Litchfield enquirer., 1830-01-14
THE ENQUIRER.
LITOE1FIELD, JAN. "A, Is00.

'~O"~'ob WV AAvUs " OUVor was elected PRnns
dent pro tenn There 10 no acting Lieut. Governor,
the Lieut. Governor elect, ThroOp acting as Cover.
nor, In consequence OF the translation to Washington
of0OV Van Buren, ] In the House, aRrecnLly to the
mandates Of previous caucus, the Hon. ras,ue Roo,
was chosen Speaker. The vote stood, for Roo, 90,
Tor Francis Granger, (Antmasonc and anti. jacksonl
10, and Tor Mr.. Blank L. On taking the chair, Gen.
Root delivered short address, Ia which he made tho
decltrAliCn-as rare ~ we conceive TO be UnbeUOm.
ing md unworthy high.minded independent states.
an-hat he would net Tor the good of the party that
elected him. aud not for the sute. The paragraph is
as fOllows:-" Some Of the committees possess the
means oEOiding political party aud the furtherance Of
its views and the imcredse pOwsr. In such
thOt majority which has elevated mo to the present
station, have right to expect prepOndera,ing infu
cnce."
The message Of tho Governor was transmitted tho
sa,ne day-it 10 Of great length, devoted generally 10
the business and interests Of the state, and IL written
in plain, perspcuous manner highly commendable.
We shall make but a few extracts, though there 10
much ia It Of general interest In auding to the ma.
sonic excitement existing in the western part Of the
state he says -" Although IN some sections Of the
State an unusual excitement has prevailed, am hap.
ny to have Il In my power TO say, that has not orig
mated In desire 10 change our constitution, or In
ds,rust Of the integrity Of our laws; but In honest
ZEAL overlooking its proper boundaries, misdrec,ed
in its efforts, aud carrying into public affairs matters
properly belonging to socin discipline. Such feelings
cannot long exist beyond the limits Of their proper
sphere Of action and IL source Of qualification,
that in this instance they give evidence ofspcey sub.
siding into their natural ami healthiu channel"
Speaking Of crimes, aud criminals, the stnle prison
discipline, &C., lie says tina, during the past year he
Inns been repeatedly rallied upon to exercise the par.
doning power; tina. during the year he has paroncd
from the state prison 90 convcs that within the year
there have been four convictions ar capital Offences
in neither Of which did he interfere, bu, allowed the
law to take lie course. He then proceeds as follows
and the remarks will in great measure, particular.
~ where he speaks Of county gaOs answer for other
states as well as New.York -
"Our revised code imposes the punishment Of death
for Of The first degree; and empowers tho court
10 mprisom for life for certain kinds Of rape, may.
cm attempt to poison, arson, burglary, forgery, rob
berry aud murder. | submit to your onsdcra,on.
whether the punishment 10y death ought u DO extern.
ded beyond the crimes Of treason and murder; aud
whether It 10 polite to mrison for life IN any cnse,
except on st' ,n, conviction: ~" persuaded lrOm
in our hest regulated state prisons, 10, 10 most cases,
eunicenl sUldue the moral, mental or phi, steal fac.
Titles OF the m0Rt oDutlutc man. An imprisonment
for life ie rarely, evcr where the convics a 10 not
near iis natural close, or Unexpectedly terminated,
carried into effect. The public sympathy becomes ".
Weakened in behalf Of the arocious life convict:
aud f he is imprisoned first conviction pious aud
humane hnpcs entertained that he is u renewed
NAN, md that the discipline Of the prison has purified
his heart, and corrected his evil prOpen acs. These
considerations urged with zeal tOr his pardon, nj
brief imprisonment and have been Tar
Cl, that can aseer from 40 inspection Of the prison
hooks, that there are nOw IN the prison ~ Auburn
comparatively few Of that class OF ronvCis, "hO have
served longer period than five years.
"Onc OF the great objects ri pun shment, IL the re-
formal on ~ tue Otiendcr II has been the hope Of
the h'an'''"'"t and indulge the besict that bus
40" bT1nc''o certain extent tne feasible object 81
me cG's,"I"r. q" "m"uM ~ runisnmnmt Wnicm WIZ
receive '"c SonC,'o" :" p"u''C ,ee'"B e~e: ucu 70 US
!"ll extent WIN nave more sM.uaIy encet ~ 'estra
''g GRIMES .n"' s'F".s: ne'vy WIN" G"'S's puD,c
sympathy mo tnc srrvIcc OF NO. como'neu "uaws'
VINO NAM " p.. y. ."'i ; a. 80 ;lp nv.
s""S y" .".'l "sru": : ", ., -: ~ | 'as"
"u' ''"' n"pe =" Ie.o, - ~ ""e WV, :,rs
rcron OF his evil lropens'iies aud the public owes
!" we s"'y .: ."e r s," s"" w.. w" ,'" r s;
ON second runvirtnns.
AS intimately connected WIN this subject ear
ne. S"ne ."n' ~ .m." =" Wv @ ''n,," e T ""
'rhe creates, defect in our former mode Of treating
state convicts, was the necessity OF lmr'o""g them,
" ~ "St ,sc "" u"o,,y co,,.;",,s% s"rh "'er ""j
those who entered fresh in crime, came out adopts IN