New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-05-03
Crime and Punishment in England.

II may perhaps be regarded as rather n fOrtu-
tunate circumstance tha, hr Ewsrt did not succeed
when be las, moved Parliament the subject, in
ring his proposition for the abolition Of capital pun.
shmcnt. Sure are, that, If such measure had
twelve months received the sencti0n Of the Legs
ature, popular reactiOD 10 favor Of return .
culinary penal code would have been the inevitable re-
suit OF that alarming Increase Of murder in its most
aggravated and strOciOus FORMS which the closing
Spring Asszes have Just revealed 10 the public eye
See the Consequences It would have been said Of
morbid philanthropy. This lie your work, philOso
piers Of pcrfecliblty With the Disappearance Of
the gallow. bloody crime "a rampant and society has
course but 10 seek refuge under the wing Of Drs
CONAN code
Asitis, the criminal calendar happens to teem fpe
ciay with that class Of crime which alone for some
years past has been usual 10 visit with death punch
ment This fact might reasonably, we think, have
served TO rcstrA the note OF triumph Ia which TIE
adveTsaries Of the humanitarian school AZ penal s~
refOrmers Dcknsmed at present choose 10 Indulge
Ine murders Of the season however are by some
OF ingenious contemporaries dllsted upon in the
view Of covering with confusion, not only the phan
thr0pists but the friends OF peace and rotrenchment
With such examples before us, says the Morning
ChOAicie, we may well refuse 10 accede 10 the sue
gettons of those who recommend us IN fond reliance
the segscity the philanthropy Of our nsghbors
~ throw away the deieuses OF military strength ard
transactions with foreign states TO have recourse
sterner weapons than those Of argument and per
suatiOn.' 20 that on the reasoning o this inoraist
20 abandon al hopes ct arbitration aupersedng
an appeal to In OF international difference.
because the fensibtfs Of society are OccfsiOnsly
shocked by the atrocities Of which m0nsers Ike Rush
are guilty Admirable l0gican " IT," continues o.
cotempOrery we are ever convinced OF the reality ~
such reformation in the principles OF human nature,
would induce 20 disbsud troops and turn
spear into pruning hooks, Ill., Al least not % UHtu he
royd Of eioi Justice has FRET fallen into disHss Finsn
cisl Reforms accordingly must abolish the Old Bailey
before this critic will entertain their demand for re
duction 81 the army and navy. II would really seem
II our cOtemF0Iary believed rU 10 DO the proper
remedy for murder, aud large military armamenis the
lt IA Ia tt4
Our chief objection to capital punishment and war,
The latter being neither more nor less than capital pun
ishment a national Gcae,s their tendency 10 isni
larze the public mind with deeds Of violence and
blood committed under the sanction OF legal authority.
In the superior deterrent efficacy OF capital punish.
ments the passions of the cnmnsly disposed clases
do not believe Blu, even that consideration Is be-
yOnd the question. Nobody can doubt mt II The lear
of dGih deters from crime, the fear OF Gtdh by t0rrt
would still deter. Few, however, will advocate
return to the barbsrous puDshmenis OF our ances'
tors. And why Simply becauee what we gained In
preventive penal power would be lost in the orutslns
Influences which a resort To such repressye means
could fal TO exert the general community. Oar
oppone nts therefore constrained to confess that
lie not the only element Of punishment sHd ;ha
a more enlarged eXpediency must requisite our views
OF the question. The sole difference between us and
the m H. that draw the line sooner than they do
They stop only at death by torture We stop at the
simple deprivation Of lite We are consecutive they
are inconsecuuve We mold morality 10 be the measure
and limit Of all punishment; the only boundary they
acknowledge is the near expectancy OF us deterIins
effect on the criminal mind Why, then, on their own
principles should cruelty and torture be admitted
TO bar its operation
Some may deem II nopportune thus 10 moot the
question OF capital punishment, at time when paolc
Indignation has been 50 naturally and Justly excited BY
series Of a,rocous murders altogether unparalleled
ia the annals of modern crime We think differently
II is necessary to keep principle steadily 10
than when passion tends 10 lead sstrsy II the popu
lsr instinct that would prompt the multitude t. tear
limb by limb the perpeirstor Of tho Leveson-stree
murders 10 to be trusted-if here must recognize
the yor Dei in the FOR Poplwhy. then, there is an
end of the question, and the Legitimacy OF the hr
fahoRis is at once established. We would not indeed
wish to see excluded from human nature the impulsive
against criminal which he thought OF
his crime necessarily ,arouses But we would guard
against these feelings being allowed to influence Grim.
inal legislation Snch result In the present mood OF
the public mind is not improbable; and therefore.
that we enter our calm protest sgsnst the s.rocy
Of crime being supposed TO legitimate the necessity OF
capital punishment