Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-12-05

ed condition, and future pros poets of The Bon;
teDiary system. in the course OF the las vs..
called on our able and indefatigable surc,;n!
tendan,, Tor such information respecting the ~,
nagement and discipline Of the other Peri,sn,
tiary establishments in the Union, -, in mv
Judgment, would enable US 10 improve the no
lice Of our own. was then much PLEASED w;b
the report made in reply to my call; since which
he has added supplementary report Bo,b
reports contain valuable infol maton 1t Seems
now 10 be a maxim universally settled in ,hs
Penitenliary system, that sufiicieL, number S
cells, 10 produce entire separation Of the CON.
victs, is an Indispensable pre- re auisi,e 10 r.,
success, at least for all purposes of reformation
The opinion in relation 10 another great prp,
cipIe in human punishment, solitary confae.
ment in cells without labor, remains We, unset.
tied; but from The information have been ,O,.
bled 10 procure upon that interesting subi,c,
and from the best refleo tons have been able n
bestow upon it, l am confirmed in nv original
impression, that solitary confinement in c,lls
without labour ought not to be introduced ino
the Peniientiary system, except in cases Of The
most atrocious offences; and Of refractory con.
duct in the convict after entering the Pcpi,.n.
tiary. In this latter case, its infic,ion mus, i.
made to depend upon The sound discretion NJ
the superintendent; but should never be permi
ted to be rx ended beyond the time of the SIM
cere repen,arce and reformation Of the offender
1t appears from This supplementary report, tia,
there has been very little if any increase Of CON-
victions for Pententiarv offences during The
present year, compared with preceding years
The number OF con,icts reported to be in th.
Penilentiary 3oth September, 1927, was AZ
Of which number 1875 were white males, co,
Toured males, and Of TWO white and Two colour.
ed females. On the Goth Sept. 1928, the mum.
Der reported was 1853, consisting Of l42 While
males, OF two white and one colnured female,
and | 3 coloureG males-an iaore Of II in tn.
whole year.
There is one fact disclosed in the supplemer.
tary report, SO extraordinary in itself, and 80 |
honorable TO the white female population Of |
this State, that deem il my duty TO make no,
norabe mention Of it to the General Assembly.
and thus to afford an opportunity of its be-
coming ultimately known TO the whole CIVILIZED '
world. II is, tina, for the last four years but
one white woman has been convicted Of PeE
Tertiary offence within the Commonwealth Of |
Virginia; and il appears, that only two white
women have been confined in the PenenIiar
for the last TWO years. The free white popul
ton Of Virginia exceeds 100000 souls. How
small the number Of convicts, particularly Of
the white female population, compared with
the aggregate population! How wonderful
the fact, that only one white woman has betr
convicted Of a Penitentiary offence WITHIN The
last four years.! From the unusually small
number Of convictions, compared with he
,h<to riont avIV
that there is some inattention, or laxIiy in ID.
administration Of the penal laws, but from ..
"s.~~.;-- "h-."D tinn nrnn that point. since
came into Office, am satisfied that the fac' is
otherwise; and recently several calls upon tn.
Executive for revisions and 2ardons have rI
hibIed indications, which induced me 10 fear
that the penal laws were in some few instances
executed more in Tigour than in justice. 1h.
most favourable general result Of The small num-
Der Of convictions, compaie ed TO the whole white
population, is rendered still more conclusive 10
favor Of the sound moral condition Of our So
ciety, and more honorable to our civil InstI'u'
tions, by the recollection, that grand IarcenyH
made PeDi.entiary offence, and is made 10
consis! Of all thefts to an amour, e1ceednstn
dolars-the lowest limit TO peti, larceny ASIA
as my Information extends, 10 be found 10 i3
penal code Of any Stale in the Union. AnoiI
consolatory fact appears in the report; in rslF
ton to the effects of our Penilentiary dl'elpH'
in the reformation Of offenders II appeaH
that within the last four years, only eigh, con-
sicts have been returned for second and ihl'
offences, when twenty-five were returned I"
the four years preceding, being nearly 'HF
thirds more for The frs, than the last four!e',n
II is also consola,ory to be informed, that i'
WoolIep Mandatory recently established D"
fully realised the anlicipa,ions Of its protector
and if furnished with proper engines tor hs' y"
Of artificial labor, may become extensively u'
Ful. There are now confined within The rem
en'iary three persons Of colour who were GOV
]emned to slavery, sale and Transportation, O :"
ore the repeal of the late law infIe'inS ' l'.
severe punishments upon that unfor'unae ~
:ription of persons; and now respeeuu,Oi ~, ~,
nit it 10 the General Assembly to derlde uP'I
he proper disposition 10 be made oil 'hfm,
'isu respectfully submit to the Genera h, So,
,ly, the propriety Of a revision OF the wn'e
'ireniary code, with view to its unaoI I' Il.
,laInness and simplicity, and par'lccuiaIr W."
xpediency CT restricting the limit oil 'n' I'm,
# stolen things which shall hereafter eons . 's~
he crime Of grand larceny, to larger SUI" IN n.
pr, dolIars The cupnIemrntary report VI W.