Wecome，now，totheconsiderationofthosemurderswhicharecommitted，orattempted，withnootherobjectthantheattainmentofaninfamousnotoriety。ThatthisclassofcrimeshasitsorigininthePunishmentofDeath，wecannotquestion;because（aswehavealreadyseen，andshallpresentlyestablishbyanotherproof）greatnotorietyandinterestattach，andaregenerallyunderstoodtoattach，onlytothosecriminalswhoareindangerofbeingexecuted。
Oneofthemostremarkableinstancesofmurderoriginatinginmadself—conceit;andofthemurderer’spartintherepulsivedrama，inwhichthelawappearsatsuchgreatdisadvantagetoitselfandtosociety，beingactedalmosttothelastwithaself—complacencythatwouldbehorriblyludicrousifitwerenotutterlyrevolting;ispresentedinthecaseofHocker。
Hereisaninsolent，flippant，dissoluteyouth:apingthemanofintrigueandlevity:over—dressed，over—confident，inordinatelyvainofhispersonalappearance:distinguishedastohishair，cane，snuff—box，andsinging—voice:andunhappilythesonofaworkingshoemaker。Bentonloftierflightsthansuchapoorhouse—
swallowasateacherinaSunday—schoolcantake;andhavingnotruth，industry，perseverance，orotherdullwork—a—dayquality，toplumehiswingswithal;hecastsabouthim，inhisjauntyway，forsomemodeofdistinguishinghimself——somemeansofgettingthatheadofhairintotheprint—shops;ofhavingsomethinglikejusticedonetohissinging—voiceandfineintellect;ofmakingthelifeandadventuresofThomasHockerremarkable;andofgettingupsomeexcitementinconnectionwiththatslightedpieceofbiography。TheStage？No。Notfeasible。TherehasalwaysbeenaconspiracyagainsttheThomasHockers，inthatkindofeffort。IthasbeenthesamewithAuthorshipinproseandpoetry。Istherenothingelse？A
Murder，now，wouldmakeanoiseinthepapers！Thereisthegallowstobesure;butwithoutthat，itwouldbenothing。Shortofthat，itwouldn’tbefame。Well！Wemustalldieatonetimeorother;
andtodiegame，andhaveitinprint，isjustthethingforamanofspirit。TheyalwaysdiegameattheMinorTheatresandtheSaloons，andthepeoplelikeitverymuch。Thurtell，too，diedverygame，andmadeacapitalspeechwhenhewastried。There’sallaboutitinabookatthecigar—shopnow。Come，Tom，getyournameup！Letitbeadashingmurderthatshallkeepthewood—engraversatitforthenexttwomonths。Youaretheboytogothroughwithit，andinterestthetown！
Themiserablewretch，inflatedbythislunaticconceit，arrangeshiswholeplanforpublicationandeffect。Itisquiteanepitomeofhisexperienceofthedomesticmelodramaorpennynovel。ThereistheVictimFriend;themysteriousletteroftheinjuredFemaletotheVictimFriend;theromanticspotfortheDeath—Strugglebynight;theunexpectedappearanceofThomasHockertothePoliceman;
theparlourofthePublicHouse，withThomasHockerreadingthepapertoastrangegentleman;theFamilyApartment，withasongbyThomasHocker;theInquestRoom，withThomasHockerboldlylookingon;theinterioroftheMaryleboneTheatre，withThomasHockertakenintocustody;thePoliceOfficewithThomasHocker"affable"tothespectators;theinteriorofNewgate，withThomasHockerpreparinghisdefence;theCourt，whereThomasHocker，withhisdancing—masterairs，isputuponhistrial，andcomplimentedbytheJudge;theProsecution，theDefence，theVerdict，theBlackCap，theSentence——
eachofthemalineinanyPlaybill，andhowboldalineinThomasHocker’slife！
Itisworthyofremark，thatthenearerheapproachestothegallows——thegreatlastscenetowhichthewholeoftheseeffectshavebeenworkingup——themoretheoverweeningconceitofthepoorwretchshowsitself;themorehefeelsthatheistheheroofthehour;themoreaudaciouslyandrecklesslyhelies，insupportingthecharacter。Inpublic——atthecondemnedsermon——hedeportshimselfasbecomesthemanwhoseautographsareprecious，whoseportraitsareinnumerable;inmemoryofwhom，wholefencesandgateshavebeenborneaway，insplinters，fromthesceneofmurder。HeknowsthattheeyesofEuropeareuponhim;butheisnotproud——onlygraceful。
