Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-02-17
p,opSsius an ames5inebl TO lie Constitution
Itself.
The second resolution was then also agreed
TO ; and
The Senate adjourned.

The second resolution was then also agreed
to- is ses s.o,,, adjourned
ON THE PUNTsRMENT OFPIRJCY
IN SENATE or IHE tAirfp s1ATLs nm. %, 1921
MIR. SMITH from the committee on the Ja
dietary, to ~hich svas referred tie resolution,
to enquire into the proprieiy of so modi..
firing the taU Furnishing piracy. as 10 AT
thorise the President Of tie United States,
| IN such cases as he may deem erpedi enf. to
commute capital punishmemfs for confne-
,aent im pe"itsmtiary houses, made the fol-
| lOwfng report:
The object Of the resolation is to alter the
criminal code Of the u States so far as to
place within the pouer Of the President IF
the U. States the complete control over tie
punishment now alfred by lac to Me crime
Of piracy. and to soften ii DOZEN from death
to the less rigorous punishment Of c0n6ne
n'ent III penitentiary houses.
! rs ne hare drawa most of our inipres,
sions Of the utility aud efficacy Of peni.em.
fiaries, from the practical operations Of this
system in the several states vhere it has
been adopted, IL may no: be thought improper
to gre the result ofcei Tim o6iciai enquiries
into the condition. usefulness, and adpanta-
ges, IF .oms of these Institutions, in states
where nnch zeal and diligence lat been dis.
P"yeu 20 cHefiSh fhem.
Some time in tie year of ISI7, tie grand
J"y IF Philadelphia risiicd The pe,iitentiary
| a" TINT city. nprn r6ich they made tie foi.
| f0w,ng preyentmsnt
That whiie they notice, NTH pleasure
the high degree Of order aud cleanliness. they
are compelled, by Il sense IF dirty, to present
an erH IF considerable mmgnitmde, tie
present re'y c,owded state of' the pemiientia
'y =: the number 81 prisosers of all classes
continues TO increase, so thai from twenty to
lJorfy are lodged an rooms eighteen feet
square so many are MuS crowded together
that the Institution uircady begins Ia assume
tie character IF an European PRISM. and
| SeninaryJor ererg rice Ia whfch the unfor-
! innate being, Wiio cummts a first Dfencc, and
hnoms none ofthe arts Of met.io1i<ed UifLa
! ny, cur scarcely nroid the contamination which
feddS to extreme depravity.' THE same grand
Jmy further Statea, " ,hat If jout hundred
ana Ffty one cOmricts noiU an The penitcn
Hory If Pennsylvania, ONE hnndred anal silty
one he'd been co,yined .htrs btfore." 1t is
6eHsred that no iasli.1tiOa. # tbs character,
fuer rece'0ed more attcnti0M, as respects as
comforts md mans for pron;o,ing rcjorma.
ton If o6rstiers
The commissioners appointed to eramiHe
into the state IF the N.v Yora prison, not
long SINCE. az their repou Say-" II las
FOR some i!mc past. not o"iy Jaiisd Of eDict"
ing tie "4ject chirt2y in view, int has Sub
J'cfed the Treasury to a se,,es If disGmse.
ments- tao oppressice To be canttnned, ifihey
can "a any Way be prescuieI."
| I've commissioners IF tie prison If Mas.
sdchuSeHS IN rcport, complain =" that The
prison IS So cron ofcd as to arJrat Tie objtct
FOR Uhich the institution rus creafed' =
| These commissioners, after enuDics.aiing tcliot
they consider To be Tie adUanfages a, ising to
tic commonwealth say INT there ayp.ars
great se0Son to suppose hat The adrantna.e
| frsf mentioned rs more than comufc,daianc.
ed 6y the greater hdrdihood, and murs set
fted corruption, which "a prou,iScmpms asso-
cidi1on Gmomg The coupicis mast produce.
particularly Tie young
| These appear Ia bs far and iu,p4rtiat re
! presentations. made by men whose duty i,
naS to represent Mins,s as they weye. in o..
der 10 bring TO lie public Useu their true
character. Amd itMiS is tie state and EFF
Jrct NJ th04e prisons after tmenty years IF
experience "nd prudent management, np0m
connects a0iose offences are mt o.; lie most
0tr0cious class, 5mi HHLe A0Ue can liz enter
tanned that pirates can be reformed by such
means
In tie catalogue Of human Offences. If
mere IS any one S"premeiy d,stineaished for
MS enorm.fy oOer otherS, ii is p,,mcy. II
can only De committed by those oiose keayis
haze become Lass by habituai depruvity. IL
IS called by JH'1sts an offence against tie
m"'pe'sdf lavs IT society. Il pirate IS i,,>tIs
human grnerls. He as at war wifh Ills
Spfcies Gma has renoanced tie proicction nj
aHctoih1ed governments, md aLandoned him..
seT again TO the snunee state of mfnre.-
ifis tug consists # = a biack tfsla, wnA a
death S head, lutte are, anil az hour elass y
IheSe IRE me ensigas If his pyofession.-
ne "oeS not select tie eMemitS IT his maiioc
| ""fTy as the ony objects ofM conquest
O~t attacks, unfortunately the defiuceiess
% ere',y na!ton promtS eDeIy ocean an quest
| Of Pfnm1fer. Gad murders or le0DayYH.es fhe
hoes # all who fiji withia his p0wcr, ,g,,A.
| ont regard To nation, 10 age, or 10 ser
| van such biood'Sfained front. u nitrate
| Gun hare no cia'm 10 tie cts,aeacy of q gop.
er'iment, ttr protection If which lie has TO-.
tuntaraty renoanced. anil against which he
has so highly oGcudtd
OW' general poL,cy and political insfitu.
fion' are administered so miLdty that we
seem to ha1e lorgOiten thc protection due 10
| Me Pu0fic, and coHthat punishment which the
faD preSeri6es for oGicnces. howecey enor.
| nous Mey may be against tie pnbHc safety
an" p"ohc morals. cruel, and d.grading to
"" '''i"f CHH'dctc'. rue MicS pnIHshing
piracy with deaA haze had from Tie iegis q.
tiUe department all tie consideration due To So
important a subject, at a time ,oheIt no undue
influence couM mierposc
TIE executive ctemency has more tim,
sufficient range for IT'S prercise wifhout The
a'a sought for by this resolution IYhaterer
may be tie public feeling against pirate
prer,ons TO his biai and c0mciciiOn. as Soou
as that takes place, that feeling subsidies anil
becomes enlisted OF The part Of the criminal
There as not q favorable trojt IN his aase byJ