Year: 1870

This table shows that there was regular IN
crease diminutiOn in the number of cases of in
fanticidc. The remarkable change that took place
in 1885, is probably to be accounted for by the fact
Of an alteration in the law defining the crime, in
described as infanticde. In the nine years of the
second period the proportion was q minimum in
1867 when the rigorous law OF April "a, 1854, went
into effect and before it's unfortunate effects could
have become known to the unmarried mother. So
favorable year did not In the entire period
from 1856 TO 1868, there was no increase In the num-
Der Of the year 1886 the most untyorable
Of ALL


have given these statistics at length, because Dr.
Engels compilation If designed ent'cly for private
DISTRIBUTION and otherwise they ma be completely
lost to the American public. Ii only remains for mo
to give his conclusions in his own words. :" The
number of crimes menaced with death" he writes
"has been very considerably diminished, without in
jury To morals and particularly without perceptlble
increase Of the number of cases coming within the
category of such crimes and the assumption that
the State only be secured in its existence by
tanning the death penalty has been disproyed
During the period of observation 81 small percent
age of the scntercaS of death have been carried
into effect, tic menace Oi }unlshment So
seldom executed }u4t the retontion Of tho death
penalty at the sam .ime with the free, unqualified
commission of tho act rather IT, 9ct .irr the
criminal. The numerous Yardons -. .~ n
result that scarcely IN one-tltTu %! i1r .-.t II
convictions for the Tavest CtenseS ha5 i g
stringent penalty been executed upon thC rf ineI
this is in contIadiction to the theory of justice by



between conviction and execution, inequality is
occasoned in individual cases regards the weight
of punishment for the ply steal torment o. the con-
demned during this time is added as amorc rigorous
punishment 1t would be impossible To elualize this
by law without limiting the power of dec sion by the
sovereign. Such Limitation is however, forpohtica
and moral reasons absolutely inadmssible therefore,
this too must speak against retaining the death pen
atty. From the trifing number of persons annually
condemned to DEATH the cost arising from their i'm
pTisonment for life in Institution of the state is
so exceedingly small, that thereby the reasons Of
those who recommend the retention of the death
penalty from industrial consdeT9tions fall entirely
to the ground, if they not already condemned
by the reflection that the highest questions of night
religion, and morals are made to conform to the
standard Of money. Finally, the duty of approving
sentence of death always occasions great internal
conflict so that consideration is evinced for
sovereign invested with the right of pardoning in
wishing to spare him this conflict, than in endeavor
TO maintain a right which constantly subjects hin
to such conflicts" ,


The penal statute book for North Germany is still
discussed in the Diet in the hope that some compro-
mise may prevent so needful reform from failing
to be adopted But on the question of abolishing
capital punishment, the Liberals are obstinate and
Count Bismarck is Obdurate.