Hebows，likethefirstgentlemaninEurope，totheturnkeywhobringshimaglassofwater;andcomposeshisclothesandhassockascarefully，asgoodMadameBlaizecoulddo。Inprivate——withinthewallsofthecondemnedcell——everywordandactionofhiswaninglife，isalie。Hiswholetimeisdividedbetweentellingliesandwritingthem。Ifheeverhaveanotherthought，itisforhisgenteelappearanceonthescaffold;aswhenhebegsthebarber"nottocuthishairtooshort，ortheywon’tknowhimwhenhecomesout"。Hislastproceedingbutoneistowritetworomanticloveletterstowomenwhohavenoexistence。Hislastproceedingofall（butlesscharacteristic，thoughtheonlytrueone）istoswoonaway，miserably，inthearmsoftheattendants，andbehangeduplikeacravendog。
Isnotsuchahistory，fromfirsttolast，amostrevoltinganddisgracefulone;andcanthestudentofitbringhimselftobelievethatitevercouldhaveplaceinanyrecordoffacts，orthatthemiserablechief—actorinitcouldhaveeverhadamotiveforhisarrogantwickedness，butforthecommentandtheexplanationwhichthePunishmentofDeathsupplies！
Itisnotasolitarycase，norisitaprodigy，butamerespecimenofaclass。ThecaseofOxford，whofiredatHerMajestyinthePark，willbefound，onexamination，toresembleitverynearly，intheessentialfeature。Thereisnoprovedpretencewhateverforregardinghimasmad;otherthanthathewaslikethismalefactor，brimfulofconceit，andadesiretobecome，evenatthecostofthegallows（theonlycostwithinhisreach）thetalkofthetown。HehadlessinventionthanHocker，andperhapswasnotsodeliberatelybad;buthisattemptwasabranchofthesametree，andithasitsrootinthegroundwherethescaffoldiserected。
Oxfordhadhisimitators。Letitneverbeforgottenintheconsiderationofthispartofthesubject，howtheywerestopped。
Solongasattemptsinvestedthemwiththedistinctionofbeingindangerofdeathatthehangman’shands，solongdidtheyspringup。
Whenthepenaltyofdeathwasremoved，andameanandhumiliatingpunishmentsubstitutedinitsplace，theracewasatanend，andceasedtobe。
II
Wecome，now，toconsidertheeffectofCapitalPunishmentinthepreventionofcrime。
Doesitpreventcrimeinthosewhoattendexecutions？
Thereneveris（andthereneverwas）anexecutionattheOldBaileyinLondon，butthespectatorsincludetwolargeclassesofthieves——
oneclasswhogothereastheywouldgotoadog—fight，oranyotherbrutalsport，fortheattractionandexcitementofthespectacle;
theotherwhomakeitadrymatterofbusiness，andmixwiththecrowdsolelytopickpockets。Addtothese，thedissolute，thedrunken，themostidle，profligate，andabandonedofbothsexes——
somemoodyill—conditionedminds，drawnthitherbyafearfulinterest——andsomeimpelledbycuriosity;ofwhomthegreaterpartareofanageandtemperamentrenderingthegratificationofthatcuriosityhighlydangeroustothemselvesandtosociety——andthegreatelementsoftheconcoursearestated。
NoristhisassemblagepeculiartoLondon。Itisthesameincountrytowns，allowingforthedifferentstatisticsofthepopulation。ItisthesameinAmerica。IwaspresentatanexecutioninRome，foramosttreacherousandwickedmurder，andnotonlysawthesamekindofassemblagethere，but，wearingwhatiscalledashooting—coat，withagreatmanypocketsinit，feltinnumerablehandsbusyineveryoneofthem，closetothescaffold。
