Show children and crime with regard to capital crimes by the ancient saxon law the age of twelve years was established c tor for tho the age of polo possible discretion when drat first the understanding might open and thence till the offender was fourteen it was about the age of puberty in which he might or might not be guilty of a crime according to his natural capacity or incapacity under the age of twelve it was held field that he be could not be guilty in aul neither utter after fourteen could he be gruppo d to be ile innocent since the firme of edward III th the e law apa pears a to have been more desirous to measure the capacity of doing ill III or contracting guilt by the de delinquents llaque ants understanding aud and judgment rather than by any fla age after the age of seven was reached under beven seven year years of age an infant cannot be guilty of felony for then as its blackstone stone says it felonious discretion is almost an in nature but at 6 eight yeara years old be guilty of felony the same author says that und under er fourteen though an infant shall be prima facie adjudged to be doll in capax yet it if it appear to the court a and nd jury that be was doll doli capax and could discern between good and evil he may tw lie convicted and death bondon lancet |