The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-12-05

ed tnrm hy cutting throuEl the outer I'll
AID dragging them through the aper,uas
At considerable, hazard Ia themselves f,,,.'
the burning ruins falling about them and
il WIS soon ascertained that of two b,o
drrd aud fori t-foar then in eonfa, men,
all were forthcoming. A little buf..rp d.,
they we're removed Ia the Capitol. wb.r,.
they we're retained about fifteen hours AMI
ON the evening OF the day succeeding III.
fire .err removed / the allnary, in.I J.,
ling the only place belonging To the pubic
sufficiently large to keep them, cxcept fb,.
! Capitol, where 1t WAS not considered pro
per for them to stay longer than iii -.
rooms in the armory could be prepared f,r
their reception. In this place il was lotIpJ
necessary to ensure the4r safe keeping 4,
employ an additional furce in aid of TN.
public guard. This WAS done by calliao
into service a company of militia for s4rr
raj DAYS, and accepting the services of fba
volunteer companies which were rreeI,,
rendered by them and received by III. ~
ecutiye. Capt Samuel Gary having prnf
| fered his services to raise Il COMPANY nr
volunteers TO relieve the militia, it Was 4.
terrnued to accede TO his proposal. The
company, seventy-fiye in number, wrreac
cordingly raised for sixty days unless soon
| er discharged. They we're net finally di.
| charged until the eud Of their term of scr
vice ; for though the prisoners were r.
moved To the Peniteuliary before that time
it was not considered secure enough for
their safe custody without AN additional
guard. On the fnal discharge Of tbis
company of volunteers, 1t was Judged pru-
dent to continue guard of twent, FIVE
men, with an ensign 10 command them.
who Are at this time acting With the public
guard, having been enlisted for ainety da,s
unless sooner discharged.
/ The situation of the executive, on the
happening of this event, was new and
somewhat embarrassing. Their coptin-
gent fund was nearly exhausted An i'm.
mrdlate call of the Legislature was tho't
of for a tnoment by myscf but Short
reflection induced the opinion, that tins
measure should not be resOrted to, uni, s.
the necessity was evident. 4 sur,e, Of
the Ptritentiary WAS determined ON, and
lit hrfng the opinion of several intelligent
persons, that 1t could, at no great expense.
be- put ~ situation In short time with
the assistance of part of the prisoners. to
keep them in better condition in all re-
spects than the armory, il WIS determined
! 10 make such Temporary repairs a. would
be sufficient for this purpose, u also To ena.
bic them to carry on their manufacturing
operations in part.--This was thong hi bet.
Ter than am extra CAB Of the Legislature at
that season of the veal, which would have
| subjected the members IN great .nconre.
Glrnrc and tire public TO Il heavy and un-
| looked FOR expense. There being no pub.
lie money which coud b.. app.Ird to lhOss
! repairs, the Executive made IL loan of ne
IF the banks on their individual credit,
! The Whole amount expanded in extra
guards, materials, work, Sc. does NOT
much exceed the sum of S e00O. A cory
Of the accounts accompanies this commuui.
catlou, marked No /.
was considered also, taat the mate
riats procured and work done, would all be
necessary in the permanent repairs of the
building. 80 that he loss could be sustain.
ed. An investigation his been made by
the Directors ofthe Pcnlleutlary, into The
probable origin ofthe fire, aud the loss sus-
tanned in raw materials aud manufactured
articles. From this Investigation, ii rs not
ascertalned with certainty, how the fire Or
iginatcd am! the loss sustained in raw ma.
tcr1s and manufactured articles, il is
stated, will net exceed $4,000.
On this subject OF the Prniteutiary sys-
tenn, trcst shall be pardoned for making
a few remarks That the penal code Of
every civilized and christian community,
Is on object ~ the first Importance, is ad-
mtted BY all who are competent to reflect
and form an opinion on the subject. 1t vas
! the hrm connection oil the great truth, that
the certainty Of punishment would he more
ehectual III preventing crimes than its sc.
rer'ib which induced that phiIanthropc
legislature, who adopted the penitentiury
system, IT, do so. Tht want of "A scale Of
! punlehments graduated 10 the lnalignty OF
offences, was apparent to all attentive OBJ.
servers That the same degree of punish
ment, and that the highest known to the
law, should be inflicted on the trembling
purlonrr of his nci5kbor's goods, for the
first offence perhaps, as was inflicted on
the midnight house-burnrr and assassin,
was shocking to humanity. Juries often
s'falhtd point To clear the prisoner, when
IN Their Judgment the punishment was too
severe, when conviction would have taken
! place, had II been in any degree propor-
toned to the offence. The Executive /
power also, frequently, felt stroug induce
ments to interfere from the same cause.
u these circumstances conspired power
i"IIs to Introduce the Peuitrntiary sy stem.
i am fully aware of the objections sup
posed to be produced by our experience
'hs' THIS system Was int, nted to prodpcc
Fei9rn'aton-t.na the tsiai has been made
aud has fan ID; reformation having in few,
perhaps IN no instance, taken place. But
III ~ reply 60 these objections, may il not be
i''fly asked, has the trial in truth been j
III, de ! Is there single state in the union,
! Where the building Intended fnr cnnfnc.