Ihavealreadymentionedthatoutofonehundredandsixty—sevenconvictsundersentenceofdeath，questionedatdifferenttimesintheperformanceofhisdutybyanEnglishclergyman，therewereonlythreewhohadnotbeenspectatorsofexecutions。Mr。Wakefield，inhisFactsrelatingtothePunishmentofDeath，goesintotheworking，asitwere，ofthissum。Histestimonyisextremelyvaluable，becauseitistheevidenceofaneducatedandobservingman，who，beforehavingpersonalknowledgeofthesubjectandofNewgate，wasquitesatisfiedthatthePunishmentofDeathshouldcontinue，butwho，whenhegainedthatexperience，exertedhimselftotheutmostforitsabolition，evenatthepainofconstantpublicreferenceinhisownpersontohisownimprisonment。"Itcannotbeegotism"，hereasonablyobserves，"thatpromptsamantospeakofhimselfinconnectionwithNewgate。"
"Whoeverwillundergothepain，"saysMr。Wakefield，"ofwitnessingthepublicdestructionofafellow—creature’slife，inLondon，mustbeperfectlysatisfiedthatinthegreatmassofspectators，theeffectofthepunishmentistoexcitesympathyforthecriminalandhatredofthelaw……IaminclinedtobelievethatthecriminalsofLondon，spokenofasaclassandallowingforexceptions，takethesamesortofdelightinwitnessingexecutions，asthesportsmanandsoldierfindinthedangersofhuntingandwar……IamconfidentthatfewOldBaileySessionspasswithoutthetrialofaboy，whosefirstthoughtofcrimeoccurredwhilsthewaswitnessinganexecution……Andonegrownman，ofgreatmentalpowersandsuperioreducation，whowasacquittedofachargeofforgery，assuredmethatthefirstideaofcommittingaforgeryoccurredtohimatthemomentwhenhewasaccidentallywitnessingtheexecutionofFauntleroy。Towhichitmaybeadded，thatFauntleroyissaidtohavemadepreciselythesamedeclarationinreferencetotheoriginofhisowncriminality。
Butoneconvict"whowaswithinanaceofbeinghanged"，amongthemanywithwhomMr。Wakefieldconversed，seemstometohaveunconsciouslyputaquestionwhichtheadvocatesofCapitalPunishmentwouldfinditverydifficultindeedtoanswer。"Haveyouoftenseenanexecution？"askedMr。Wakefield。"Yes，often。""Diditnotfrightenyou？""No。Whyshouldit？"
Itisveryeasyandverynaturaltoturnfromthisruffian，shockedbythehardenedretort;butanswerhisquestion，whyshouldit？
Shouldhebefrightenedbythesightofadeadman？Weareborntodie，hesays，withacarelesstriumph。Wearenotborntothetreadmill，ortoservitudeandslavery，ortobanishment;buttheexecutionerhasdonenomoreforthatcriminalthannaturemaydotomorrowforthejudge，andwillcertainlydo，inherowngoodtime，forjudgeandjury，counselandwitnesses，turnkeys，hangman，andall。Shouldhebefrightenedbythemannerofthedeath？Itishorrible，truly，sohorrible，thatthelaw，afraidorashamedofitsowndeed，hidesthefaceofthestrugglingwretchitslays;butdoesthisfactnaturallyawakeninsuchaman，terror——ordefiance？Letthesamemanspeak。"Whatdidyouthinkthen？"askedMr。Wakefield。
"Think？Why，Ithoughtitwasa——shame。"
Disgustandindignation，orrecklessnessandindifference，oramorbidtendencytobroodoverthesightuntiltemptationisengenderedbyit，aretheinevitableconsequencesofthespectacle，accordingtothedifferenceofhabitanddispositioninthosewhobeholdit。Whyshoulditfrightenordeter？Weknowitdoesnot。
Weknowitfromthepolicereports，andfromthetestimonyofthosewhohaveexperienceofprisonsandprisoners，andwemayknowit，ontheoccasionofanexecution，bytheevidenceofourownsenses;ifwewillbeatthemiseryofusingthemforsuchapurpose。Butwhyshouldit？Whowouldsendhischildorhisapprentice，orwhattutorwouldsendhisscholars，orwhatmasterwouldsendhisservants，tobedeterredfromvicebythespectacleofanexecution？
Ifitbeanexampletocriminals，andtocriminalsonly，whyarenottheprisonersinNewgatebroughtouttoseetheshowbeforethedebtors’door？Why，whiletheyaremadepartiestothecondemnedsermon，aretheyrigidlyexcludedfromtheimprovingpostscriptofthegallows？Becauseanexecutioniswellknowntobeanutterlyuseless，barbarous，andbrutalisingsight，andbecausethesympathyofallbeholders，whohaveanysympathyatall，iscertaintobealwayswiththecriminal，andneverwiththelaw。
