The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-30

First. That the selling, 20 much cons y Is
Of, was only the selling Of the servsc - ~
convicted offender for limited Pe7oa p tune
Second. That the offender, during me penod
of his service, was secured from inJusuce, c!uei-
~, or abuse, Ia the same manne, - p
are secured against abuse from their masters.
Third That, Il the offender was able and
willing 10 labor, he might discharge the flne I'M
nased an him for this violation Of the law, ~
labor on the public highways, and thus avoid
being sold out 10 service.
Fourth That, il he was unable 70 LABOR on
the highways, and SO poor as 10 be unable 70 pay
his fine and costs, he might in such case, De
discharged by the county commissioners with
out either paving or being sold for the payment
Of his fine and costs.
Fifth and last That the selling had no refer
ence to honest men, or 10 debtors, IN the ordina-
nv acceptation Of the term; but only TO conrict-
ID offenders against the penal lars Of ne
STATE And even in these cases, i was only
substituting temporary service, IN lieu OF I'M
pfisonment, for an indefinite length OF time, IN
the noisome cells of county jail, where the Of
fender could earn nothing TO pay his fne nor 10
support himself or family. .
This bin was under consideration al time OF
great peeuniary embarrassment in the State OF
OHIO So difficult was il for the People 10 raise
money for the payment OF taxes, that the col
ections were inadequate to meet the ordinary
expenses Of the Government. The Legislature
were engaged during large part Of the session
in considering various plans for reducing the cur
rent expenses OF the State, and law was
passed authorizing the Governor 10 borrow the
sum of $780, 900, in aid Of the proceeds of tax
alton. During the tendency of the supplement
tary act, for the punishment Of offenders, above
referred TO, attempts were made nboth branches
| OF the Legislature to substitute Uhipping ,foI
imprisonment ia the county jail, as method
Of furnishing offences less expensive to the coun-
ties; and the plan of selling the services OF the
convicted offender, for limited period, topay the
/ fine and costs imposed on him as punishment
for violating the laws of his country, was advo-
Gated by many respectable members Of both
branches of the General Assembly, as mode OF
punishment less expensive to the public than
that of imprisonment, and less barbarous than
that Of whipping the offender at the post.
Columbus, April 6, 1910.
Dear Sir .--Agreeably to your request, | have
carefully examined the journals Of the General
Assembly for the session when the proposed
measure ''of selling ont the services Of con-
ricfed blenders against the penal lars Of The
State, for a limited time, 70 pay the fines I'M
posed on them by the court and cost Of conric-
ton, was under consideration, as well as the
statute laws of the State in relation to the sub
Ject, and have given you, above, correct state
ment OF all the material facts and circumstances
in the case,
AT my request, WILLIAM MINER, Esq, Clerk
of the United States Courts for Ohio, and LYME
STARLlNG, Jr Clerk Of the superior Court and
Court of Common Pleas for Franklin county
have examined and compared the statement with
the laws and journals, and added their certif-
cate Of its correctness.
Very respectfully,
ATERED KEITy
10 the Hon TunMAs CnpuuN