Similarresultshavefollowedfromrenderingpublicexecutionsmoreandmoreinfrequent，inTuscany，inPrussia，inFrance，inBelgium。
Wherevercapitalpunishmentsarediminishedintheirnumber，there，crimesdiminishintheirnumbertoo。
ButtheverysameadvocatesofthepunishmentofDeathwhocontend，intheteethofallfactsandfigures，thatitdoespreventcrime，contendinthesamebreathagainstitsabolitionbecauseitdoesnot！\"Therearesomanybadmurders，\"saythey，\"andtheyfollowinsuchquicksuccession，thatthePunishmentmustnotberepealed。\"
Why，isnotthisareason，amongothers，forrepealingit？Doesitnotgotoshowthatitisineffectiveasanexample;thatitfailstopreventcrime;andthatitiswhollyinefficienttostaythatimitation，orcontagion，callitwhatyouplease，whichbringsonemurderontheheelsofanother？
Oneforgerycamecrowdingonanother’sheelsinthesameway，whenthesamepunishmentattachedtothatcrime。Sinceithasbeenremoved，forgerieshavediminishedinamostremarkabledegree。Yetwithinfiveandthirtyyears，LordEldon，withtearfulsolemnity，imaginedintheHouseofLordsasapossibilityfortheirLordshipstoshudderat，thatthetimemightcomewhensomevisionaryandmorbidpersonmightevenproposetheabolitionofthepunishmentofDeathforforgery。Andwhenitwasproposed，LordsLyndhurst，Wynford，Tenterden，andEldon——allLawLords——opposedit。
ThesameLordTenterdenmanfullysaid，onanotheroccasionandanotherquestion，thathewasgladthesubjectoftheamendmentofthelawshadbeentakenupbyMr。Peel，\"whohadnotbeenbredtothelaw;forthosewhowere，wererendereddull，byhabit，tomanyofitsdefects！\"Iwouldrespectfullysubmit，inextensionofthistext，thatacriminaljudgeisanexcellentwitnessagainstthePunishmentofDeath，butabadwitnessinitsfavour;andIwillreservethispointforafewremarksinthenext，concluding，Letter。
III
ThelastEnglishJudge，Ibelieve，whogaveexpressiontoapublicandjudicialopinioninfavourofthepunishmentofDeath，isMr。
JusticeColeridge，who，inchargingtheGrandJuryatHertfordlastyear，tookoccasiontolamentthepresenceofseriouscrimesinthecalendar，andtosaythathefearedthattheywerereferabletothecomparativeinfrequencyofCapitalPunishment。
Itisnotincompatiblewiththeutmostdeferenceandrespectforanauthoritysoeminent，tosaythat，inthis，Mr。JusticeColeridgewasnotsupportedbyfacts，butquitethereverse。Hewentoutofhiswaytofoundageneralassumptiononcertainverylimitedandpartialgrounds，andevenonthosegroundswaswrong。Foramongthefewcrimeswhichheinstanced，murderstoodprominentlyforth。Nowpersonsfoundguiltyofmurderaremorecertainlyandunsparinglyhangedatthistime，astheParliamentaryReturnsdemonstrate，thansuchcriminalseverwere。Sohowcanthedeclineofpublicexecutionsaffectthatclassofcrimes？Astopersonscommittingmurder，andyetnotfoundguiltyofitbyjuries，theyescapesolelybecausetherearemanypublicexecutions——notbecausetherearenoneorfew。
ButwhenIsubmitthatacriminaljudgeisanexcellentwitnessagainstCapitalPunishment，butabadwitnessinitsfavour，Idosoonmorebroadandgeneralgroundsthanapplytothiserrorinfactanddeduction（soIpresumetoconsiderit）onthepartofthedistinguishedjudgeinquestion。Andtheyaregroundswhichdonotapplyoffensivelytojudges，asaclass;thanwhomtherearenoauthoritiesinEnglandsodeservingofgeneralrespectandconfidence，orsopossessedofit;butwhichapplyaliketoallmenintheirseveraldegreesandpursuits。
