Sketches of the natural, civil, and political state of Swisserland; in a series of letters to William Melmoth, Esq; / from William Coxe.

  • William Coxe
Date:
1779
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sketches of the natural, civil, and political state of Swisserland; in a series of letters to William Melmoth, Esq; / from William Coxe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 353 ] of }office : in the comity of Vallengin there is but one for the whole diftridt. The fpirit of their criminal laws is un¬ commonly mild ; and the penalty an¬ nexed to each tranfgreffion is marked out with a precifion, which leaves no 'part of the fentence to the arbitrary de¬ termination of the judges. The great circumfpedtion obferved in their judicial proceedings, may fometimes indeed fa¬ vour the efcape of the criminal : but the very few infiances which occur of atrocious crimes, is a proof that this humane caution is no encouragement to o tranfgreffors; as it is a firong prefump- tion alfo of the general, good morals of the people. In a word, and to fpeak of the temper of their legiflation in the liigheft terms of encomium, as well as with the ftri£teft truth ; perfonal li¬ berty is as tenderly and as fecurely pro- tedied by the laws of this country, as by thofe of our own mofl invaluable conflitution. When the criminal is arrefied, he is immediately brought to trial : after which, the fentence is read to him in prifon. The next morning the prifoner
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