Ilearnfromthenewspaperaccountsofeveryexecution，howMr。So—
and—so，andMr。Somebodyelse，andMr。So—forthshookhandswiththeculprit，butIneverfindthemshakinghandswiththehangman。Allkindsofattentionandconsiderationarelavishedontheone;buttheotherisuniversallyavoided，likeapestilence。Iwanttoknowwhysomuchsympathyisexpendedonthemanwhokillsanotherinthevehemenceofhisownbadpassions，andwhythemanwhokillshiminthenameofthelawisshunnedandfledfrom？Isitbecausethemurdererisgoingtodie？Thenbynomeansputhimtodeath。Isitbecausethehangmanexecutesalaw，which，whentheyoncecomenearitfacetoface，allmeninstinctivelyrevoltfrom？Thenbyallmeanschangeit。Thereis，therecanbe，nopreventioninsuchalaw。
ItmaybeurgedthatPublicExecutionsarenotintendedforthebenefitofthosedregsofsocietywhohabituallyattendthem。Thisisanabsurdity，towhichtheobviousansweris，Somuchtheworse。
Iftheybenotconsideredwithreferencetothatclassofpersons，comprehendingagreathostofcriminalsinvariousstagesofdevelopment，theyoughttobe，andmustbe。Tolosesightofthatconsiderationistobeirrational，unjust，andcruel。Allotherpunishmentsareespeciallydevised，withareferencetotherootedhabits，propensities，andantipathiesofcriminals。Andshallitbesaid，outofBedlam，thatthislastpunishmentofallisalonetobemadeanexceptionfromtherule，evenwhereitisshowntobeameansofpropagatingviceandcrime？
Buttheremaybepeoplewhodonotattendexecutions，towhomthegeneralfameandrumourofsuchscenesisanexample，andameansofdeterringfromcrime。
Whoarethey？WehaveseenthataroundCapitalPunishmenttherelingersafascination，urgingweakandbadpeopletowardsit，andimpartinganinteresttodetailsconnectedwithit，andwithmalefactorsawaitingitorsufferingit，whichevengoodandwell—
disposedpeoplecannotwithstand。Weknowthatlast—dyingspeechesandNewgatecalendarsarethefavouriteliteratureofverylowintellects。Thegallowsisnotappealedtoasanexampleintheinstructionofyouth（unlesstheyaretrainingforit）;noraretherecondensedaccountsofcelebratedexecutionsfortheuseofnationalschools。Thereisastoryinanoldspelling—bookofacertainDon’tCarewhowashangedatlast，butitisnotunderstoodtohavehadanyremarkableeffectoncrimesorexecutionsinthegenerationtowhichitbelonged，andwithwhichithaspassedaway。
Hogarth’sidleapprenticeishanged;butthewholescene——withtheunmistakablestoutlady，drunkandpious，inthecast;thequarrelling，blasphemy，lewdness，anduproar;TiddyDollvendinghisgingerbread，andtheboyspickinghispocket——isabittersatireonthegreatexample;asefficientthen，asnow。
Isitefficienttopreventcrime？Theparliamentaryreturnsdemonstratethatitisnot。Iwasengagedinmakingsomeextractsfromthesedocuments，whenIfoundthemsowellabstractedinoneofthepaperspublishedbythecommitteeonthissubjectestablishedatAylesburylastyear，bythehumaneexertionsofLordNugent，thatI
amgladtoquotethegeneralresultsfromitspages:
"In1843areturnwaslaidonthetableoftheHouseofthecommitmentsandexecutionsformurderinEnglandandWalesduringthethirtyyearsendingwithDecember1842，dividedintofiveperiodsofsixyearseach。Itshowsthatinthelastsixyears，from1836to1842，duringwhichtherewereonly50executions，thecommitmentsformurderwerefewerby61thaninthesixyearsprecedingwith74executions;fewerby63thaninthesixyearsending1830with75executions;fewerby56thaninthesixyearsending1824with94executions;andfewerby93thaninthesixyearsending1818whentherewasnolessanumberofexecutionsthan122。