Itiscertainthatmencontractagenerallikingforthosethingswhichtheyhavestudiedatgreatcostoftimeandintellect，andtheirproficiencyinwhichhasledtotheirbecomingdistinguishedandsuccessful。Itiscertainthatoutofthisfeelingarises，notonlythatpassiveblindnesstotheirdefectsofwhichtheexamplegivenbymyLordTenterdenwasquotedinthelastletter，butanactivedispositiontoadvocateanddefendthem。Ifitwereotherwise;ifitwerenotforthisspiritofinterestandpartisanship;nosinglepursuitcouldhavethatattractionforitsvotarieswhichmostpursuitsincourseoftimeestablish。Thuslegalauthoritiesareusuallyjealousofinnovationsonlegalprinciples。ThusitisdescribedofthelawyerintheIntroductoryDiscoursetotheDescriptionofUtopia，thathesaidofaproposalagainstCapitalPunishment，\"’thiscouldneverbesoestablishedinEnglandbutthatitmustneedsbringtheweal—publicintogreatjeopardyandhazard’，andashewasthussaying，heshakedhishead，andmadeawrymouth，andsoheheldhispeace\"。ThustheRecorderofLondon，in1811，objectedto\"thecapitalpartbeingtakenoff\"
fromtheoffenceofpickingpockets。ThustheLordChancellor，in1813，objectedtotheremovalofthepenaltyofdeathfromtheoffenceofstealingtotheamountoffiveshillingsfromashop。
Thus，LordEllenborough，in1820，anticipatedtheworsteffectsfromtherebeingnopunishmentofdeathforstealingfiveshillingsworthofwetlinenfromableachingground。ThustheSolicitorGeneral，in1830，advocatedthepunishmentofdeathforforgery，and\"thesatisfactionofthinking\"intheteethofmountainsofevidencefrombankersandotherinjuredparties（onethousandbankersalone！）
\"thathewasdeterringpersonsfromthecommissionofcrime，bytheseverityofthelaw\"。Thus，Mr。JusticeColeridgedeliveredhischargeatHertfordin1845。ThustherewereinthecriminalcodeofEngland，in1790，onehundredandsixtycrimespunishablewithdeath。Thusthelawyerhassaid，againandagain，inhisgeneration，thatanychangeinsuchastateofthings\"mustneedsbringtheweal—publicintojeopardyandhazard\"。Andthushehas，allthroughthedismalhistory，\"shakedhishead，andmadeawrymouth，andheldhispeace\"。Except——agloriousexception！——whensuchlawyersasBacon，More，Blackstone，Romilly，and——letusevergratefullyremember——inlatertimesMr。BasilMontagu，havestriven，eachinhisday，withintheutmostlimitsoftheenduranceofthemistakenfeelingofthepeopleorthelegislatureofthetime，tochampionandmaintainthetruth。
Thereisanotherandastrongerreasonstill，whyacriminaljudgeisabadwitnessinfavourofthepunishmentofDeath。Heisachiefactorintheterribledramaofatrial，wherethelifeordeathofafellowcreatureisatissue。Noonewhohasseensuchatrialcanfailtoknow，orcaneverforget，itsintenseinterest。I
carenothowpainfulthisinterestistothegood，wisejudgeuponthebench。Iadmititspainfulnature，andthejudge’sgoodnessandwisdomtothefullestextent——butIsubmitthathisprominentshareintheexcitementofsuchatrial，andthedreadmysteryinvolved，hasatendencytobewilderandconfusethejudgeuponthegeneralsubjectofthatpenalty。Iknowthesolemnpausebeforetheverdict，thebushandstiflingofthefeverinthecourt，thesolitaryfigurebroughtbacktothebar，andstandingthere，observedofalltheoutstretchedheadsandgleamingeyes，tobenextminutestrickendeadasonemaysay，amongthem。Iknowthethrillthatgoesroundwhentheblackcapisputon，andhowtherewillbeshrieksamongthewomen，andatakingoutofsomeoneinaswoon;
and，whenthejudge’sfalteringvoicedeliverssentence，howawfullytheprisonerandheconfronteachother;twomeremen，destinedoneday，howeverfarremovedfromoneanotheratthistime，tostandalikeassuppliantsatthebarofGod。Iknowallthis，Icanimaginewhattheofficeofthejudgecostsinthisexecutionofit;
butIsaythatinthesestrongsensationsheislost，andisunabletoabstractthepenaltyasapreventiveorexample，fromanexperienceofit，andfromassociationssurroundingit，whichareandcanbe，onlyhis，andhisalone。
