is so well discussed in his work, that there is scarcely any necessity for further investigation: they who are desirous to see at one view, all that can be said in favour and in opposition to it, have only to look at the table of qualities, which punishments ought to contain*.

The infliction of this punishment originated in resentment, indulging itself in rigour; and in sloth, which, in the rapid de

ser de le traiter après lui. Ceux qui veulent voir d'un coup d'œil tout ce qu'on peut dire pour et contre, n'ont qu'a parcourir la table des qualités qu'on doit chercher dans les peines. (Voyez chap. 6.)

D'où pent venir la fureur avec laquelle on a prodigué cette peine ? C'est un effet du ressentiment qui se porte d'abord vers la plus grande rigueur, et d'une paresse d'esprit qui fait trouver dans la destruction rapide des coupables le grand avantage de n'y plus penser. La mort! toujours la mort! cela ne demande ni méditation de génie, ni résistance aux passions. Il ne faut que s'abandonner pour aller jusque là d'un seul trait.

Dira-t-on que la mort est nécessaire pour ôter à un assassin le pouvoir de réitérer ses crimes? Mais il faudroit, par la même raison, faire périr les frénétiques, les enragés, dont la société a tout à craindre. Si on peut s'assurer de ceux-ci, pourquoi ne pourroit-on pas s'assurer des autres? Dira-t-on que la mort est la seule peine qui puisse l'emporter sur certaines tentations de commettre un homicide? Mais ces tentations ne peuvent venir que d'inimitié ou de cupidité. Ces deux passions ne doivent-elles pas par leur propre nature redouter l'humiliation, l'indigence, et la captivité plus que la mort?

J'étonnerois les lecteurs si je leur exposois le code pénal d'une nation célèbre par son humanité et par ses lumières. On s'attendroit à y trouver la plus grande proportion entre les délits et les peines: on y verroit cette proportion continuellement oubliée ou renversée, et la peine de mort prodiguée pour les délits les moins graves. Qu'en arrive-t-il? la douceur du caractère national étant en contradiction avec les lois, ce sont les mœurs qui triomphent, ce sont les lois qui sont éludées : on multiplie les pardons, on ferme les yeux sur les délits, on se rend trop difficiles sur les témoignages ; et les Jurés, pour éviter un excès de sévérité, tombent souvent dans un excès d'indulgence. De là résulte un système pénal incohérent, contradictoire, unissant la violence à la foiblesse, dépendant de l'humeur d'un Juge, variant de circuit en circuit, quelquefois sanguinaire, quelquefois nul.

struction of offenders, found the great advantage of avoiding all thought. Death! always death! this requires neither the exertion of reason, nor the subjugation of passion.

If it be said that death is necessary to prevent an assassin from repeating his crimes, it must be remembered, that, for the same reason, men who are insane and outrageous, from whom society has every thing to fear, ought to be destroyed. If we can ensure ourselves against these, why not against the others? If it be said that death is the only punishment which can prevail over certain temptations to commit homicide, it must be remembered, that these temptations can originate only in enmity or desire: must not these passions, from their very nature, dread humiliation, indigence, and captivity, more than death?

I should astonish my readers, if I were to expose to them the penal code of a nation, celebrated for its humanity and its intelligence; we might there expect to find the greatest proportion between offences and punishments; but, whatever may be our expectations, we should see this proportion continually violated, and the punishment of death inflicted upon the most trifling offences. The consequence is, that the sweetness of the national character being in contradiction to the laws, the manners triumph and the laws are eluded: they multiply pardons, they shut their eyes upon offences, their ears to proofs; and the juries, to avoid an excess of severity, frequently fall into an excess of indulgence: the result is a penal system, which is incoherent and contradictory, which unites violence to feebleness, and, depending upon the humour of the judge, varies from circuit to circuit, being sanguinary in one part of the island, and merciful in another.

This work contains various enquiries upon the prevention of crime*. In the chapter on the culture of benevolence + the author says,

If the legislator be desirous to inspire humanity amongst the citizens, let him set the example; let him shew the utmost respect not only for the life of man, but for every circumstance by which the sensibility can be influenced. Sanguinary laws have a tendency to render men cruel, either by fear, by imitation, or by revenge. But laws dictated by mildness humanize the manners of a nation and the spirit of government.

The legislator ought to interdict every thing which can lead to cruelty. The barbarous spectacles of the gladiators, introduced in Rome towards the later times of the republic, contributed without doubt to give to the Romans that ferocity which they displayed in their civil wars. Will a people, accustomed to despise human life in its sports, respect it amidst the fury of passion?

In his chapter upon the power of pardoning, he says,

The severity of punishment must vary inversely as the certainty of its being inflicted.

What can be said of a power established to render punishment uncertain? such is, however, the immediate consequence of the power of pardoning.

In society, as with individuals, the age of passion precedes the age of reason. The first penal laws were dictated by anger and revenge. But when these barbarous laws, founded upon caprice and antipathies, begin to shock an enlightened public, the power to pardon, offering a protection against the rigour of sanguinary laws, becomes a comparative good; and is adopted without any examination of the evils entailed by this pretended remedy.

When laws are too severe, the power of pardoning is a corrective; but this corrective is a new evil. Enact good laws, and break the magic wand by which they are paralyzed. If the punishment is necessary, it ought not to be remitted: if it is not necessary, it ought not to be pronounced.

92

HOWARD.

PUBLISHED ABOUT THE YEAR 1785.

TABLE I.

HOME CIRCUIT.

TOTAL ACCOUNT OF PRISONERS Burnt in the handWhipped-Acquitted-Discharged by Proclamation-or against whom Bills have been returned Not found in the Counties of HERTFORD, ESSEX, KENT, SUSSEX, and SURREY, for seven Years, from the Year 1764 to 1770 inclusive.