Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 1Jefferson, Thomas
History
Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 1
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
different degrees of punishment.
Whatsoever act, if committed in the night time, shall constitute
the crime of Burglary, shall, if committed in the day, be deemed
House-breaking;* and whosoever is guilty thereof, shall be condemned to
hard labor three years in the public works, and shall make reparation to
the persons injured.
* At the Common law, the offence of House-breaking was not
distinguished from Burglary, and neither of them from any
other larceny. The statutes at first took away clergy from
Burglary, which made a leading distinction between the two
offences. Later statutes, however, have taken clergy from so
many cases of House-breaking, as nearly to bring the
offences together again. These are 23 H. 8. c. 1; 1 E. 6. c.
12; 5 k 6 E. 6. c. 9; 3 & 4 W. M. c. 9; 39 El. c. 15; 10&11
W. 3. c.23; 12 Ann. c. 7. See Burr. 428; 4 Bl. 240. The
circumstances, which in these statutes characterize the
offence, seem to have been occasional and unsystematical.
The houses on which Burglary may be committed, and the
circumstances which constitute that crime, being
ascertained, it will be better to define House-breoking by
the same subjects and circumstances, and let the crimes be
distinguished only by the hour at which they are committed,
and the degree of punishment.
Whosoever shall be guilty of Horse-stealing,* shall be condemned to hard
labor three years in the public works, and shall make reparation to the
person injured.
* The offence of Horse-stealing seems properly
distinguishable from other larcenies, here, where these
animals generally run at large, the temptation being so
great and frequent, and the facility of commission so
remarkable. See 1 E. 6. c. 12; 23 E. 6. c. 33; 31 El. c. 12.
Grand Larceny* shall be where the goods stolen are of the value of five
dollars; and whosoever shall be guilty thereof, shall be forthwith put
in the pillory for one half hour, shall be condemned to hard labor**
two years in the public works, and shall make reparation to the person
injured.
* The distinction between grand and petty larceny is very
ancient. At first 8d. was the sum which constituted grand
larceny. LI. Ælhelst. c. 1. ‘Ne parcatur ulli furi, qui
furtum manutenens captus sit, supra 12 annos nafo, et supra
8 denarios.’ Afterwards, in the same king’s reign, it was
raised to 12d. ‘Non parcaturalicui furi ultra 12 denarios,
et ultra 12 annos nato--ut occide-mus ilium et capiamus omne
quod possidet, et inprimis sumamus rei furto ablatse pretium
ab hserede, ac dividatur postea reliquum in duas partes, una
pars uxori, si munda, et facinoris conscia non sit; et
residuum in duo, dimi-dium capiat rex, dimidium societas.’
LI. Æthelst. Wilkins, p. 65. VOL. I. 17
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