Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-06-05

revision and amendment. The necessity o'
lihis is evinccd by the following facts For
several wears past 1t had become nppafent
that The penitentipry system was becoming
more aud more burdensome at every season +;
large appropriation wns called for To mee'
the excess Of the expenditure above inc re-
ceipts OF the establishment. Ia the com
me nc ement of the session OF IS2O, the den'
cit amounted 10 near S2O,OO0
| This growing evil required the immediate
inlerposilion OF some vigorous legislative
measures. Two was recommended as Delng
likely to produce the effect hrs', placing
the institution under better management
and, secondly, lessening tho number OF con
yicts who were sentcnc d for short periods,
and whose labor was found, OF course, 10 be-
most unproduclve. In pursuance OF the
latter principle, thefis to the amount OF S5O
or upwards were subjected to punishment III
the penitentiary instead of $40, which was
the foi mcr medium sum. This was easily
done. But the great difficulty remained t.
determine what should be the punishment o
the numerous laicenies below the sum oi
$50. by some, whipping was proposed; oy
others, punishment by hard labor ~ the
county jails and by Others, It was thought
best to make them work on the highways
TO all these there appeared lnsupera6le OBJ
iectons. Fine and imprisonment were
adopted by the House of Representatives as
The only slternalive and, as 1t Is well known
these vexatious pllierlngs were generaHy y
perpetrated by the more worthless vHgabonGs
in society, it was added that, when they
could not pay tho fines and cosis winch are
always part of the sentence and punishment
their ser, ices should be sold out To any per
son who would pay their fin's aud costs ior
tEcm This was the clause that was passed,
as ! believe, by u unanimous vote OF Inc
House. and stiickcn out in the Senate, IN
opposition TO the twelve who have been de-
Inounced A little further trouble III exam
inlng the journals would have shown your
correspondent that this was considered as
substitute for whipping, which was lost only
by a single vote in the Senate, abd IN The
House by small majority, after being once
passed.
| ! think, Mr. Editor, have said enough tc
show that this obnoxious law would have not
applied TO unfortunate debtors OF slxty-tou
wears" but 10 Infamous offenders who dcpre'
date upon the property of their fellow citl'
zens, aud who, by the Constitution Of the
State, rs well as the principle OF existing
laws, were sui lj"ct to involuntary servi'ude
| must CONFESS had no very sanguinc cx-
| pcctaiions of a beneficial effect from this
measure, as it would apply to convlcts who
had attained the age of maturity but HAD
supposed that n woman or youth who, con
victed of an offence, remained in Jail for The
payment of the fine aud costs imposed might
with grea, advantage be transferred to the
residence Of some decent, virtuouS private
family, whose prccept and example would
gently lead them back to the paths Of recti-
tude.
7 would appeal to the cnnGor Ct your cor
respondent TO say whether, It there were an
individual confirmed under the circumstances
have mentioned, for whose fate he was IN
tcrested, he would no, gladly see him trans
fcrrcd from the filthy enclosure OF jail,
and the still more filthy inhabitants, to the
comfortable mansion of some vlrtuous Citizen
whose admonitlons would check his vicious
propensities, and whose authority over him
would be no more than is exercised over
thousands of apprentices in our country and
those bound servants which are tolerated in our
own as we'll as in every other State in the
Union. Far from advancing the abominabie
principles attributed TO me by your correspon-
dent, think that Imprisonment for debt. under
amy circumstances but those where fraud rs
alleged, is at rar wiM the best princDoies Of
our Constitution, end ought to be abolished
am. sir your humble servant,
w. H. HARRISON.
North Bend, December 81, 1921.