Nottocontendthatthereisnoamountofwigorerminethatcanchangethenatureofthemaninside;nottosaythatthenatureofajudgemaybe，likethedyer’shand，subduedtowhatitworksin，andmaybecometoousedtothispunishmentofdeathtoconsideritquitedispassionately;nottosaythatitmaypossiblybeinconsistenttohave，decidingascalmauthoritiesinfavourofdeath，judgeswhohavebeenconstantlysentencingtodeath;——IcontendthatforthereasonsIhavestatedalone，ajudge，andespeciallyacriminaljudge，isabadwitnessforthepunishmentbutanexcellentwitnessagainstit，inasmuchasinthelattercasehisconvictionofitsinutilityhasbeensostrongandparamountasutterlytobeatdownandconquertheseadverseincidents。Ihavenoscrupleinstatingthisposition，because，foranythingIknow，themajorityofexcellentjudgesnowonthebenchmayhaveovercomethem，andmaybeopposedtothepunishmentofDeathunderanycircumstances。
ImentionedthatIwoulddevoteaportionofthislettertoafewprominentillustrationsofeachheadofobjectiontothepunishmentofDeath。Thoseonrecordaresoverynumerousthatselectionisextremelydifficult;butinreferencetothepossibilityofmistake，andtheimpossibilityofreparation，onecaseisasgood（Ishouldrathersayasbad）asahundred;andiftherewerenonebutElizaFenning’s，thatwouldbesufficient。Nay，iftherewerenoneatall，itwouldbeenoughtosustainthisobjection，thatmenoffiniteandlimitedjudgmentdoinflict，ontestimonywhichadmitsofdoubt，aninfiniteandirreparablepunishment。Butthereareonrecordnumerousinstancesofmistake;manyofthemverygenerallyknownandimmediatelyrecognisableinthefollowingsummary，whichI
copyfromtheNewYorkReportalreadyreferredto。
\"Therehavebeencasesinwhichgroanshavebeenheardintheapartmentofthecrime，whichhaveattractedthestepsofthoseonwhosetestimonythecasehasturned——when，onproceedingtothespot，theyhavefoundamanbendingoverthemurderedbody，alanterninthelefthand，andtheknifeyetdrippingwiththewarmcurrentintheblood—stainedright，withhorror—strickencountenance，andlipswhich，inthepresenceofthedead，seemtorefusetodenythecrimeintheveryactofwhichheisthussurprised——andyetthemanhasbeen，manyyearsafter，whenhismemoryalonecouldbebenefitedbythediscovery，ascertainednottohavebeentherealmurderer！Therehavebeencasesinwhich，inahouseinwhichweretwopersonsalone，amurderhasbeencommittedononeofthem——whenmanyadditionalcircumstanceshavefastenedtheimputationupontheother——andwhen，allapparentmodesofaccessfromwithout，beingclosedinward，thedemonstrationhasseemedcompleteoftheguiltforwhichthatotherhassufferedthedoomofthelaw——yetsufferedinnocently！Therehavebeencasesinwhichafatherhasbeenfoundmurderedinanouthouse，theonlypersonathomebeingason，swornbyasistertohavebeendissoluteandundutiful，andanxiousforthedeathofthefather，andsuccessiontothefamilyproperty——whenthetrackofhisshoesinthesnowisfoundfromthehousetothespotofthemurder，andthehammerwithwhichitwascommitted（knownashisown），found，onasearch，inthecornerofoneofhisprivatedrawers，withthebloodyevidenceofthedeedonlyimperfectlyeffacedfromit——andyetthesonhasbeeninnocent！——thesister，yearsafter，onherdeath—bed，confessingherselfthefratricideaswellastheparricide。Therehavebeencasesinwhichmenhavebeenhungonthemostpositivetestimonytoidentity（aidedbymanysuspiciouscircumstances），bypersonsfamiliarwiththeirappearance，whichhaveafterwardsprovedgrievousmistakes，growingoutofremarkablepersonalresemblance。
Therehavebeencasesinwhichtwomenhavebeenseenfightinginafield——anoldenmityexistingbetweenthem——theonefounddead，killedbyastabfromapitchforkknownasbelongingtotheother，andwhichthatotherhadbeencarrying，thepitch—forklyingbythesideofthemurderedman——andyetitsownerhasbeenafterwardsfoundnottohavebeentheauthorofthemurderofwhichithadbeentheinstrument，thetruemurderersittingonthejurythattriedhim。Therehavebeencasesinwhichaninnkeeperhasbeenchargedbyoneofhisservantswiththemurderofatraveller，theservantdeposingtohavingseenhismasteronthestranger’sbed，stranglinghim，andafterwardsriflinghispockets——anotherservantdeposingthatshesawhimcomedownatthattimeataveryearlyhourinthemorning，stealintothegarden，takegoldfromhispocket，andcarefullywrappingitupburyitinadesignatedspot——onthesearchofwhichthegroundisfoundlooseandfreshlydug，andasumofthirtypoundsingoldfoundburiedaccordingtothedescription——themaster，whoconfessedtheburyingofthemoney，withmanyevidencesofguiltinhishesitationandconfusion，hasbeenhungofcourse，andprovedinnocentonlytoolate。