The Committee to whom was referred a "Report on the punishment of death," have carefully examined and considered the same [electronic resource] : and being deeply impressed with the great importance of the subject to the well being of society, and of the propriety of the greatest deliberation and caution in changing a mode of punishment, which has been so long and so generally in use, they regret that the shortness of the time allotted to the continuance of the present Session of the General Court, for­bids the attempt to accomplish that change, which they are unanimously of opinion ought to be made in the criminal laws of this Commonwealth at this time : they therefore report ...