AN ACCOUNT OF THE STATE PRISON OR Penitentiary House, IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. BY ONE OF THE INSPECTORS OF THE PRISON. "A punishment to be juft, fhould have only that degree of severity BECCARIA, NEW-YORK: PRINTED BY ISAAC COLLINS AND SON, 1801. "LIBERTY is in its highest perfection, when criminal laws derive each punishment from the particular nature of the crime. The knowledge acquired in fome countries, or that may hereafter be obtained in others, in regard to the fureft rules that can be obferved in criminal judgments, is more interesting to mankind than any other thing in the universe. Liberty can only be founded on the practice of this knowledge.” "The Christian Religion, which ordains that men fhould love each other, would without doubt have every nation bleft with the best civil and political laws; because these are, next to this religion, the greatest good that men can give and receive." "In moderate governments, a good legislator is lefs bent upon punishing than preventing crimes : he is more attentive to inspire good morals, than to inflict punishments." MONTESQUIEU. MC2732 INTRODUCTION. THAT branch of jurisprudence which treats of crimes and their punishment, is the most interesting and momentous in the whole code of laws. The peace, fecurity and happiness of fociety depend on the wisdom and justice of the means devised for the prevention of crimes. In no nation have legiflators bestowed that profound attention on this subject which its importance demands. While civilization and refinement were changing the condition and manners of focial life, the criminal codes of the nations of Europe retained a vindictive and fanguinary fpirit, the growth of a rude and barbarous age. Benevolent and virtuous men faw and deplored the evils produced and perpetuated by unequal and cruel punishments; but the mild voice of reafon and humanity reached not the thrones of princes or the halls of legiflaWhile the STATE was aggrandized by conqueft, enriched by commerce, or ornamented by the productions of art, they thought not of the unhappy beings who fuffered under the numerous oppreffions of tyrannical laws.--While every object which encompaffed them wore the aspect of fplendour and felicity, their dazzled eyes were not tors. |