Mr. burner on Crimes and Pimijhments. 3 1 9 



For all crimes being hurtful to the ftate, their 

 frequent commiffion ought to be carefully pre- 

 vented, and the increafe of them is an alarming 

 fymptom of political decline. When, therefore, 

 any crime is often repeated, its punifhment mull 

 increafe accordingly, in order to counterbalance 

 the additional temptation, which its general 

 commiffion might otherwife occafion. Thus 

 in the year 1748, his late Majefty ilTued a 

 proclamation, letting forth, that in confequencc 

 of the great frequency of high-way and ftreet- 

 robberies, he would pardon no perfon convifbed 

 of this crime for the fpace of a year to come ; 

 which was, in effedt, an increafe of punifhment, 

 as it took away the chance of efcaping. * 



For the fame reafon, all other temptations 

 to the commiffion of crimes, are to be counter- 

 balanced by fuch additional punifhments, as may 

 furnifh fufficient motives to refrain from them. 

 Among thefe temptations, difficulty of dete5lion 

 is one of the moft powerful, f and is on that 

 account moft generally and ftridlly guarded 

 againft. Thus, in cloathing countries, to cut 

 off, and take away a -part of a piece from the 

 tenter- hooks is a capital offence; but to fteal 

 the whole piece only fubjedts the delinquent to 



• A fimilar meafure was purfued, in the year 1785, 

 with refpeft to robberies attended with murder, or cruel 

 ufage. 



t Sec the note on footpadsj page 323. 



the 



