The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-04

IMrRovExxNr IN THE ADMINISTRATION or
CRIMINAL LAw.--We perceive that Judge In
graham is showing some vigor in the admins
tration of the law, and that he Is sentencing a
number of criminals to the penitentiary and
to State prison. We also observe that
Governor Morgan resists the opportunities of
mistaken philanthropists, corrupt politicians,
and professional pardon beggars who make
living by their successful efforts to let convicts
and feIons loose upon society. He has shown
some frmness in refusing to abuse the pardon
ing power, thus showing true mercy to the
innocent by protecting them from the dangerous
members of the community. This is change
for the better.
To such height had the evil grown by the
indulgence and iucompetency of judges, the
loose practice with regard to the empannelling
of juries, the connivance of district attorneys
and the mock humanity of Governors in multi
flying the operations Of justice, that 1t be-
came question whether in this city o
felon could be convicted Of q capital
crime upon any evidence, and, if by chance,
he should be convicted, whether there was any
chance of his ever suffering the penalty due to
his crime. In the case of the young drunken
rowdy Rodgers, who took the life of man
walking inoffensively through the streets with
his wife, the predecessor of Mr.. Morgan, in
spite of the clamors of politicians and the
prayers of philanthropy, allowed the law to
take its course; and in the case of Stephens
convicted of the coldblooded murder of his
wife by poison and hanged yesterday in our
city prison, the Governor permitted the law to
have its victim, of which there appeared to be
great doubt in the public mind. It was believed
that the same ingenuity of lawyers and incom-
petence Of Judges which baffied the admins
tration Of the law so efectually in the case of
Cancemi, and at length robbed justice of half
its due, would be ultimately triumphant in the
case Of Stephens, the execution of whose SEN
tence his counsel, by quirks and quiddities
succeeded in deferring so long. Indeed, many
were prepared to assert his innocence to the
end, and doubtless would have done 80 had
not his attempt to commit another murder been
discovered. But the wretched criminal has at
last paid the forfeit of his life and the fact is
now established that prisoners and other as
sassins may be hanged in New York.
This is gratifying and salutary reform-a
new movement in the right direction-which
has not yet gone far enough, but which we
hope will make further progress every day, till
human life is as secure in this city as in any
other civilized city in the world. To Judge
Russell belongs the credit of inaugurating this
change. Amidst the threats of the politicians,
the menaces of the confederates of the crimi-
nails, the offer of brides, the abuse of the press
and last, not least, the intercession of mistaken
philanthropists, he sternly maintained the even
tenor of his way, and set an example of firm
ness to Judges and Governors which is begin
ming to be sensibly felt in the community. He
rendered the law what it was intended to be,
"a terror to the evil doer," and others are fol-
lowing in his wake. But we cannot hope to
see crime abated to any great extent in this
metropolis while our police force is under its
present imbecile and inefficient management.