S2 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR, 



and we fhall find, that the crimmals con- 

 fined there for their critnes have been aU 

 moft all hurried to thofe manGons of grief 

 and mifery, by caufes which do not exift ia 

 countries where man enjoys complete li- 

 berty, in the mid ft of peace and tranquillity* 

 Every fociety whatever has doubtkfs the 

 right of excluding from its bofom all thofe 

 who difturb its good order : but can it 

 afTume to itfelf the power of life and death 

 over thofe individuals whocompofeit ? This 

 queftion has been warmly debated ; but lias 

 it ever been refolved ? The Marquis of Bec- 

 caria, in his excellent treatife on Crimes and 

 Punijhmenls^ fl\ys, It appears to me abfurd 

 " that laws, which are only an exprefllon 

 ** of the public will, that detefls and puniilies 

 ** homicide, fliould commit the fame crime 

 " themfelves ; and that, to deter ma^iklnd 

 " from murder, they fhould themfelves com- 

 " mand a public murder. What then are 



« real 



