Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-24

corning FIELD officers OF The militia"
a report from the committee Of roaas
ana internal navigation, MAS taken rp and
read, us follows:
The committee of roads and internal
navigation have, according to order. had
under consideration the petitions OF s,,t.-
dry inhabitants OF the county ci' Amherst
and town OF Lynchburg, and the ren,os
STRANGE thereto, of the president, ciirecf-
ors and company oftle Lynchburo toii-
bridge company, and OF John lynch.
een TO them referred, and have come 10
the following resolution tbereupon:
Hesotred. as the opinion OF this commits
tee, that the petitions Of Suntiry inhabit-
ants OF The county of Amherst and town
OF l-ynchburg, praying that an act may
pass, auihorising the erection OF a new
bridge across James river. from tue lands
OF Benjamin Scheduled. IN Aml,e,sr
county, 10 the lands of George Cabclj.
near Lynchburg, 10 be free ofany Toll or
lax whatever, except what may occasion
ally be found necessary TO keep ii in re-
pair, be rejected
he said report being twice read, a ve4
ry long substitute therefor was offered By
Mr.. Taylor, of Chesterfield, and. on his
motion, ordered 20 be laid upon The Ia
blf, together with the said report.
III coHciudcs with the following resoiu-
ton :.Res0lred, That the petition OF Viii
liam Mitchell and others for leave 10 e.
rect bridge free of toll at Lynchburg,
Is reasonable and ought TO he granted.
On motlon-Crdered, That $50 comics
OF the said report and substitute be print
ed for the use of the members, of The
General Assembly.
report of the penitentiarv commit. +
lee was taken up, and read, as follows -
he committee appointed 10 inquire in
10 me present state aud condition of the
pubic Jail and penitentary- house, have.
according TO order, performed that duty,
ana beg leave 10 submit TO The House Of
Delegates, the following report
Your committee consider any statemen,
OF The receipts and disbursements on ace.
count ofthls institution, for the last wear.
unnecessary, as ii has been already com
munlcated TO the Legislature by tie board
OF directors, through the Executive, TO
whichyour committee beg leave TO refer.
Believing IT, however, 10 be their duty.
your committee have examined the ac-
counts referred TO in the report of the
board OF directors, with great attention
ana care, and have not been able to detect
any errors IN the same. The interior of
lie penItentIary has been carefully in
specled by your committee, and found
neat and IN good order; and the arrange.
ment for the different mechanical opera
lions carried on there. as good as tIIe
nature of the building will admit, until
The new building shall be completed !;
when. IN The opinion of your committee.
VIII alone contain connections workshops
ior itree hundred persons, better suited
to many branches Of mechanism CARVED
OH al present in the institution. both AZ
respects the convenience of WORKING and
he health of the cOnvicts, than any in
The old building. Your committee find.
mai 'iie law requiring every person con-
VIcteu 81 any crime, and sentenced 10
couilnemenf In the public Jail and peni-
Tertiary, shall be confined i'm the solitary
cells thereof, for such portion of the term
OF his or her imprisonment, as the court
III It's sentence shall direct, rot exceeding
one nan, nor less than one twelfth part
Ihcreof, has not been executed. and in
deed, never can be, until The requisite
number oil solitary cells shall be provided
ne number OF state prisoners at pre-
sent, Is one hundred and sixty six. and
the number of solitary cells only four
hence, 1t clearly appears, that if the uri.
soners were sentenced 10 confinement
I'D Inc SOLITARY cells for the shortest por-
non ct time allowed by law, (Which is
not tie fact, fourteen SOLITARY celia would
be lndispensably necessary to complete
aud impartial execution Of the law On ,ll
the convIcts. But, your committee be-
lIeve, from the best information that fl,ev
could obtain, the average portion of each
prisoners confinement in the SOLITARY
Gems, as dlTccted by the sentence of The
court, Is1hol less than one sixth of MS or
heF whoie Term OF continemenf--an If
III ihi'' yeur committee be correct, The
due execution of the law on the ureae,,t
number oil COuVIgfs, Nvh,fd xo,,.:...
twepty-eIght solitary cells. Your con,.
niticc do not mean TO imply an onio,op
that the law III this respect should bo r.,
pedied--on The contrary, they entertain
no doubi, That a rigid execution of this
provision OF the law, would be Attend
ed VIM benebcIai consequences to The
puDlic-e%cept III pecuniary point az
view. fY
Your committee are Of opinion. HAT
TIE necessary number of rooms II, III. old
building, as soon as the new t,uilslin0
shall be completed, may, at yer, lr,vial
expense, be fitted up for SOLITARY cells.
winch would answer every purpose Of %,
instrument, quite as well as those construct
ed Tor That purpose, and would be nuch
less injurious 10 the health of the conVicts
| cOnhued IN them, as they are above ground
dhn cry; 1OuT committee are we'll as
sureu, llal III many cases persons have
been convicted fora second offence With.
out the court before which tLev were
tried, being apprized Of the fact III for
mer conviction; for want of which infor-
malion, those who have been convicted
second tine OF AN offence, which Was ca
| pitai anterior TO the penitentiary system.
nave escaped Tie punishment which tie
law has denounced against such ofgu-
ders. Indeed, II person after HE dis-