The National Register. — 1819-03-29 (London, England)

CAPITAL'PGJNISHMEATS.  On Wednesday, Edward Dent, John Adams, John Willett, and Win. Lynch, were executed opposite the Debtor's door in the Old Bailey. We do not blame the Executive for this additional outrage on humanity ; but, while we execrate the sanguinary nature of our Criminal Code, while we feel convinced that an extensive and serious injury is done to the murals of the loner classes by such frequent, and horrid exhibitions, we feel inexpressibly indebted to the exertions of Sir Imes Macintosh to produce an amelioration of those laws that consign to the same punishment a man who steals a single shilling, without violence, r.s he who commits the most aggravated murder. During the above executlon,the breeches pockets of a gentleman of the name Johnstone were wined inside out, and emptied of their contents, .at tile very moment the unfortunate tualetlictori were launched into eternity. This is another consincin; proof how little public executions prevent the commission of crimes. We repeat that we do not blame the Executive, but we wi,h the Courtly Laureat ‘veuld now write as strenuously in the cause of suirering humanity, us lie did in his youth. the following beautiful lines arc from the pen of Southey !!  Justice cast never link with cruelty— Is there among the catalogue of crimes A sin so black, that only death can expiate ? Will reason never rouse her front her slumbers And darting through the veil her eagle eye See in the sable garment of the law Revenge etinceirti—a culprit has been wicked-Does his death remedy the ills he e.aused? \Were it not better to repress his power Of doing among, that so his future life Might expiate the evils of the past, And benefit mankind ? At.d shall we then in the calm hour of season Condemn an erring brother to be slain— Cut him at once from nil the joys of life, All hopes of reformation ! to revenge The deeds, his punishment cannot recall ?  The Jury who convicted Willett, made every elf ,rt to save his life. They petitioned the Prince Regent, and waited twice on Lord Sidwouth, with t!.c view of procuring a respite for one week. Several Magistrates of the county of Essex also petitioned in his tlivour. He admitted, on going to die, that he had stolen two heifers before he committed the rohbery for which he was sentenced to sufliir tkath, and he .declared that when he stole the sheep be was in a state of inebriation. He sold the heifers for nine guineas at Ougar, in Essex, and paid seven out of that sum to the parish, where his six children are, fur their maintenance.  It was stated on Friday that the Persian Ambassador was about to quit Paris without being presented at the Tuilleries. He had conceived, says a private letter, that the King would stand up in his presence, and in that posture receive the letter which his Muster had commissioned him to give to nis Majesty. After this difficulty was got rid of, by reason of the gout under which his Majesty at present la boor+, the Persian insisted that he must sit beside his Majesty : afterwards,. at least in front of him ; maintaining that otherwise he should certainly have his head cut off on his return to his own country. As there was no wish to expose him to a danger of this sort, it appeared the simplest plan to dispense with the interview altogether..