Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-01-19


.aE
N.HH H...",
MN
t H.HNI.
NN|3 H DE- UNH 8..
htiu hHa tH. Us#NU 0N.
If. if# IHu iN iNf HNIHtfNH HN# IH
HHNiIfH WNftN0 HNnf0 Uifl"U
lnHH'IfHNNN. n H0If IfH UO.U...I III.
htt fIt0IN"rm IH. utianlU. fH.t t
ci1ls Nu. lf f' rfrr.uH 6f an tnUm U.t
Code ui lIvH IH.IE como hali Hi DufH0.uI.-
t11 hltU recently rWiTIfFd fI f-H tiHfr. a.U|
uuHrIH Un'.d with tHattiHIHH laUs. afd could
slouef hODlWr Mmiliaf Wlih aar Codr. tau|
tta ETH, iHf oHFt Ht IF tude ct iU4. Uat
~ M hNd Should tdu, It's yaur w.aIoul do.
c.IacucunI Va the i.ffa hs raohauf ha N,.|
y.rd Statutes, ii wijl ht necessary in uutHntisu|
.I provide ior ihe fc.pHneng ol lhe Code On
tH.l Il order lhut those UiHrtfs. n8w destitute.
H' ho supplied Mo beet interests OF ho
ardiztd, iu consequence OF ouf
pubu .,Us bchg una6S % ohtun complete
seiis Of ihc existing emtulea. 1Acfr anoso,|
Guilty iar Iiic, liberty, OBJ property, do1d5tr .fe-
he peo e, oi access % Csc laws. A ncv /
criminal odendopted % the pcnitendur, s,a-
tfm, Wiu teguiv your carly attention. The
--lQG 'rs1Q l-Ln q .faWd mogrpm ol compile
uon, rnd Wll be re1ty torhe Hcd1uuH6 r TT
ylcis in q icW mouths. The severity oI NO cX-
lsJing Code, 1ud thc great number Of crimes
punishob,e bf death, prevent los enforcement
Laws THAT outrage pubhcopiujou are byt seldom
eEecuttd-ihe spirit % tHe age Is opposed to
hanging, branding, cropping. whipping. and the
pillory crimes are punished Tor the sake OF the
example, and The certainty Of conviction Is a
much surcr preventive Of crime, than severity
OF punishment, Having examined with some
care the fourth Book Of prays Revised Stututes,
choerlully recommend i to your favorable
consideration, with some slight changes, IL
would secure society against the agercssious Of
the dcprayod und by cnsuling the conviction
at the gulltN operate as a salutory example.
and thus deter others from the preparation of
crime, Solitary confinement at hard labor,
would have more powerful effect, Ia prcycnt-
lag crime, than amy otbermode OF punishment.
The reyisor has wisely recommended, that
Murder and Arson, ~ the first degree, and
Treason, Alone should be capltnlly punished
and HAT executions should take place Ia the
Prison or Prison yard, inihe presence OF ccftan
officers. The horid spectacle Of an execution
effects no good; on the contrary, il usuoy Cy-
cites the sympathles of the beholdeIs, and in
their eyes, the ielon becomes a martyr. It al
system OF Criminal jurisprudence was so gra-
duated, MS clearly TO mark out tho various de-
grcos OF crime, and uiix the appropriate pun
i5hmcnt. convictions woHld become almost cor
tain, and lho majesty Of the Law be vindicatcd
the Code proposes all these objects and, in
addition, Il defines, with great precision, every
species Of cume-desghates the manner ofar-
resting the accused, and of proceeding in the
trial. IL is unjust 90 punish those who caunotI
readily ascertain what is prohibited. underI
the existing system, itreqaires learned law-
yer, after consulting an immense mass Of books,
to find out the long catalogue Of uiltncea pun
ishablo by g,atute, and az common Law.
TO prevent, if possible, the lawlcss octs oil
violence which have so long eonc unpublished
in the State, and oput down those harpics who
ale preyingon the community, and wrestling
from our citizens their hard earnings at the
cunning table, ! recommend to your cunsjdera-
ton the propriety Of giving compensation, %
the shape OF tax fees, to the District Atlor-
ncys A certain sum should be taxed m ihg
bill of costs, commensurate with the difficulty
Of procurnpa conviction, to DO collected out
Of the defendant. A tax fee of one hundred
dollars, for each conviction, would soon drive
the Faro Dealers from the purlious of the
Capitol, and flom the towns and villages which
they have been SO long robbine. No add,
tional burhen would be thrown on the State,