Butitmaybesaid，perhaps，thatintheinferencewedrawfromthisreturn，wearesubstitutingcauseforeffect，andthatineachsuccessivecycle，thenumberofmurdersdecreasedinconsequenceoftheexampleofpublicexecutionsinthecycleimmediatelypreceding，andthatitwasforthatreasontherewerefewercommitments。Thismightbesaidwithsomecolouroftruth，iftheexamplehadbeentakenfromtwosuccessivecyclesonly。Butwhenthecomparativeexamplesadducedareofnolessthanfivesuccessivecycles，andtheresultgraduallyandconstantlyprogressiveinthesamedirection，therelationoffactstoeachotherisdeterminedbeyondallgroundfordispute，namely，thatthenumberofthesecrimeshasdiminishedinconsequenceofthediminutionofthenumberofexecutions。Moreespeciallywhenitisalsorememberedthatitwasimmediatelyafterthefirstofthesecyclesoffiveyears，whentherehadbeenthegreatestnumberofexecutionsandthegreatestnumberofmurders，thatthegreatestnumberofpersonsweresuddenlycastlooseuponthecountry，withoutemploy，bythereductionoftheArmyandNavy;thatthencameperiodsofgreatdistressandgreatdisturbanceintheagriculturalandmanufacturingdistricts;andaboveall，thatitwasduringthesubsequentcyclesthatthemostimportantmitigationswereeffectedinthelaw，andthatthePunishmentofDeathwastakenawaynotonlyforcrimesofstealth，suchascattleandhorsestealingandforgery，ofwhichcrimescorrespondingstatisticsshowlikewiseacorrespondingdecrease，butforthecrimesofviolencetoo，tendingtomurder，suchasaremanyoftheincendiaryoffences，andsuchasarehighwayrobberyandburglary。Butanotherreturn，laidbeforetheHouseatthesametime，bearsuponourargument，ifpossible，stillmoreconclusively。Intable11wehaveonlytheyearswhichhaveoccurredsince1810，inwhichallpersonsconvictedofmurdersuffereddeath;and，comparedwiththeseanequalnumberofyearsinwhichthesmallestproportionofpersonsconvictedwereexecuted。
Inthefirstcasetherewere66personsconvicted，allofwhomunderwentthepenaltyofdeath;inthesecond83wereconvicted，ofwhom31onlywereexecuted。Nowseehowthesetwoverydifferentmethodsofdealingwiththecrimeofmurderaffectedthecommissionofitintheyearsimmediatelyfollowing。Thenumberofcommitmentsformurder，inthefouryearsimmediatelyfollowingthoseinwhichallpersonsconvictedwereexecuted，was270。
"Inthefouryearsimmediatelyfollowingthoseinwhichlittlemorethanone—thirdofthepersonsconvictedwereexecuted，therewerebut222，being48less。Ifwecomparethecommitmentsinthefollowingyearswiththoseinthefirstyears，weshallfindthat，immediatelyaftertheexamplesofunsparingexecution，thecrimeincreasednearly13percent。，andthataftercommutationwasthepracticeandcapitalpunishmenttheexception，itdecreased17percent。
"InthesameparliamentaryreturnisanaccountofthecommitmentsandexecutionsinLondonandMiddlesex，spreadoveraspaceof32
years，endingin1842，dividedintotwocyclesof16yearseach。Inthefirstofthese，34personswereconvictedofmurder，allofwhomwereexecuted。Inthesecond，27wereconvicted，andonly17
executed。Thecommitmentsformurderduringthelatterlongperiod，with17executions，weremorethanonehalffewerthantheyhadbeenintheformerlongperiodwithexactlydoublethenumberofexecutions。Thisappearstoustobeasconclusiveuponourargumentasanystatisticalillustrationcanbeuponanyargumentprofessingtoplacesuccessiveeventsintherelationofcauseandeffecttoeachother。Howjustlythenisitsaidinthatableandusefulperiodicalwork，nowinthecourseofpublicationatGlasgow，underthenameoftheMagazineofPopularInformationonCapitalandSecondaryPunishment，’thegreaterthenumberofexecutions，thegreaterthenumberofmurders;thesmallerthenumberofexecutions，thesmallerthenumberofmurders。ThelivesofherMajesty’ssubjectsarelesssafewithahundredexecutionsayearthanwithfifty;lesssafewithfiftythanwithtwenty—five。’"