Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-09-02

expire by the sentence of the law, most sipgula
enec' IS pfoduced the sufferer, whatever be his crime
becomes hero or 4 saint: he is the object of pub
TIC attention, curiosity, admiration and pity Chart,
supplies all his wants, and religion proves her power by
exhoihDg the oucast and murderer, though unwortb,
10 ENJOY existence upon earth, yet purified from the
stain of his vices and crimes converted by her apenc
INTO an accepted candidate for the happiness of
he lifted above the fear of death BY the
and prayers of the pious the sinner
the tender attentions of responsibility, beauty and
worth; his prison becomes place OF pe rnage its fen
ant, saint awaiting the crown of martyric,n s l,,
looks watched with affectonate soiciude his last
words are carefully remembered and recorded his last
agonies are bched with aiciion and despar and after
suffering the ANONYMOUS sentence Of the law the body
Of the culprit, whose death was ina.ny and whose Ito
was crime, Is attended respectfully and mourrflllv ,o
the grave, 10y train that would have disgraccd the
obsequies oil patriot or hero. This sketch tIourb
highly coioured is drawn from life; the inhabitants of
one oi tie most refined and wealthy of state k
sat Tor The picture; and although such exalted feelings
are not always excited prudeny reprcssed vet
hcy arc found IN nature; and in wiacve degree hov
exist cannot be doubted, that in the same proportion
they counteract every good effect that punishment is in
tended to produce. The hero of such tragedy "a,
never consider himself the actor of mean or rno
Die part nor can the people view in the object of their
admiration pity, murderer and robber whom tle y
would have regarded with horror, their feelings had
not been inudicousiy enlisted in his favour. Thus the
end of the law is defeated, the force of examine s To-
tally lost and the place of execution is converted int
scene OF triumph for the sufferer whose crime is who'll
y forgotten, while his courage, resignation or pcty
mark him as the martyr, not the guilty VICTIM of the
laws. 49,
where laws SO directly at war with ,lc fnel;nrs
OF the people whom they govern, as this and many
other instances prove them 10 be, these can never
DC WISE or operative, and they ought 10 be abolished.
qua ieseS SINE n0ri6us p1vfciuni' But If
laws unsupported by the morals of the people are inc fiji
Gent how can reasonably expect that they will have
any efect' when they are couneracted by moral feel
ngs well as by ideas of religion THIS is the effect
OF caPai punishnens IN country where they arc not
commonly inflicted. Let what is their re
suit where they are unhappily frequent.
IN England great portion of the eoquencc and
learning, anu all the humanity of the nation aie al wo
m an endeavour not 10 abolish the punishment of death
(ihat proposition would be too bold in government
where reform in any department, might lead TO rcyolu
on IN ALL bnt 10 restrict 1t 10 the atrocous often
ces. his las produced parliamentary inquiry in
The course of which the reports TO which IIaye alluded
before were made. Oae OF them contains the cxami.
nations OF witnesses before committee Of tie House of
Commons From of these, that of solicitor who
hau pIaclsed Tor more than twenty years the criin
nal courts, make the following extracts
I'm the course OF my practice have found that the
Puhishnt nj oil death has no terror upon thief
indeed, IT Is much more the subject of ridcue among
them than of serious deliberaion. The certain ap
proach Of ignomnious death does not seem IN
upon them, for after the warrant has come down have
seen them treat II with Ieyity. once saw man for
whom had been concerned the day bcf]re his xecu
ton, and Offering him condolences and expressing nv
concern at his situation, he replied with an air of ndi-
ference, players at bowls expect rubbers' and
tins man heard say that it only Il few minutes a
KICK and struggle and all The fate of one
set of culprits, instances had 10 effect even on
those who next TO be reported for execution; they
play at ball and pass their Jokes nothing was the
matter. have the last separation of persons
about.to be executed there nothing of soiemnity
about IT, and it like the parting for country
Journey than taking their last farewell | mention
these things, 10 sscw what little fear common THE,
| nn IN tam of 81
being arrested in their wicked courses By the distant
possibility OF its infcon, they inundated
by its ccrtaintyn
'Ano,er of these respectable witnesses IA magistrate
of the capita) being asked, whether lie thought that
capital punishment bad much tendency 10 deter crirn-
mails from the commission of offences, answered. 81 do
not believe it is well known those who are con
rersant with criminal associations this town that
that the execution of one of their body seldom
has tendency TO dissolve the coniederacv or 10 Diet err
The remaining associates from the continuance of their
former pursuits Instances have occurred within
own jurisdiction 10 confirm in this opinion During
one sitting as magistrate, three persons brought
before me for utteIing forged notes. During the nvcs-
tgaton discovered that those notes were obta inct
from room in which the body of person named Wheeler
eXecued the preceding day, for the oence) then
laid, and that the notes i'll question delivered
culaton by with whom he had living This
IS (hc adds) stroug but have that is
but one of very many others. -
Here, then, is the case of woman who delivered
forged notes for circulation from the very room in which
the dead body of the executed forger at that very
moment lay The execution having taken place On tie
day preceding, and the criminal executed probably the
forser of those very notes. being wit wIom she
had been living How idle is il TO talk of the punish
meDt of death as an exanpe-of its power TO deter
others from the commission of the like Offences how
worse than foolish to continue TO repeat this theory and
TO legsatc with reference TO it, when the experience
OF life EXHIBITS such facts these, and when those
whose official situations afford them the best means
Judging, declare that they and ordinary oc
cnrrcnces! No circumstances which the Imagination
could possibly invent could show the neicacy Of this
punishment in SO striking light as this proof Of il de-
rived from real life.
We cannot enter into tho statement OF tic reason:
which have induced this truly enlightened legislator tC
propose the abolition Of the punishment of dealt, ever
for the crime of murder. He discusses the subject il
most mastery manpcri the reader, are persuaded
viii now need no assurance Of tbs: may add thai
the investigation is conducted throughout with tic ut
most candour, and we deeply feel that we could render
no better service 10 our country than by inducing
CouDtrymen, had we the power 10 induce them not on
~ 10 read, bot seriously consider the important fact