'eys; hut we have no galleys, nor n
Botpry Bay, whittier we may send our exilea
land tor .ha, reason, iurn ths N our, IN mere
charity, TO in mmode our neighbor and sig.
ter siates. The laws oi Moses. uhdoub,ediy
e. Disb Us with the best lega. code, ye, shan.
Cd and ai,empeted to the prevailing cha, ac,er
oi tha, peculiar nation, the Jews. Some de.
iects nevertheless, are promihen, in lis erin.
inal ju'isp, uSlence. This science has msny
"ES' peSh af''NinH, even 10 us pfeSeDi la
men,oble era Of imper rfecton. The ancier,
Greeks and Romans had hardly faint idea {
The od,qusey o. punishment, which III, uld
always be p'opott;ona,e 10 Cline The lep.
isianon OF Lycurgus cDcoufagtd ,beh--aod
thesordinsncss of Dracp, The A,herian. wece.
Tor then nDdis,inenishing severity, said 10 L.
written in b'cod. In Rome, mu der Was or.
tee comhitt.d win impuni y, srd The s,ipbt.
est tilence, perhaps avenged by i.ap fror
The Jatpcian Rotk. Public or ptiyate viz,
tue, 10 all eccient tribonals, were wanionlv
itHoioia'ed at lie altar OF popular OF tyrsnol:
fury. The total lcrg conUnucd dsi ness Of
Gohic iSnoraGce succeeded. B.nefi Of clcr-
gy, The o'ig'n o! mode q 70 doas, wa. extend.
cd TO tbe priesthood and the learned. ,jll IN,
per eIpeira,ion Of ibe thi d hagrsnt ac.-,nd ALI
the res, were hanged. Jhos, shoe kipc .,
relate, unlnio'med Wen were excluded from
piy, while slliainous Gle k, orr teachers nc
the holy gospel, who ought to have known
better, escaped the exemplary jus,rc Of their
county. lie, ~ not emulate, IN Gods name.
the batbari'y Of those times. Sburning N,
torture, end wr,ck OF the excruci,ing whcc,.
hat engine OF inquisitotial de. .po'i:m, as w.
lice iroIu this Scvlla, let us not rush on ,b,
opposite Cha'yhdis, so fatal TO our pcsce, Of
indiscriminaie mercy, and indiscree, comras.
stun. BECCARIA
- 50 :u