Letter from Edward Livingston, Esq. to Roberts Vaux, on the advantages of the Pennsylvania System of prison discipline, for the application of which the new penitentiary has been constructed near Philadelphia.

Livingston, Edward

Published by Jesper Harding, printer, Philadelphia, 1828

About this Item

First edition, 8vo, pp. 15, [1]; removed from binding; first and last leaves loose, but present. Originally published in the National Gazette of Philadelphia. American Imprints 33888. See Sabin 41617. In 1821, Livingston began preparing a new code of criminal law and procedure, afterwards known in Europe and America as the "Livingston Code" (here modestly named the "Pennsylvania Code"). It was prepared in both French and English, as was required by the necessities of practice in Louisiana where he was serving as a lawyer. It consisted of four sections: crimes and punishments, procedure, evidence in criminal cases, and reform and prison discipline. Though substantially completed in 1824, when it was accidentally burned, and again in 1826, the criminal code was not printed in its entirety until 1833. It was never adopted by Louisiana. "The Livingston Code was at once reprinted in England, France, and Germany, attracting wide praise by its remarkable simplicity and vigor, and especially by reason of its philanthropic provisions in the code of reform and prison discipline, which noticeably influenced the penal legislation of various countries. In referring to this code, Sir Henry Maine spoke of Livingston as 'the first legal genius of modern times.' The spirit of Livingston's code was remedial rather than vindictive; it provided for the abolition of capital punishment and the making of penitentiary labor not a punishment forced on the prisoner, but a matter of his choice and a reward for good behavior, bringing with it better accommodations" (Wikipedia). Seller Inventory # 54095

Bibliographic Details

Title: Letter from Edward Livingston, Esq. to ...

Publisher: Jesper Harding, printer, Philadelphia

Publication Date: 1828

Edition: 1st Edition