Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-09-15

p~unishment."+ The public mind appears 10 have
been settling down into an aversion to the condemna-
ton of crime. How difficult was il, a few years
since, TO get on with the trial of Robinson, the I'M
questioned murderer of Ellen Jewett2 How loudly
did some Of the newspapers Chose echoes of public
sentimenO plead in his bchalfl When was ever u
murder committed with more deliberate malice or in
more aggravaiing circumstances than that of Adams
by Colt2 Yet, (says n writer in the Biblical Reposi-
tory) the periodical highest in political standing, and
probably most powerful in our country,-represents
Colt as the sufferer of vindictive vengeance and ar.
raigns all before whom his cause came, in legal pro.
&c ding, as lis guilty infic ers. The law and its ri.
bunals are condemned the murd ercr justified! The
law Frustrated before the male,actor; the tide of sym.
pathy sustaining the ofle,ider, Justice down trodlen
and the public safety forgotten in the strong sympa-
thy for the criminai! In one paper we read the pre-.
sentiment of o grand jury soleinnly protesting, that
pardons arc granted so easily that the administrator
Of the criminal law is n useless expense; in another
we have the message of the Governor-the dispenser
Of these %pardons, deplosing the relaxation of criminal
justice and complaining that the court and jury con-
victlng and sentencing one day, TO mercy
md icIIi,sion the next!'
The ease with which pardons are obtained for the
most obnoxious criminals is another evidence of a
dangerous relaxsti lion of criminal law. l. s estimn.
ted by an able jurist that the majority OF sentences
for life have been put III end to, by pardon, within
four or five years the term which these sentences for
NEST attrocious crimes had been allowed TO run, I'M
der the paIdoning power, not being equal 10 what the
Legislature had prescribed for minor offences.
Look at the state Of public sentiment in respect 10
the swindl ers of the public revenue. How next to
impossible TO obtain a verdict aaains, one Of these
honorable gentlemen, even while he stands before the
court and the country with the fruits of his iniquity
in his hands7
How many men in office have stolen money from
the state ard general government by hundreds of
thousands, and yet, instead of being branded as
thieves and brought to justice, they have been suffer-
ed TO go at large; and the worst that is said of them
is they have failed Or " they have been %unfortu-
nate"
The defnlcations Of men in public trus, in the city
Of New York alone, in 1912, is set down in the pub.
lie newspapers, at SG70, 600. What is the remedy 7
In nine cases out OF ten, none is applied. The cloth
which these rogues wear and the lc%gerdemain of the
law, shi Ids them. When such deeds, in high places
go unpublished, they send a most pernicious influence
through all ranks ofsociety. Ills a sort of premium
upon dishonesty.
While the public morals are deteriora,ing and crime
and perfdy are growing bold and frequent, is it a time
TO relax the wholesome restraints of law? Is not this
rowing the wrong way? Ought there not 10 be an
increase, instead of remission, of penalty? think l
see another reason for maintaining and enforcing in all
its strength our criminal code. | find it in the char
acier Oft large portion of The foreign population COM
ing among us. The hope is cherished in royal paia-
cs OF destroying our government by flooding it with
a certain sort of population. These foreigners nj
home have been accustomed to a strong government.
They come here and breathe an air more free than
their lungs can bear. Said an INTEL gent Irishman 10
me the other day, "Your government will never do
for the lower class Of the foreigners Its restraints
are so mild and It's authority so distant and invisible,
that they will neither respect nor fear /: they
will feel themselves invited by it to the commission of
crime" Is it then a time 10 relax the criminal law !
In my next paper, l shall consider tie ends Of the
criminal code:
With much respect,
Yours iruly. G.