Therehavebeencasesinwhichatravellerhasbeenrobbedonthehighwayoftwentyguineas，whichhehadtakentheprecautiontomark——oneoftheseisfoundtohavebeenpaidawayorchangedbyoneoftheservantsoftheinnwhichthetravellerreachesthesameevening——theservantisabouttheheightoftherobber，whohadbeencloakedanddisguised——hismasterdeposestohishavingbeenrecentlyunaccountablyextravagantandflushofgold——andonhistrunkbeingsearchedtheothernineteenmarkedguineasandthetraveller’spursearefoundthere，theservantbeingasleepatthetime，half—drunk——heisofcourseconvictedandhung，forthecrimeofwhichhismasterwastheauthor！Therehavebeencasesinwhichafatheranddaughterhavebeenoverheardinviolentdispute——thewords\"barbarity\"，\"cruelly\"，and\"death\"，beingheardfrequentlytoproceedfromthelatter——theformergoesoutlockingthedoorbehindhim——groansareoverheard，andthewords，\"cruelfather，thouartthecauseofmydeath！\"——ontheroombeingopenedsheisfoundonthepointofdeathfromawoundinherside，andnearhertheknifewithwhichithadbeeninflicted——andonbeingquestionedastoherowingherdeathtoherfather，herlastmotionbeforeexpiringisanexpressionofassent——
thefather，onreturningtotheroom，exhibitstheusualevidencesofguilt——he，too，isofcoursehung——anditisnottillnearlyayearafterwardsthat，onthediscoveryofconclusiveevidencethatitwasasuicide，thevainreparationismade，tohismemorybythepublicauthorities，of——wavingapairofcoloursoverhisgraveintokenoftherecognitionofhisinnocence。\"
Morethanahundredsuchcasesareknown，itissaidinthisReport，inEnglishcriminaljurisprudence。ThesameReportcontainsthreestrikingcasesofsupposedcriminalsbeingunjustlyhangedinAmerica;andalsofivemoreinwhichpeoplewhoseinnocencewasnotafterwardsestablishedwereputtodeathonevidenceaspurelycircumstantialandasdoubtful，tosaytheleastofit，asanythatwasheldtobesufficientinthisgeneralsummaryoflegalmurders。
Mr。O’Connelldefended，inIreland，withinfiveandtwentyyears，threebrotherswhowerehangedforamurderofwhichtheywereafterwardsshowntohavebeeninnocent。Icannotfindthereferenceatthismoment，butIhaveseenitstatedongoodauthority，thatbutfortheexertions，IthinkofthepresentLordChiefBaron，sixorseveninnocentmenwouldcertainlyhavebeenhanged。Sucharetheinstancesofwrongjudgmentwhichareknowntous。Howmanymoretheremaybeinwhichtherealmurderersneverdisclosedtheirguilt，orwereneverdiscovered，andwheretheodiumofgreatcrimesstillrestsonguiltlesspeoplelongsinceresolvedtodustintheiruntimelygraves，nohumanpowercantell。
Theeffectofpublicexecutionsonthosewhowitnessthem，requiresnobetterillustration，andcanhavenone，thanthescenewhichanyexecutioninitselfpresents，andthegeneralPolice—officeknowledgeoftheoffencesarisingoutofthem。Ihavestatedmybeliefthatthestudyofrudescenesleadstothedisregardofhumanlife，andtomurder。Referring，sincethatexpressionofopinion，totheverylasttrialformurderinLondon，Ihavemadeinquiry，andamassuredthattheyouthnowundersentenceofdeathinNewgateforthemurderofhismasterinDruryLane，wasavigilantspectatorofthethreelastpublicexecutionsinthisCity。Whateffectsadailyincreasingfamiliaritywiththescaffold，andwithdeathuponit，wroughtinFranceintheGreatRevolution，everybodyknows。InreferencetothisveryquestionofCapitalPunishment，Robespierrehimself，beforehewas\"inbloodsteptinsofar\"，warnedtheNationalAssemblythatintakinghumanlife，andindisplayingbeforetheeyesofthepeoplescenesofcrueltyandthebodiesofmurderedmen，thelawawakenedferociousprejudices，whichgavebirthtoalongandgrowingtrainoftheirownkind。Withhowmuchreasonthiswassaid，lethisowndetestablenamebearwitness！
