The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-02-13

.l.e,aa and ArefIf4aus -nsen. y soon c"iil- |
,,l..1,Jy issiro,eh, by fi.. frI ocions ie'iine-
,au..n,I.rel. BID prrmrdha,ed murder 50
sh,..ks tn. srnsibdlfy of all that pity under
gae- tenlIlntarr rXtingu,shment, ana me
sight of m exec atints, fr that CRIME, rNsiiis
neitI,rr sympathy nor llotror IN tlIr behol.
,ls r. I,s,tli bring iost ~ tlmusbi, that ihe
punishment OF death is especial, apPr"pn'
ale tn that guilty deed.
The reflection. should MT he omateh'
Tint dead i;Iaa i lnreser nsrlrss, hnd iiiai
the very worst living man. who can EXIST
may he turned 10 some account lhhi Il
is fiv fault of society, If that IS not d"n',
and that the cost of The experiment, even u
il siOiId iail ofaueeess, Is TOO triiiiii6 l" ne
balanced far one moment against humanity,
by those who may be called upon l" pay
their penny(or dAfra, ing it. Thus l'fgis-
lainrrs ARE utged by every confederation 10
husband the advantage of capital runibh-
fnent, arising from the terror excited by
the examrlc when II ~ very rare, ana 10
reserve il The east of wilinl murder always
excepted for occasions when the dtstrm
tive frequency of sontp infinitely less shock
ing crime, may call perenptorily Tor It's
application.
II !, manifest that no other corporel
punishment than death, etenii torture we're
admitted, can he made proporhonate In
crimes of different degrees, without conse-
anrncts fnll, a,dinadmissihe as that cruel
resource Can Legislature determine by
law the number of turns of the wheel to BE-
made, in raching one criminal, or the num-
her Of stripes To be Indicted upon another
| l. not discretion given 10 Il court or In Il
magistrate, equal 10 full power al hte or
! Il. ,,,InriIa N fIun.a IA great
public excitement
Can any limit b. set by law, which may
not prove unequal in operation tn an absurd
drgrcc, from thai incalculable inequality in
thu capacity 10 endure, W hich must ever dis
tlnguisb men from each other, by their ma
ture llayewe not too much reason "a be.
lieve, that when the punishment is made "A
pnbhc spectacle, all the hardihood of the
criminal is called forth, from which thc ex-
ample too Oflen fails tn give terror to thf
weak, or disgust IL the good, while il leaves
on the mind of the bold, ii feeling Of admira-
ton of heroism, ye,y likely To produce
effects exactly the opposite "i those intend-
ed F;
tits ogiy when the guilty are deprived of
their liberty, to punish them for their Of
fences, that just proporlion between
crimes aud punshments can he established;
| the certainty oil punishment Insured ; the
reformation OF offenders attempted aud
Society indepniiird for the injury sustain
ed.
As long as we indulge a hope of the
amclloration of man by religion, by cduca-
ton, 10y the advancement of that science
upon which his wealth, and consequently
his happiness most depends, by legi5latir,
provisions for the encouragement of indus
try and the improvement u1lastc we must
refrain from exhibiting before his eyes
scenes of violence, anguish, despair and
death by which the ferceness III the bold
and the weakness Of the timd are increas-
ed. Thus, our best feelings are supported
by our reason, in the resolution TO adhere t.
a penlteDtiHry system of punistImcnts, aud
II becomes a paramount duty, 10 look cut
for means to improve lhat which is alrrad y
established among us. At the first view
We discover, that one principal advantage
oi the systcmis almost entirely lost in pui
establishment, as it is now constituted
Obstinate rogucs are bat too often men 81
quick, ready and ingenious minds and
such soon Income so artful in e,ading III,
law, or sltllul in gaining over the public
sympathy, that they oftengo on for IA long
time, farming new schemes, and inventlng
new devices "frogucry all the Will" teach
ing to plant youth, their pernicious lessons
al cunning depreciation.
The mlIdness and the due superintendent
to offences of penltentiary pnnishments
srcIns 10 afford Il very .certain remedy foI
this evil. Offenders are promptly remov
ell from society for the first offence " hicl
eau be found against them aud the mis-
chicvons tendency of their example, Will
their preccpts, as it seems To those who Dc
not pursue the crime farther than the I'M
. nlhrcment OF the criminal, is completely
prevented. But, mixed as our cuu,cts
are mt their work, aud free NJ sAcy mc, ia
converse together IN the day, or tedious
confinement ol the night, instruction IN tho
craft at roguers becomes It4are extensive
than b, fore, because all reasons iJr precau-
tons have ceased, hostility Ia social order
has lecomc vindctiNe, and leisure for pro
pagatlonof mlsclicvous know ledgtis great
" Increased. An experienced maletactnr,
and We shall always have enough of that
description from other countries, takes as
much pleasure IN relating the achievements
tot cunning, with all the details of prepare
ton, aud the accidents of execution, as an
"'d sailor does IN describing the pe,,ls of
The ocean, or veteran soldier in recount
Ing the exploits he has performed, or Wit
nessed,E automatically heard. The na1u.
raj vacancy in the mind OF youthful con
vets, Is thus soon filled, to their everlasting
,uin, by this destructive outlet from the
bapelul acrmony OF their abandoned asso-
ci'trH. The first predatory inclinalions felt
by them, after Il If return into society,
produce strong desire to commence the
practice of the lessons thus received, " hich
must too often triumph aver reason, with
the aid of that despair, which consciousness
OF the contempt Of the world cannot
iah to give rlSc 10 in the minds Of
such 'outcasts from it. RIO guard against
TINS evil, new rule Of pfison disci-
pine should be enforced, in all Prpi-