After so much has been re...
The Times, 1824-10-26T00:00:00

After so much has been repeatedly said, botil in andt1 out of Parliament, oti the subject of the importance of the RECORtDER of Londoon invariably making his report to the KiNG of the prisoners capitally convicted, at a convenient time after the conclusion of each O(ld Bailoy sessioni, the friends of humanity, and all who reverence the established laws of their country, had entertainedl a hope, from the re- gu]arity of the two last reports, that the universal public sentiment on this point was likely to have some weight. It is painful, however, to observe, that an expectation so rea- sonable has becn disstpp&inted ; for it appears by a reference to the Neuwgate Calendar for October scsslons, just publish- ed, that ther e remain at this time no fewer than 24 persons un(ler sentence of death in that prison. The evils arising from the delay so much regretted are too obvious to require explanation ; they have been again andl again demonstrated; the question naturally is asked, to what cause is this la- mented delay to be traced? Will it be creditedi that it has been insinuated by those in office, that it is to be found in the humanity and ten(leriess of the Royal mind ; so inisu- perable is the repugnance of His MIAJESTY to receive the report, that he cannot be prevailed upon to appoint a Council to be held for the purpose of deliberating upon a subject so disagreeable. It cannot be possible that the Mi- nisters are possessed of sufficient effrontery thus to libel their Master,and by implicationi charge him with imbecility. They will not surely wish the country to understandl that His IMAJESTY is more disposed to obey the dictates of his feelings as a man, than to perform the paramount dutics of hiis statioH as a Sovereign. Eveti were such the case, which no loyal subject is willing for a moment to atdmit, would it niot become the responsible advisers of the Crown, respectfully but streuuously to urge the propriety of a rigid adherence to the ancient ,bws and usages of the land? No disregarded. In a political and in a rL-.<ons 'po 'or view,it is most desirable that allunneceFsary procrastination should be avoided in the matter alluded to. If the sentence of the law be considere(d in some cases as too severe, mitiga- tion cannot be extendedl too soon and should the crimes of others be of so heinous a character as to call for extreme punishment, such plunishlment ought not to a(lvance elitl O(11o ped1e." Sii WIlLIAM BLACKSTONE, quoting a celebrated writer on criminal jurisprudence, says-"It hasbeen well observed, " Olhat i1t is of great importance that the punislhmnenit should "follow thc crime as early as possible ; that the prospect of gratificatien or a(dvantage wvhil tempts a man to commit the crimne should( instantlv awake the atten(dant idea of punishment. Delay of execution serves only to separate these ideas ; and then the executioni itself affect s the mil(is of thc spectators as a terrible spectacle, rather than astlic necessary consequiciiec oftransgression." I[Ihe LORD CHANCELLOR allnd th1e SEC:RETlARY OF STATrI for the Homne Department are those whose more itnmne. diate luty it appears to be to advise the KixN. in the im- postant busiiess whichl is the subject of the foregoing re- marks. Attemptilng to effect any alteration in the inveter-ate habits of thinking of the former, vould be a laboir alto- gether hopeless; and it is to be lam-ented that the latter is sai(d to enjoy so exalted an Opinion of his own judgment andI talents, as to pay little attention to the sentiments or a(dvice of those wlho possesss both ability and inclination to afford useful practical itiforinatioll. TI'hc Right Hon. Gemttvinan is dlscribed aa by no means edlowed with the happy art of couciliating the esteem of those with whom he acts, much less of such as are in some measure in subordi- nation to hihn; anti either adopts or naturally falls into a most mistaken, and almost invariably unsuccessful mode of cemupensating for default of patriciani dignity-namely, by the asssunption of a certain frigid hlteer, and hy keeping his " presence like a robe pontifical, ne'er seen but won- "dered at." WliateveSinight have been the defectsofLord SiiOiAmi those whJmlave occasion to transact businiess at the Home-office sooii discover, that in paint of urbanity and facility of access his successor suffers much in compa- rison -with him.