Ifwewouldknowhowcallousandhardenedsociety，eveninapeacefulandsettledstate，becomestopublicexecutionswhentheyarefrequent，letusrecollecthowfewtheywerewhomadethelastattempttostaythedreadfulMonday—morningspectaclesofmenandwomenstrungupinarowforcrimesasdifferentintheirdegreeasourwholesocialschemeisdifferentinitscomponentparts，which，withinsomefifteenyearsorso，madehumanshamblesoftheOldBailey。
Thereisnobetterwayoftestingtheeffectofpublicexecutionsonthosewhodonotactuallybeholdthem，butwhoreadofthemandknowofthem，thanbyinquiringintotheirefficiencyinpreventingcrime。Inthisrespecttheyhavealways，andinallcountries，failed。Accordingtoallfactsandfigures，failed。InRussia，inSpain，inFrance，inItaly，inBelgium，inSweden，inEngland，therehasbeenoneresult。InBombay，duringtheRecordershipofSirJamesMacintosh，therewerefewercrimesinsevenyearswithoutoneexecution，thanintheprecedingsevenyearswithforty—sevenexecutions;notwithstandingthatinthesevenyearswithoutcapitalpunishment，thepopulationhadgreatlyincreased，andtherehadbeenalargeaccessiontothenumbersoftheignorantandlicentioussoldiery，withwhomthemoreviolentoffencesoriginated。DuringthefourwickedestyearsoftheBankofEngland（from1814to1817，inclusive），whentheone—poundnotecapitalprosecutionsweremostnumerousandshocking，thenumberofforgedone—poundnotesdiscoveredbytheBanksteadilyincreased，fromthegrossamountinthefirstyearof10，342pounds，tothegrossamountinthelastof28，412pounds。Butineverybranchofthispartofthesubject——theinefficiencyofcapitalpunishmenttopreventcrime，anditsefficiencytoproduceit——thebodyofevidence（iftherewerespacetoquoteoranalyseithere）isoverpoweringandresistless。
Ihavepurposelydeferreduntilnowanyreferencetooneobjectionwhichisurgedagainsttheabolitionofcapitalpunishment:ImeanthatobjectionwhichclaimstorestonScripturalauthority。
ItwasexcellentlywellsaidbyLordMelbourne，thatnoclassofpersonscanbeshowntobeverymiserableandoppressed，butsomesupportersofthingsastheyarewillimmediatelyriseupandassert——notthatthosepersonsaremoderatelywelltodo，orthattheirlotinlifehasareasonablybrightside——butthattheyare，ofallsortsandconditionsofmen，thehappiest。Inlikemanner，whenacertainproceedingorinstitutionisshowntobeverywrongindeed，thereisaclassofpeoplewhorushtothefountainheadatonce，andwillhavenolessanauthorityforitthantheBible，onanyterms。
So，wehavetheBibleappealedtoinbehalfofCapitalPunishment。
So，wehavetheBibleproducedasadistinctauthorityforSlavery。
So，AmericanrepresentativesfindthetitleoftheircountrytotheOregonterritorydistinctlylaiddownintheBookofGenesis。So，incourseoftime，weshallfindRepudiation，perhaps，expresslycommandedintheSacredWritings。
Itisenoughformetobesatisfied，oncalminquiryandwithreason，thatanInstitutionorCustomiswrongandbad;andthencetofeelassuredthatITCANNOTBEapartofthelawlaiddownbytheDivinitywhowalkedtheearth。ThougheveryothermanwhowieldsapenshouldturnhimselfintoacommentatorontheScriptures——notalltheirunitedefforts，pursuedthroughourunitedlives，couldeverpersuademethatSlaveryisaChristianlaw;nor，withoneoftheseobjectionstoanexecutioninmycertainknowledge，thatExecutionsareaChristianlaw，mywillisnotconcerned。Icouldnot，inmyvenerationforthelifeandlessonsofOurLord，believeit。Ifanytextappearedtojustifytheclaim，Iwouldrejectthatlimitedappeal，andrestuponthecharacteroftheRedeemer，andthegreatschemeofHisReligion，where，initsbroadspirit，madesoplain——andnotthisorthatdisputedletter——weallputourtrust。
But，happily，suchdoubtsdonotexist。Thecaseisfartooplain。